Chronicles of the Calamitous Cani

((Just got married last night, yay! It was a nice basic ceremony in front of about 30-40 family members and friends or so, pretty close. Nice and gender equitable setup too; we wore matching suits, had mirrored groups, both entered the same and left the same. Less than $1000, and a big part of that was in extra expense finding me a sturdier ring that I wouldn't break easily.))

Current Mood: ecstatic

I seem to have acquired a new spell on my magerium. Where it came from is a mystery to me; I certainly don't recall grafting it.
I will call it Deliver The Distant Nightmare (CrMe25). A touch of looking at theory indicates that it really aught to be Complexity 20, rather than 25. It is a modified form of the basic Plant The Nightmare (CrMe15) which forces the subject to have a certain dream as created by the caster; unlike the version I am familiar with, this variant is meant to be used through an arcane connection.
The malicious potentials of this spell should be obvious, particularly as used with other, even more insideous magics.
I believe I am going to try to forget that I ever saw this spell now whimper and try to find a good excuse and cover story.

((Alright, I just finished a long and rather arduous process of adding a teenage daughter back into the household while in the process of moving. I haven't had much time to think in awhile, and I haven't been online. Terribly sorry for the vanishment. I'll be rereading here shortly, as some of my storylines are a bit at loose ends in my head, and I am reluctant to apply the sort of Mentador needed to put them together in a hurry!))

Sinuuf: "And you would be?"
Mysterious Stranger: "That isn't a question that someone in your situation traditionally gets."
Sinuuf: "Well then; who are you with? Which question did you hear that I had? I've had several, after all."
The Mysterious Stranger paused at that, in consideration.
Sinuuf: "After all, if I just -guess-, I may well be wasting your time after all? And i'm sure that anyone who casually burgles their way into houses to chat tend to have a rather high value on their time. I could be mistaken."
Mysterious: "You've been gone, I hear. and now, you wonder exactly where or why?"
Sinuuf: "Well, yes. I don't actually recall leaving at all."
Mysterious: "I couldn't tell you where you went. But you did leave. Not long after casting a Mentador pattern spell on a guardsman with a complexity of twenty."
Sinuuf: "Oh yes. That. It was a HEALOC spell. Used to heal a Guard member, at their request. Successfully, too."
Mysterious: "I am well aware. But it was a -pattern- spell, rather than, say, a woven one."
Sinuuf: "It was. Is the posession of a healing spell an issue for one training as a Healers' guild member?"
Mysterious: "Of course not. ...Of course, the source of a boxed Mentador spell of complexity twenty is slightly more of a concern."
Sinuuf: "To whom? Are you looking to -purchase- Mentador spells? I have no intention of selling them. In truth, I don't think I even -could-. The kind of people who would provide spells of that sort are very good at making sure that their customers will not compete with them."
Mysterious: "I don't want to hear about you selling any spells of that sort. That would make for some serious trouble.."
Sinuuf: "Ah. You represent the Guard, I suppose, then.. Those spells didn't come from anywhere near here, most likely. I acquired it long before I came to Vheshrame."
Mysterious: "I see. Do you have any other surprises involving Mentador that you might want to not advertize about? Because I don't know that it would go well for you if that piece of information were to end up in the wrong hands."
Sinuuf: "I see. Blackmail it is then. I have a bit of skill at dealing with mages of the Mentador variety. Defenses, healing, and the sort."
Mysterious: "And nothing else?" Eyes narrowed slightly at me.
Sinuuf: "Nothing I would talk about to a mysterious shadowy cloaked figure with a Destroc Airador spell on them. Now, for my question: What more precise details about my absence from the city do you have?"
As it turns out, very few. Sigh.

Later, after my apartment was once again vacant, I did a bit of a review of the facts I knew, and learned at least one disturbing fact that I had not already known...

It took a bit of doing to try to find a way to ask what I had been doing, since one would think that I would know. I wasn't able to find a way to exchange more than pleasantries with Eggum, or Altimerax. I did discover that my rent had been paid for a good length of time in advance, apparently by myself, with a large coin. Thistlegreen, though, greeted me as I passed.
Thistlegreen: "Hello, Sinuuf, I haven't seen you more than once since you came back. I wanted to make sure everything was well.. you.. were being a bit cagey. Is something wrong?" She put her weights down and walked me to a quiet and secluded corner of the yard, looking me over like an all-knowing parent.
Sinuuf: "Good.. Thank you.. I hope nothing is wrong, but I can't really say. Did I mention why I was away? It was all a blur."
Thistlegreen: "Oh, yes, you had to leave for a couple of weeks to deal with some sort of emergency."
Sinuuf: "What kind of emergency?"
Thistlegreen: "I'm not sure; you didn't say. I.. could have sworn I asked, but I don't rember if you answered. Odd.. You just wanted to make sure all your mail was saved for you, and I did that."
Sinuuf: "You did?"
Thistlegreen: "Of course I did. It really wasn't any trouble."
Sinuuf: "And you gave it to me when I came back?"
Thistlegreen: "Oh yes. Don't you remember?"
Sinuuf: "....No, not really... could you keep that quiet for the moment?"
Thistlegreen: "That sounds a bit ominous."
Sinuuf: "I hope only a LITTLE bit ominous. Did anyone come to see me?"
Thistlegreen: "There was a guard or two who tried to find you.. I would have thought that that was dealt with already."
Sinuuf: "I don't remember dealing with it."
I caught up with Bristol later that evening.
Sinuuf: "Bristol, has the Guard been trying to get in touch with me for some reason? One of my neighbors said that a Guard was trying to find me, earlier, and I don't know if it was regarding something that was slipping my mind."
Bristol: "Oh, hello. I'll have to find out. I know I haven't heard anything."
Later,
Bristol: "I checked, and I don't see anything of the sort."
Sinuuf: "Thank you."
And later, when I walked into my bedroom while safely inside my apartment, holding a bean-nut roll and a textbook which I had been studying in the kitchen for some time,
Mysterious Person Who I Do Not Remember Meeting And Did Not Expect To Find Sitting On My Bed: "I hear you had some questions?"

Current Mood: shocked

I was trying to get everyhing ready for class when my entire world took a mighty blow.

I woke up, and threw my books together. I've just started with introductory classes at the hospital, and Cabir has loosened his demands on my time accordingly. I exhanged idle witticism with Thistlegreen, then went to the clinic to tidy up some loose ends there. Nothing out of the ordinary. Of course, that was when the door opened. Chrys took two steps in, saw me, and froze.

Chrys: "Sinuuf? I didn't know you would be here!"
Sinuuf: "Where else would I be?"
Chrys: "I don't know. You haven't been here in -weeks-! No-one seemed to care much, but they never said where you were, either."
Sinuuf: "This is news to me, I don't remember going anywhere.."
Chrys: "Maybe you should check, then!"

I did some quick checking. I seem to be missing a fearfully large amount of time from my memory, and I could not seem to work out how to heal it, even though I expect it should be relatively straightforward.
This is very much a Bad Thing.

Current Mood: confused

Passed on from sythyry 
If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now,(even if we don't speak often or ever) please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL memory of you and me.

It can be anything you want - good or bad - BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE.

When you're finished, post this little paragraph in your LJ and see what your friends come up with.  Or, not.

[[OOC updates: Dating someone new and frantically job-hunting.]]

Here is the piece of the story that was missing.
Bristol, Viola, and Sand idly took note that a local merchant had closed their shop at a very unusual time of day, and were looking about for him. Viola had heard a familiar voice in an alleyway, and looked around the corner. Viola did not specifically call for help, as they were together, even though Bristol and Sand were talking to someone else at the time about something which is essentially inconsequential.
Viola was spotted by said merchant, who released a bound spell. During the triggering of this spell, Viola made a noise of protest and drew her sword.
Viola then decided to continue watching to see what said merchant would do. This is presumably not the course of action she would have chosen normally.
The merchant continued digging through a pile of rubbish, retrieving from it a boxed spell. The merchant then ran away, and released a second bound spell upon turning the corner behind the building. Viola then realized that she was standing in an alleyway, holding her weapon, seconds before Bristol and Sand arrived to ask why she was standing at the edge of an alleyway with her sword out and hanging by her side.
Bristol surmised that the effects seemed like a mental attack, and noted that they were less than a city block from Cabir's office.

Bristol was rather alarmed that a complexity 20 spell containing Mentador had gone off in her presence, however, this was dampened by the fact that it was also a Healoc spell, which is to be expected in the office of a healer.

Bristol: "That was a big spell! What are you doing with that?"
Sinuuf: "I thought you were trying to get on the trail of an evil Mentador mage? I don't really like thinking about there being someone in town changing the minds of Guard members!"
Bristol: "But.."
Sinuuf: "We'll talk about this later. I've been in here taking care of patients and studying all day. Here! I'll even help! Do you want spells of protection against Mentador?"
Bristol: "It would... help?" She seemed a bit confused by being put on the defensive.
Three castings of Aura of Alertness to Mentador (KeSuMe 15) got passed around.
Sinuuf: "Go! Go! You have an Evil Mentador Mage to deal with!"
They left, looking more than a bit confused and disturbed.

Cabir: "That was interesting."
Sinuuf: "I hate evil Mentador mages."
Cabir: "You -are- a Mentador mage."
Sinuuf: "I try not to be evil."

Cabir walked to his desk and shuffled through some files for a minute or so.
Cabir: "They'll be back to talk to you."
Sinuuf: "If they want more protective spells, you're the one who was saying that you needed some extra income. And that was a healing spell. It isn't like I was changing their memories or some such thing."
Cabir: "True."
Cabir: "...."
Cabir: "Do you have a spell to change memories?"
My answer was to put stitches into a piece of leather.

Current Mood: irritated

"Well!", said Cabir, "Why are you coming to me in particular? I am not known for having any talent with Mentador, after all." He picked up one of the cleaning items he had on hand, the air-cleaning fan, and waved it at the bench in the room, and incidentally at myself. Probably for the best, as I had frozen up in terror.

Bristol: "You're the closest.. Viole saw something, but we don't know what anymore. Something made her forget."
Cabir: "Something?"
Bristol: "We were looking for someone who we'd been told to look out for. Viole saw something and called out to them, but when we got to her she was confused."
Cabir: "Confused?"
Viole: "I don't remember calling out.. We were walking and looking, and I was standing in an alley.. I don't remember what I was doing, or why I went into the alley, though."
Cabir: "Hmm.. Destroc Mentador effect of some kind?" This question wasn't directly aimed at me, so I didn't actually need to answer it.
Sinuuf: "If I remember my magic theory right, a complexity ten spell would do it." I actually know the pattern spell that likely did it. This doesn't help me at all in being able to prove my innocence, but I actually have Lost Minute (DeMe 10) grafted.
Bristol: "Probably something like Lost Minute. I don't know if a few minutes helps break it easier. I'd like to know what she saw before the trail goes dry."
To my credit, I actually have the perfect spell for such occasions. Unfortunately, the spell in question is Restore the Stolen Memory, Healoc Mentador 20. People tend to become uneasy knowing that anyone around can cast Mentador at that level of potency.

This renders the issue into one of healers' ethics.
The Healers' Guild heals people. While this is a statement that seems very obvious, it is one that has some consequenses attached to it.
This would be an act of healing, albeit a potentially rather hazardous one to one's social standing.
The question of how much personal danger a healer is obligated to place themself in in order to perform an act of healing is one that is debated, and yes, I read the chapters on ethics just last week.
Dutorneau favors an absolutist approach to healing, and feels that it is the duty of the healer to heal even enemies and the politically unpopular. Azraziel follows a pragmatic approach, and feels that a successful and safe healer will produce more healing than a dead martyred doctor. Dutorneau is Rassimel, and can be expected to be more than slightly obsessed with principle, while Azraziel, being a Zi Ri healer and scholar of some three hundred years of experience, can be expected to see survival as being of great importance and would not be expected to subscribe to a philosophy of martyrdom.
In the discussion of these, Cabir noted that Chrentothany feels the Healers' Guild to have a duty of care toward healers acting to heal patients, and Chrentothany is local to this area and likely to have some sway in the matter. Ergo, I am likely going to have some protection if I am acting in the capacity of a healer under the guidance of a Guild-affiliated healer mentor.

Sinuuf: "True, I don't much like the idea of a Mentador mage running around harassing the Guard. This is Guard business, I assume? I think we can fix this."
I, gulp, cast the spell.

Bristol: "Yeep!"

Current Mood: discontent

((Sorry, been obscenely busy. This one is really short, too. None of my longer ideas were working pacing-wise.))

The day started off well, even if the needle wasn't cooperating with me.
Cabir: "No, no, you need more practice. Try again." He had me sewing up chamois scraps with holes cut in them.
Sinuuf: "Any ideas about my neighbor?"
Cabir: "I honestly wouldn't know. I haven't seen her, and I don't know who is, so i'm not going to be much use there."
Sinuuf: "Mm. Well, it's frustrating."
Cabir: "I wouldn't worry about it. You'll be in class soon! You need to get your schedule worked out for that, have you started?"
Sinuuf: "A bit.. It's pretty simple. Lots of theory groundwork to start, and I didn't see a lot of choices to make there."
Cabir: "At least today is calm. Not much excitement today."

The door opened, to reveal Guard Bristol standing behind it, accompanied by another person I didn't know.

Cabir: "Ah, Bristol! How can I help you today?"
Bristol: "Hi, Cabir! We're looking for an evil Mentador mage!"

Current Mood: scared

I would like to say that I responded brilliantly.
...But I would be lying. Rather, I fled. And proceeded to avoid Altimerax studiously for several days. I did have a few conversations on the subject, at least.

I asked Eggum about it, as he practiced on his drums after I got home from work.
Eggum Ottwax: "Not sure... why she would... have reacted... like that. She must have been... upset.. before you saw her."
Sinuuf: "I'm a bit afraid to ask."
Eggum Ottwax: "Heard a rumor... that you're shagging.. up a Rassimel bint?"
Sinuuf: "I know. It's not true, the relationship is purely professional."
Eggum Ottwax: "Hnnn.. Yeah, I heard it... from Arvakr. He's... usually wrong."
Sinuuf: "Thank you so much for your vote of confidence."

Thistlegreen made an appearance in the courtyard at an unusually early hour of the morning, well before dawn. I'd awoken for a snack, and upon seeing cer, burned through a bit of cley healing cis assorted injuries with the Heal Once I had just recently been able to graft.
Sinuuf: "What happenned to you?"
Thistlegreen: "I'd rather not say." Ce glared at me in a manner that emphasized a closure to that topic for now.
Sinuuf: "...Okay."
Sinuuf: "What's twisting Altimerax's tail? She threw me off a balcony."
Thistlegreen: "I don't know. She's like that sometimes. Happy enough in the morning, but then something sets her off.. i'm not sure what. and she's upset the rest of the day. Sometimes she's stomping around angry for days."
Sinuuf: "Any idea why?"
Thistlegreen: "Family, maybe? Just trying to remember things she was cussing about... I'm sorry i'm not more helpful, Sinuuf. I just don't know. I stay out of her way when she gets like that."

Arvakr was on the balcony as I walked to work one morning. He had a bit of a scent of narcotics lingering around him that made my nose twitch.
Sinuuf: "Arvakr, can you please not spread rumors about me? I got thrown off of a balcony because of that last one, and it isn't even -true-."
Arvakr: "What?"
Sinuuf: "That Rassy girl I was talking to is a patient of mine. I'm not doing anything more romantic than checkups and discussion of injuries with her."
Arvakr: "...Really? I didn't think I said much."
Sinuuf: "Someone told Altimerax, and Altimerax threw me over the railing. I haven't the faintest idea why. I'm a bit annoyed by that! Please try harder to not spread ridiculous rumors!"
Arvakr: "Right, right."
Sinuuf: "Oh, and you smell like you've been rolling in burned mushrooms. It makes my nose itch; you're not going to make a good impression on anyone with half a nose like that."
Arvakr: "...You can smell that still?"
Sinuuf: "You REEK. I doubt you even need to be Cani to smell you across a room."
Arvakr cursed and went, presumably, to bathe again.

Chrys: "You're looking rather a bit preoccupied with something."
Sinuuf: "Just some trouble at home."
Chrys: "With one of your wives or husbands?"
Sinuuf: "No, i'm not married. One of my neighbors is upset at me, and I don't know why. No, I know why, but I don't know why they were upset enough to shove me over a railing."
Chrys: "Why were they upset?"
Sinuuf: "Someone started a rumor that we were a couple." I grimaced in distaste. "But the girl who shoved me seems like one of the more gentle people I know. And they were crying a lot. It just surprised me."
Chrys: "Did you talk to her?"
Sinuuf: "Not yet. I've been a bit frightened to."
Chrys: "You really aught to."
She's right, but that doesn't make it any less awkward.

Current Mood: anxious

The loam and the grass under my paws as I walked to my apartment was cold and dry. I was tired, and troubled.

Thistlegreen: “Alty is having a bad day.”

I nodded. “Okay.” and thought no more of it.

I turned to my door and started fumbling with the keys, head ringing softly and swaying the ground gently here and there, less than it might otherwise.

A voice piped up beside me: gentle, sickly Altimerax.

Altimerax: “I heard you were out spending time with a Rassimel girl.”

Ah yes, Chrys. I reviewed in my head – again – the events of the evening, the stabbing, the ensuing argument, the masterful wielding of words by Cabir, the resulting overdue bit of misery. Not a terriby pleasant evening by any means.

Sinuuf: “A bit. I had to go meet her family today.”

Altimerax: “..Why?”

Sinuuf: “Oh, they weren't happy about her habits, and they wanted to make sure I was going to be the right person for her.” I winced and tried another key that I was sure I'd tried before. In the end, beaten by Cabir's logical litanies and relentless thrusts of guilt, Chrys was left looking for a place to live and study from, and with a stipend; my services were retained, and my scholarship, miraculously enough, escaped unscathed and even bolstered. I suspect that Cabir expended quite a bit of his arsenal of blackmail material in the battle, however. It was rather an epic duel-war of kindly words and smiles over tea, and my attentions were not as much on it as they might have been.

Altimerax: “...And what did they think?”

Sinuuf: “Honestly? They were very upset. But they don't really have her best interests in mind, and their interfering in her romantic life is a big part of why she is seeing me.”

Altimerax: “Oh.. Why, is she looking to settle down or something?”

Hmm, Chrys had made a few veiled comments about her abandoned boyfriend that seemed a bit long term – heavily veiled by her issues, though.. I should go back into my notes to see if I should ask more about that.

Sinuuf: “I think that might be part of it, sure..”

A hand gripped me and moved suddenly, and the world spun. There was sky, and fury.

The loam and grass under my back as my head bounced off the ground and my limbs fell in a jumble around me was dry, and cold. Above me, the sky was filled with pained, tearful, furious Orren.

Altimerax: “You... How could you!”

I'm quite sure I may have possibly missed something terribly important and subtle, here...

Current Mood: shocked

(In Portland, OR for the week. Let me know if there's anything you might want me to do there.)

Sinuuf: "Chrys?"
Sinuuf: "How are you feeling?"
Chrys: "I'm fine, really."
Sinuuf: "I wouldn't be."
Chrys: "..."
Sinuuf: "How did you get together with the guy you mentioned?"
Chrys: "Mother met him and thought he'd be perfect."
Sinuuf: "Were you seeing anyone?"
Chrys: "Just Casthan, but that really wasn't going to go anywhere."
Sinuuf: "Oh?"
Chrys: "You heard them."
Sinuuf: "What was he like?"
Chrys: "Just another student."
Sinuuf: "Of?"
Chrys: "Magiador. I met him in a graduate class."
Sinuuf: "Your level class?"
Chrys: "Yes.."
Sinuuf: "But your father didn't care for him?"
Chrys: "Well, of course. No future in him."
Sinuuf: "When's the last time you got angry?"
Chrys stopped and thought about this. After a little while, I got a cup of spiced juice from a pitcher nearby, stirring it with a fork, and lapped at it, then sat down again.
Chrys: "Oh! When your friend accused us of being an item."
Sinuuf: "And before that?"
Chrys: "...."
I slowly finished off the cup of juice, then put it down. "I think I know why you cut yourself."
Chrys: "Why?"
Sinuuf: "Because that way, you have an excuse to feel hurt, because you don't let yourself feel hurt about things you should be hurt by."
Chrys: "That doesn't make any sense.."
Sinuuf: "When your father asked if you were trying to embarrass him, how did you feel?"
Chrys: "How did I feel?"
The fork made a loud wood on wood click! sound as I sandwiched it between the hand Chrys had been venturing out and the table. Chrys blinked at it.
Sinuuf: "I don't think that's working for you very well. Do you want me to help you deal with it?"

Current Mood: productive

Cabir rose to his feet before I could stop him, and stepped to Chrys. This precipitated a crashing wave of drama I had hoped to avoid.
Arhelene: "Oh, not again!"
Elthamhor: "Are you trying to embarrass us?"
Cabir: "Let go of the knife, and I'll have that healed.."
Sinuuf: "Excuse me.."
Chrys looked around at everyone and warded them off with her hand. "Will you just leave me alone?"
Arhelene: "Oh, are you alright?"
Elthamhor: "I swear, you are such an embarrassment."
Chrys looked down, and levered the knife deeper into her leg. "I'm sorry."
Arhelene: "I just can't understand what is wrong with you!"
Cabir: "If you'll please move your hand.."
Sinuuf: "I said EXCUSE ME.."
Chrys: "Why can't you just.. nevermind.."
Cabir: "That looks like it hurts, I can help.."
Sinuuf: "EXCUSE! ME!"
Everyone shut up and looked at me.
Sinuuf: "If you are all finished harassing my patient? I think I should spend some time helping."
Arhelene: "I am -not- harassing.."
Sinuuf: "Then please appreciate that I am trying to do what is best for your daughter, and let me do what I have been asked to do."
Elthamhor: "Patient?"
Cabir: "I passed her case on to him. I assure you, he has been under my supervision."
Sinuuf: "Chrys, is there somewhere quiet we can go? I think you'd appreciate getting away from this craziness."
Chrys meekly pointed at a door, then rose, limping toward it and leaving a trail of blood behind her.
Sinuuf: "Thank you. I'll be back later."

Current Mood: frustrated

"Well then." Arhelene shrugged faintly. "I will admit that matters have been somewhat strained. I do expect that things will clear up, however."
Cabir: "Oh, of course."
Arhelene: "And things have been looking promising in other regards. My husband has been working on some projects that we hope may pay dividends in the future. As for the rest of the family - Chrys, weren't you spending some time with that gentleman Gallimir?"
Chrys: "..." She paused a moment, and I could smell a faint cringe. "Actually, no, we haven't seen each other in some time."
Arhelene: "Oh? Mmmh. We will have to talk about this later." She frowned, severe.
Cabir: "Gallimir?" He apparently recognized the name; I didn't. He looked over at Arhelene, measuringly.
Chrys bit her lip slightly. "I just didn't much care for him, really."
Arhelene: "There's no need to interrupt a good dinner with discussion of my daughter's romantic life. I'm sure she must be mortified by it all."
Chrys: "..no, it's perfectly alright." She did not -smell- as though it was perfectly alright. "It wasn't that long ago, and it's over now."
A Rassimel man entered, taking his seat beside Arhelene. "Sorry about the delay, dear, you know how graduate students can be. What is this I hear about you and Gallimir?"
Chrys: "I'm... not seeing him."
Prof. Elthamhor: "But he has such potential! More than that rake you were seeing before."
Chrys fell faintly back into her chair and blinked, opening her mouth briefly, then settling. "I suppose you're right.."
My eyes flicked over to Cabir, canting my ears faintly.
Elthamhor: "Maybe we can clear things up for you."
Arhelene frowned faintly, eager to change the subject. "I suppose I can do that. ..How was your day, dear?"
A slight shift of scent drew my attention to Chrys's skirts, which she has quietly hiked up.
Elthanhor: "Oh, nothing exciting. I had to deal with some long meetings. Some silliness in the rudimentary mathematics department." He proceeded to recount some story of inane politicking which he evidently felt quite proud about, but realized that no-one else in the room was likely to.
I took a small sniff of the air as a coppery tinge of blood hit it, followed shortly afterward by Cabir. I shook my head ever-so-faintly and spared a quick glance over to the sight of a table knife being calmly twisted in Chrys's thigh.

Current Mood: annoyed

The servant who met us at the door was terribly polite as she took our coats.
Cabir: "Hello, Willowleaf. I see your hand is looking better."
Willowleaf: "Ah. Yes, it is. Rather an expensive healing, though." She looked at one of her hands and flexed it a bit, touching a faint break in the coloration on her chitin along her arm.
Cabir: "And so you are working here?"
Willowleaf: "Yes.. It's not a bad job." I scented a hint of frustration, though.
Cabir: "Mmmhm." There was quite a bit of subtext in that, in the dubious tilt of his tail and the tip of his ear. "I do hope you are eating well."
Willowleaf: "Well.. Some.. If I eat too well, there will be nothing left to pay my debt. But thank you for asking. You are expected in the Grand Hall, this way."
Chitin clicked on faux-tile flooring as she led us into the hall, directing us to our seats at the table before slipping into the kitchens.

The square table was decorated with a fine tablecloth, and scaled to appear rather majestic. The size of the room itself was more in doubt; it seemed larger than it aught to have been, but a railing surrounded the outline of where I guessed that the walls aught to be, encompassing a far more modest space. I would eventually manage to find an excuse to walk to the railing and reach out to discover that the railing was in fact the true limit of the room, with the larger extents of the room being provided by a fixed Illusidor enchantment, but that is getting ahead of myself, and not terribly important.
Arhelene: "Well hello there. Such a pleasure to meet you. You would be Esquire Cabir's new student?" She smiled in a manner that was entirely polite, yet lacking in true warmth. "Do sit down and have a cup of tea."
Myself and Cabir settled into a chair opposite Arhelene, nodding politely.
Cabir: "Why, thank you so much, Arhelene. Such a pleasure to see you again." His ears turned ever-so-subtly back and away from Arhelene, in an indication of the irony of that statement. I seriously doubt she noticed.
Chrys floated in from the stairway in a long black dress, full of lace and pleats, with long sleeves and gloves. She sat herself daintily in a chair around the corner from me, settling herself in and smiling politely to myself and Cabir with a nod.
Chrys: "Hello, Sinuuf; Hello, Esquire Cabir. I hope everything has been going well for you?"
Arhelene's lips tightened ever so faintly at the ever-so-subtle implied insult. As I have discovered, while Cabir is, in fact, only an Esquire, he actually outranks Arhelene slightly in matters of nobility, if not Guild standing.
Cabir: "Oh, things have been going quite well. My clinic has been expanding it's services somewhat; I seem to have gained something of a positive reputation in the neighborhood." Translation: In Guild matters, in which I am the weaker in this conversation, I have been rising through the ranks. "Of course, there have been the usual shake-ups recently, what with the recent retirements and all."
This is a bit of Guild business which I only vaguely understand. One of the senior healers in Vheshrame - whose name escapes me - recently retired, along with some of his staff. This created a bit of a stir in the ranks, as new opportunities arose in his wake for new Guild advancement.
Cabir: "But I'm sure you've been able to profit from the situation." She hadn't. Cabir knows this. Arhelene knows that Cabir knows this. He smiled, lightly lifting his cup to his nose and lapping lightly from it.
I took a brief glance around the room. I do like to know where the exits are, just in case.

Current Mood: nervous

The home of High Lady Arhelene Linconsira the First..
Sinuuf: "Linconsira the First? Is there a second?"
Cabir: "Not to my knowledge."
The home of High Lady Arhelene Linconsira the First sat on a hill in a neighborhood of large and austere mansions. The paint was fresh, the front of the building tended with care, though I noted that a corner of the building had sunken somewhat into the soil and needed shoring up.
Sinuuf: "Why are we here, again?"
Cabir: "Arhelene is on the committee that is reviewing your scholarship. Also, your patient is her daughter. That seems enough to make you of interest to her."
Sinuuf: "I can see how that would be of importance."
Cabir: "Quite. Just remember one thing."
Sinuuf: "Don't make a fool of you in front of the politically powerful, excessively extravagantly wealthy, and from what little I have heard, unpleasant lady of the house?"
Cabir: "If possible.. But no, I was going to say that you should have your patient's interests in mind. It's a bit of a sticky point for me and a number of other healers, see. I'll have to teach you some history, later."
Sinuuf: "....I'll keep that in mind."

Current Mood: anxious

My sessions with Chrys take the form of pleasant conversation in places where we are not especially likely to be interrupted, which are themselves pleasant. Most commonly, while walking in parks, or along quiet streets, or other places of the sort. I am quickly learning quite a few of these in the city. These are, of course, common places of rendezvous for other reasons.
On this particular day, we were discussing various mildly intimate details of Chrys's past, not ones I particularly care to repeat here, mostly quite banal really. This was done in softened voices, as Chrys is not one to broadcast her past love life widely.
This particular park is rather thick with romantic hideaways and shadowy grottoes of space, grass, and benches. This was my undoing, as I had been less than attentive in my examination of each.
Arvakr: "I never would have thought of you as a libertine."
Sinuuf: "...Huh?"
Chrys: "What?"
Arvakr: "Why do you have to be so disgusting just because your great-great grandparents did something interesting? You're not above common decency just because of who your family is!"
Chrys: "...What are you.. talking about...?" She twisted her face up, confused, and glanced around a bit.
Sinuuf: "Hello Arvakr. What on wood are you on about now?" I will have to admit that this came out a bit more defensively than I would have liked. Arvakr had just the evening before tried to moralize at me mightily about some cause which I frankly did not understand the details of, save that it was borderline seditious.
Arvakr: "Can't you find some Rassimel to wrap yourself around? Instead of using some poor foreigner for your fun? And you! I thought you were above trying to weasel your way into political favors like that! Disgusting!"
This is about the point where it dawned on me what exactly Arvakr thought he was seeing. This upset me! I'm not that sort!
Sinuuf: "Arvakr, you don't even know what you're looking at. We are -not- doing anything the least bit perverse. Now just go away before you make a bigger fool of yourself than you already are."
It was about this point that I noticed Chrys absolutely seething with anger. This was an interesting point, as I didn't recall her allowing herself to have that sort of rage often.
Chrys: "You disgust me! How dare you walk up to us and start throwing your sick accusations! I don't know who you think you are, but I could have you flogged on the spot!"
Taking notes, taking notes, stand behind the scary Rassy girl..
Arvakr: "What, embarrassed because I interrupted your libertine tryst?"
Chrys: "No!"
Arvakr: "You should be!"
I sighed.
Sinuuf: "Arvakr, it's not like that."
Arvakr: "Then what is it like?"
I paused. I'm pretty sure that saying "I'm an evil Mentador mage offering consultation with Chrys here to work out how to deal with an embarrassing problem that she would prefer to keep secret" would probably not go over very well.
Sinuuf: "Just.. Go away, Arvakr."
Arvakr fumed a bit. Chrys took the opportunity to explode in a screaming fit of righteous rage in defense of her dignity. My teeth gnashed together.
I must guiltily admit, the thought of changing Arvakr's memories a bit flitted briefly through my mind at hearing the screaming match, but even if I were foolish enough to do something so intrusive and evil, it would likely be of rather poor quality; I wasn't completely certain what Arvakr's memories of seeing the two of us together were, exactly. Also, I prefer to avoid being slaughtered by the city guard. Instead, I stepped between the two, rather upset.
Sinuuf: "Arvakr, just leave now."
He did.

It took fully the rest of the hour to get Chrys to calm down from Arvakr's accusations. I took notes. Apparently, defending one's noble dignity -is- an area in which Chrys is allowed to be furious on. Consequently, not a single drop of blood was spilled all night.

Later, I stopped by the clinic.
Cabir: "I'm going to need to borrow you later this week, for a dinner with Chrys's family." He specified the day and the time.
Sinuuf: "Um? I'll need to cancel my plans for that evening."
Cabir: "What plans? You really aught to meet her family."
Sinuuf: "..Reasonable.." I sighed and looked appropriately pained, reviewing in my mind a long list of veiled comments about the inadequacies of said parents, many of which had been followed by apologies and bloodshed. "Nothing significant, I was going to help with a get together at my apartment. I suppose I should meet these people, though..."
Cabir: "I sense some hesitation. Trust me, I loathe spending time with them myself. But we must do what we must do, hmm?"
Sinuuf: (deadpan) "Wonderful."

Current Mood: annoyed

((I'll just have to say this; i'm having a bit of writers block. It's not that I have no ideas, it's that none of them want to flesh out enough to write about.))

((So. Is there anything in particular you'd like to see delved into first? That way I can focus my temporarily ADHD muse a bit.))