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* Kauriss kept her cool until the adventurers hired by her late husband took their leave. With no more strangers in her home for whom she had to present a calm face, Kauriss began to shake uncontrollably. She looked at Ilarion and Temire through tear-filled eyes, then fiercely hugged Ilya. "Be good for Daddy, sweetheart." She straightened, picked up a decanter at random from the wet bar, and walked on uneasy legs to her room. * Temire spends a few minutes with Ilya and Roni, promising Ilya that tomorrow the two of them will go out and get their hair cut properly. Temire gives Ilarion a worried glance, looking toward's Kauriss door. Ilarion nods and Temire excuses herself to let Ilarion and Ilya spend time together. * Temire knocks on Kauriss's door. <Kauriss> ::No sounds emerge from Kauriss' room:: <Temire> Kauriss, can I come in? <Kauriss> ::After a long pause, there's a soft gasp, and a loud clink of glassware. After another pause:: Why? * Temire opens the door and steps inside, closing it behind her, "Because we're worried about you." * Kauriss is sprawled - somehow elegantly - in a chair, half a glass of whiskey at her elbow. She's shaking like a leaf, her skin almost death-pale. "I'm safe now, aren't I?" She picks up the glass and downs the remainder of its contents, then gasps and coughs. "How can men stand to drink this stuff on a regular basis?" She pours another glass, the decanter chattering against the glass rim as her hands shake. * Temire walks over, taking the decanter from Kauriss and setting it on the table before she drops it. "I have no idea. I don't even know how I drank it the one time." * Temire takes Kauriss's hands and looks into her eyes, "You're safe. I promise you." * Kauriss gives Temire a weak smile. "Yes, I suppose I am, for now." She pulls her hands free from Temire's and picks up her glass. She slugs back another gulp, then looks back at Temire. "Why are you here?" <Temire> Because you need someone to comfort you. ::kneels on the floor in front of Kauriss:: <Kauriss> ::takes another gulping swallow of whiskey, then looks at Temire, her lavender eyes wide:: Why would you do that? You came for *his* sake. And Ilya, of course - and I'm grateful for your help, but... why would you possibly care how I feel? * Temire stands up and hugs Kauriss, "Because you're suffering." <Kauriss> ::looks up at Temire for a moment, startled, then laughs shortly:: What's that got to do with anything? Lots of people are suffering, dear... Why should one more make any difference? * Temire looks hard into Kauriss's eyes, "Because you're here and I can do something to help you." <Kauriss> Can you? ::she looks back at Temire, her face desperately tired:: Can you make me forget what it felt like to know I was about to die? Can you take away those minutes when I thought I'd been abandoned? ::she looks away:: Can you erase the memory of blood and death and... ::her hands shake harder, and she takes another large gulp of whiskey:: * Temire hugs Kauriss, "No I can't. I can promise you they'll fade in time. That eventually you'll realize that they're in the past and move past them, but I can't make them go away." <Kauriss> ::shudders and finishes her whiskey, then looks at the elegant, heavy crystal in her hand:: The past never really leaves you. Only your future. ::Suddenly, she heaves the glass across the room, shattering it against the wall, and slides out of the chair to her knees, sobbing hysterically:: * Temire gathers Kauriss up in her arms and rocks her gently, "Shh...It'll be alright...Shh..." Strokes Kauriss's hair. * Kauriss cries hysterically, not really paying attention to Temire. * Temire continues her ministrations, letting Kauriss get it out of her system. <Kauriss> ::Eventually, Kauriss falls silent:: * Temire continues to stroke Kauriss's hair, "Feeling better?" <Kauriss> Not really, no... Now I've got a headache on top of everything else... ::she sighs and pushes gently away from Temire, wiping her face on her sleeves.:: * Temire stands watching Kauriss, "I don't know if this will help or not, but I usually feel better after a hot bath and a cup of cocoa." <Kauriss> ::almost laughs:: That sounds more like a cure for a lost lover. * Temire smiles faintly and shrugs, "I find it works for most any situation where I cry...Or slumber parties." * Kauriss pulls herself back up into her chair and reaches for the whiskey decanter. "A slumber party?" She picks up another glass and half-fills it, shaking her head. * Temire puts her hand over the top of the glass, "It'll just make your headache worse." * Temire looks at Kauriss, "It's up to you. Certainly I've got so drunk I passed out before. But I think you'll feel better if you stop now. You don't have to talk if you don't want to, but I think it'll help you get over it if you do." <Kauriss> ::raises an eyebrow:: I can deal with the headache... I was hoping if I drank myself down, I wouldn't have to deal with the nightmares. ::she sighs and puts the glass down:: How am I supposed to talk about it? What am I supposed to say? * Temire removes her hand and slumps, "I don't know. I've never had to comfort someone on a situation like this before. It's always been someone comforting me. Somehow I just start talking and when I'm done I feel better somehow." <Kauriss> ::smiles slightly, then pats Temire on the shoulder:: It's all right. I appreciate the effort. I just... I don't know how. * Temire looks at Kauriss, "How to what?" <Kauriss> How to talk. Not about the important things, anyway... ::she sighs, and massages her temples:: Surely that's on Ilarion's list of complaints? * Temire sits on the arm of Kauriss's chair and wraps an arm around Kauriss's shoulders, "Ilarion doesn't talk about you much. Most of what I know about you I learned from Ilya. The day I met her she went into hysterics thinking I was going to steal her papa and leaver her all alone in the world. As for how to talk...I don't really know. Maybe you just need to find someone you trust enough to be able to talk to them." <Kauriss> ::laughs a little bitterly:: Ah, well, if that's all... ::she picks up the glass of whiskey and swallows half of it before Temire can block her:: * Temire reaches and tops Kauriss's glass off, "I'm sorry I'm botching this so badly...Would you feel better if I left?" <Kauriss> ::gives Temire a somewhat watery smile:: You're not botching anything, dear. I just can't figure out why you'd care. Most women hate me, you know. And since you're Ilarion's lady... ::she shrugs and takes another swallow, and her voice turns toneless:: "Ruthless, manipulating, heartless, power-hungry, whoring bitch." No one would care about that, would they? * Temire hugs Kauriss fiercely, her own eyes watering, "You wouldn't be this upset if all of that were true. And I don't hate you anymore. Hells, I don't even hate Cat the untrustworthy, hypocritical bitch." <Kauriss> ::blinks in confusion:: Cat? Who's Cat? * Temire shakes her head, not releasing the hug, "Just a woman who slept with Roni after proclaiming to all the world that she didn't poach." <Kauriss> ::laughs suddenly, slightly hysterically:: Oh, so *that's* what he meant... ::she giggles:: No wonder he didn't want to tell me about it.... how embarrassing. * Temire pulls away, still holding Kauriss and smiles, tears still in her eyes, "What?" <Kauriss> ::giggles again:: Oh... I asked Rusty why you two weren't sharing a room, and he was wonderfully evasive... I got the impression he was being punished for something. ::she laughs:: Infidelity, no less... ::she hiccups, and laughs again:: * Temire giggles, "I've forgiven him, I just haven't had an opportunity to tell him that. It's probably good for him though." <Kauriss> ::laughs even harder:: * Temire smiles and laughs along with Kauriss. <Kauriss> ::subsides into a case of intermittent giggles:: Oh, dear... ::she giggles again and pats Temire on the head:: You'll do. * Temire giggles, looking at Kauriss curiously, "I'll do?" <Kauriss> ::nods, a twinkle in her eye:: To keep him in line. ::she stands up and sways suddenly, leaning on the arm of her chair heavily:: Oh... Too much to drink... ::she giggles again:: * Temire stands, wrapping an arm around Kauriss's waist and grinning, "Where do you want to go?" <Kauriss> ::giggles and points at the door in the corner:: Bed's in there... Sleep it off... ::she laughs as she stumbles, leaning into Temire.:: 'Swhat I get... having a husband who doesn' drink... * Temire smiles, then scoops Kauriss up into her arms, carrying Kauriss to her bedchamber, "Sleeping it off definitely sounds like a good idea." * Temire gently deposits Kauriss on the bed, kneeling down and beginning to remove her shoes, "Do you want a glass of water or anything before you pass out?" <Kauriss> ::giggles and shakes her head sleepily:: No... No, I'll just sleep... ::she yawns and stretches, then curls up on her side:: * Temire smiles at Kauriss, the grabs and blanket from the foot of the bed and drapes it over Kauriss and kisses her hair, "Everything's alright now. Sleep well and we'll all be here in the morning." * Kauriss giggles again, shaking her head at some unspoken joke. * Temire smiles at Kauriss, "Going to share?" <Kauriss> ::shakes her head again and pulls the blankets up to her neck:: Sleep. * Temire smiles and blows out the lamps before leaving, closing the door behind her. * Kauriss giggles again as the door closes, and then hiccups and sobs quietly into her pillow before she falls asleep. |
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