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* Jaret comes in through the door to his house, a small sack in his arms. "Lini'leah? I'm home from the market. I picked a few things up for our trip." * Lini is sitting casually in the study reading. "I'm in here. Do you need any help with anything?" * Jaret sets the sack down, hangs his heavy cloak up on a peg, and picks the sack back up. "No, it's not that much." He walks by the door of the study and looks in on Lini and grins. "What're you reading?" * Lini turns the book so the cover is showing. "It was on your shelf. It seems to be a treatise on swordsmanship." * Jaret laughs. "Most every book on the shelves here is either swordsmanship or poetry." He walks into the room and settles into a chair near Lini's. "Finding it interesting, or simply passing time?" * Lini shakes her head. "Passing time." * Jaret grins, leans over, and tugs the book out of her hands. "I'm sure there's something better you can do than pass time." * Lini looks at the book leave her hand with a mock longing look. "Oh, I'm not so sure about that." * Jaret closes the book and tosses it onto a nearby table. "I think I'll be able to change your mind, given a little time." * Lini smiles. "Really....Did you have something in mind?" * Jaret grins. "Perhaps. Although there's a few things I want to talk about first... namely this trip." * Lini turns herself in the chair, draping her legs over the chair's arm and smiles. "By all mean, go right ahead. I would hate to think you interrupted my reading for no reason." * Jaret grins at Lini as she gets comfortable, and then gets a serious look on his face. "Remember when I first told you about this?" * Lini watches Jaret's face. "Yes, I remember. And have I ever mentioned that your face only does that when you are uncomfortable. So what is it I don't know yet?" * Jaret grins. "Uncomfortable is one word for it. I wasn't precisely honest when I said why I was going. I didn't want to upset you, and I meant to tell you as soon as you were released, but... I'll confess, I've been distracted lately, and it's been too easy to push thoughts of this trip from my mind until now, when it's almost on top of us." * Lini simply looks at Jaret. "Go on." * Jaret takes a folded piece of parchment from inside his jacket. As he unfolds it, a lock of glossy black hair drops out into his hand. <Jaret> I did accidentally kill the high priest's... brother, I think. But I haven't been asked to go down before, and they haven't been attacking Cormyreans in the area. <Jaret> Well, not so accidentally. He was swinging a scimitar in my general direction. However, what's actually happened is... do you remember Candra? * Lini blinks several times. "Yes...yes I do." * Jaret flips the lock of hair across the knuckles of his left hand, absently. "I don't know how, or why she was even in the area, but they've taken her captive... and they've proposed an exchange. The letter arrived a week or so after I got back to Marsember from Ordulin." <Lini> "An....exchange?" * Jaret purses his lips and nods. "An exchange. I go down there, they let her go... and they drop me in whatever dark hole she was in." * Lini turns to sit properly in her seat and shakes her head matter-of-factly. "No." * Jaret puts the hair back in the letter. "Lini, I have to. Next time it might not be a lock of hair and a letter they send me to let me know they've got her." <Lini> I don't care. I don't want them sending me random reminders of where YOU are. And to be honest, I am much more concerned with your safety than the safety of a woman I hardly knew. <Jaret> Lini, I can't just let them keep her locked up simply because... because we were engaged once. I have to do this. My conscience wouldn't let me sleep if I didn't. <Lini> So what happens... ::Lini sits forward a bit:: Are you suppose to take her place until they decide you are too much trouble and kill you? <Jaret> I'm not really sure what they're planning. My general plan was to escape as soon as I could after they handed her over, and try to avoid any sort of torture or whatever that might be on the tentative schedule. * Lini almost mutters. "You do this and you might need to worry about the torture scheduled for you when you get home." * Jaret grins. "If the administrator was as delightful as you, I might not be planning to escape so promptly." <Lini> Oh...wipe that grin off your face Malkier. I am quite serious. * Jaret sighs. "So am I, Lini. I have to do this." * Lini looks unhappily at Jaret. "Why?" * Jaret reaches out to Lini. "Because it's what I should do. I know this is dangerous, and I could be getting in over my head... which was why I was hoping I could talk you into helping me." * Lini pulls away from Jaret's touch. "Don't you dare try that on me. I am quite serious. You do not need to do this. You did not get her into this mess and it is not your responsibility to get her out of it." <Jaret> I may not *need* to do it, but it's something I should do. And I may not have put her in that place, but it's my fault that she's there. <Lini> Why? Why do you have to put yourself in danger for her? <Jaret> Because it's my fault that they've seized her, my fault that they've locked her up, and they're not letting her go until I come down and take her place, and so... it is my responsibility. * Lini pushes herself back against the chair and sighs. "Of course...Responsibility. I should have guessed." * Jaret raises an eyebrow. "Is that such a bad thing?" <Lini> When it puts you in danger .... yes. <Jaret> Lini, I know this is dangerous. I'd have to be a complete fool to not see that. I understand why this bothers you so, too. But since we've both agreed this is dangerous... is there any chance you'll help me? <Lini> Help you?...help you get yourself killed ...Hells why don't you just have me stab you now and save them the trouble. <Jaret> I was more hoping for help escaping from them after we'd gotten Candra from them, actually, dear. Impalement's also on the list of things I was trying to avoid. * Lini looks at Jaret with a great annoyance in her eyes. "You don't seem to be trying too hard." * Jaret grins. "I'll try harder, then." <Lini> And again with the grin. The number of problems that grin can correct is growing thin. <Jaret> I'm a naturally ebullient person. I can't help it. <Lini> You should have not trouble making friends in prison then. <Jaret> Oh, I'm not too sure about that. Besides, I have such a high caliber of friends here that I'm loath to leave them behind. <Lini> If that is the case why are you so ready to leave? <Jaret> Lini, this isn't something I want to do. It's not how I'd planned to be spending my time, and... Lini, if I don't do this, it's going to haunt me. I can't *not* do this, and somehow feel like I'm not betraying myself. <Lini> Your damnable personal honor again. <Jaret> Damnable is a rather harsh condemnation, dear, for something I usually consider one of the core pillars of my personality. I'd like to think it makes me who I am. <Lini> It makes up part of who you are. A rather annoying part at this moment. * Jaret lets the grin drop from his face. "Lini... I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to. I want to get this over and done with so I can get home and spend some time with you, here. And if I want to do that, I could use your help." <Lini> So let me see if I understand this. You need my help to make sure you can break out of prison? <Jaret> Well, I'm reasonably certain that I could do it eventually on my own, but I don't want to spend too much time there if I can help it. So, yes, I'd like your help. <Lini> I didn't want to spend time there either but that didn't seem to phase you to much when the issue of my breaking out arose. <Jaret> The difference between you being arrested by the Purple Dragons in the town we live in on a suspicion of murder and some snake cultists in Chult wanting to stick me in a dark pit because I killed someone in self-defense while rescuing a kidnapped infant should be readily apparent. <Lini> Should they? <Jaret> I had hoped so, yes. <Lini> Not from my angle. <Lini> ::sarcastically:: Everything tends to look a bit different from inside four stone walls. <Jaret> Chult doesn't have that much stone, they tend to use deep pits... but I suppose I'll get to find out for myself. <Lini> So what do you want me to do anyway...throw you a rope? <Jaret> I really don't know, Lini. I haven't done this before. Rope couldn't hurt, though. Maybe with some of those knots in it, so it's easier to climb up? * Lini glares at Jaret for a moment then mutters. "Why don't I give you the rope now and let you get it over with?" <Lini> Why travel halfway around the world when you can just hang yourself right here and save everyone the trouble...that's what you're doing you know? Putting your neck in a noose. <Jaret> It's not that sure of a thing, Lini. I'll admit it's more dangerous than crossing the street, of course, but I *do* expect to be able to get out of this. Trust me, I don't want to die. <Lini> But still you are going to travel the gods knows how far to free a woman who you obviously don't love or else you'd have married her. And to allow a crazy man to avenge... ::her voice trails off into silent and she stares at Jaret intently.:: <Jaret> Lini, she needs help, and I'm the only one who can help her out right now. If I don't, gods know how long they'll let her rot in that... what is it? * Lini slowly shakes her head. * Jaret looks around the room. "Would you mind telling me what's on your mind?" <Lini> ::quietly:: You aren't traveling halfway around the world for someone you don't love are you? I mean... ::her voice trails off again:: * Jaret leans his head to one side. "I don't get what you... oh, I see. Lini... I can't say I don't care for Candra. But I wouldn't say I love her." * Lini speaks with confidence returning to her voice. "What would you say then? And why didn't you marry her back then anyway?" <Jaret> I'd say that I loved her once, and that I still care for her. And we didn't marry because... probably because neither of us really wanted it enough. Candra was ultimately already married to her work, as it was. <Lini> She didn't care for you enough to break from her work even a bit, and here you are years later ready to run off with out warning to save her. I will never understand the human male. * Jaret grins. "What, this isn't warning enough for you? And I wouldn't say she didn't care enough. She was like I think Zoya is. Certain problems get her going, and she won't stop until she has them deciphered. And if it ends up taking months... so be it." <Lini> Don't you grin at me like that. I am still angry with you and you are not smiling your way out of it so easily. * Jaret raises an eyebrow. "This is easy? You've proposed leaving me to sit in a pit in a jungle while snake cultists probably throw rocks and sticks at me and this is easy? I'm glad I don't have to experience 'hard.'" * Lini smiles he best false sincere smile at Jaret. "Give me time love and you might. At this moment I might help supply the rocks an sticks myself. I'm furious with you." * Jaret smiles slowly. "Could I at least talk you into pebbles and twigs?" * Lini takes a deep breath and lets it out very slowly. "You are a most exasperating man. I have told you that before, yes?" <Jaret> ::laughing just a bit:: Perhaps once or twice. * Lini breathes in and out very slowly, her eyes growing wide and slightly pink as Jaret laughs. * Jaret catches the shift in hue."I am sorry I didn't tell you earlier, lover. It's just... everything happened so fast, and at the wrong time." <Lini> You infuriate me, you know that?! <Jaret> I'm beginning to grasp the concept, yes. It's not intentional, at least, but I don't think you find much consolation in that. * Lini bows graciously toward Jaret but speaks with sarcasm in her voice. "Then you truly have a gift. To do something so well with so little effort." <Jaret> It's a curse, to be so gifted in whatever I do. <Lini> Well then, with such a curse you should be fine in whatever endeavor you undertake. ::Lini turns and walks out of the room:: * Jaret rolls his eyes before getting out of his chair to follow Lini out into the foyer. "And if I endeavor to win your favor back, and see that smile light your face again?" * Lini spins to face Jaret. "You always manage to 'win back my favor' anyway. Why take the effort to try so hard." <Jaret> Because you're worth all the effort I can put into it. You always are. * Lini stomps her foot in frustration. "Why in the hell can't you just let me be mad at you once and a while? No...you have to smile and be sweet and ruin my whole righteous indignation." * Jaret grins. "That, I'll admit, is deliberate." * Lini glares at Jaret for a moment. "So what do you want me to do? Be happy that you are doing this to yourself?" <Jaret> Of course, not, Lini. I'm not happy about this, either. There is one more thing I wanted to talk to you about. Candra, when she... how much about her do you remember? <Lini> Very little. She was of no importance to me at the time. As you might remember, I had little use for people I deemed...well...useless. * Jaret reaches back and absently straightens out his queue. "Candra... the research she was working on, and completed right before she left... she said she'd made an potion that stopped whoever drank it from aging." * Lini slowly looks up and stares into Jaret's eyes. "Completely?" <Jaret> I don't know, Lini. I... we didn't talk much about each other's hobbies, but I think so, yes. * Lini laughs slightly. "Hobbies...That is a funny thing you refer to as a hobby." * Jaret grins. "I'm sure she viewed my activities as no more than that, and it seemed only appropriate to reciprocate." <Lini> Remind me never to ask you what you think about my career choices. * Jaret chuckles. "As you wish." <Lini> Back to my question. What do you want me to do? <Jaret> I'm not sure on the details yet. For now? Come with me to Chult. We'll have to take a boat -- the Black Dragons won't 'port me there, since this isn't something I'm doing for them Once we get there... help make sure the handover goes smoothly, and then I'd appreciate any aid in breaking out that you'd be able to offer. <Lini> If you remember correctly, I'm not too good at breaking OUT of places. <Jaret> You'll have some time to plan for it this time, though. Just think of it as breaking in, but reversed. Or maybe breaking in, and I'm what you're stealing. * Lini thinks for a moment then grins. "But where do I fence you when I'm done? The market for you type seems fairly limited." * Jaret mock sighs. "And here I thought you might be interested in keeping me for yourself." <Lini> The thought had crossed my mind...But after all the trouble you are going to cause me... ::Lini grins:: Who knows? * Jaret chuckles and reaches out to wind a lock of Lini's hair around a finger. "I suppose I'll just have to do what I can to keep you interested." * Lini step gracefully to the side. "Oh no you don't. I've learned that trick already. You need to tell me ow you expect me to help you. Especially when I will quite possibly be thrown in jail too for just being with you." <Jaret> Well, first of all, I'd like to avoid you getting thrown in jail however we can. I assume you don't have too much of a problem with that? * Lini nods "Personally I have found a stay in jail to be a less than rewarding experience." <Jaret> Well then, let us start from there. I'd like to make sure they keep up their part of the initial bargain, and actually do free Candra once I hand myself over. We have to decide how to make sure you're there to make sure she gets out of there all right without getting imprisoned yourself... perhaps a disguise of some sort? <Lini> Perhaps...But I have no real idea what this place will be like so I really don't know how to go about this. <Jaret> It's.. a fairly large temple. There's a wall that looks like a two-headed snake that surrounds it. The main temple is topped by a dome with a statue of a snake circling around it. They fairly well beat the theme to death, if you ask me. <Lini> To be honest it sounds mild compared to the number of spiders I saw as a child. <Jaret> ::gently:: Lolth does seem to be the queen of taking a perfectly serviceable symbol and then overusing it, yes. * Lini shakes her head a bit. "Anyway...how do you suggest I get in to break you out anyway? Should I disguise myself as a guard? Do they even have female guards? Because there are some things I can't disguise." <Jaret> Oh... I think they had female guards. I know there were some priestesses running around. I wasn't sure how you were going to break in. I thought you just might, you know, jump over the wall or something. * Lini mutters to herself. "Everyone always thinks its like magic. 'And then you break in...' No planning...no skill..." ::Lini sighs and lets her minor rant go:: * Jaret shrugs. "It's what I did." * Lini steps over to Jaret and pats him on the shoulder. "Of course you did. But I don't want anyone to know I'm there." <Lini> But I suppose I will have to see the place before I can make a plan. <Jaret> I remember parts of the temple, from when I got in and then ran out. I could try to describe it to you, if it could help. <Lini> I think I'll wait to see for myself. Descriptions often leave out an important detail here or there. * Jaret nods. "As you like it." He looks around. "I don't know if you need to pack differently now or not." <Lini> Not particularly. I was planning for the worst to begin with. I just didn't expect you to go out and actually schedule it. I just expected it to find you as usual. * Jaret grins. "Maybe once this is all over and done with we'll be able to come back here and just relax for a while." <Lini> I doubt it. ::Lini gently brushes Jaret's face and smiles as she turns to go upstairs.:: I should look over my bag to see that I have all my tools. * Jaret catches Lini's hand and kisses the palm. "All right. Thank you." * Lini looks back at Jaret shaking her head. "You will be the death of me yet." * Jaret shakes his head. "I don't think so. After all we've been through?" <Lini> Oh, I think you might... ::Lini disappears through a door upstairs:: |
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