Conversations over Tea

Log Info

• Title: Conversations over Tea
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Cryosanthia, Lysos, Kira
• Place: A07: Lower Alexandria Market District
• Time: Wednesday, April 29, 2020, 11:08 PM, Thursday, April 30, 2020, 10:41 AM
• Summary: Cryosanthia is in the lower Market District, hoping to meet up with a craftsperson who has some boots she ordered. While this is going on she encounters Lysos. Lysos remembers her from the Guild mission to save the granddaughter from the Wee Fae, but isn't sure if she's Cryosanthia's mother, or a sister or cousin. Cryo assures her she is the same sith she remembers, and explains that an awful lot has happened to her in the last few weeks. Specifically, that she's been in the Shard Tower for most of a century, and since returning has endured a large amount of suffering and calamaties, as well as her friends. She explains that one of them, Seldan, has sacrificed greatly for her and found a way to restore her memory. While she is willing, the prospect is still daunting. She's unsure how the new knowledge will change her, and what she will find she has done. Lysos remembers she wanted to catch a sale, and the two agree to meet up later. As Cryo continues to wait, Kira comes by. The two share bread and discuss the recent events with Eclavdran and Darius in Underground Alexandria. Kira is worried, but feels Cryo's advice has been good, and indicates she will take things a little slower.

-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A07: Lower Alexandria Market District *>-=--=--=--=--=--=-

Just west of the Northern Highbridge and east of the arena, commerce blooms. Noisy and bustling, most anything may be purchased here for a price. Vendors from all cultures sell their wares from exotically colored carts, and the smells of different nations and far-off city-states mix with local ones from Alexandria and its riverbanks.

For all its commerce, visitors are advised to keep hold of their purses. Even the merchants possess a certain, cunning look. Most are positioned at carts or stalls as opposed to a formal storefront, with trade here being mobile, and visiting from all parts of the world.

Though the quality of goods suffers here compared to Upper Alexandria, the options are more diverse. Too, the oversight of the Watch is slightly less, and during times events are held at the Arena, chaos abounds. After dark, the square becomes a hangout for bards and other entrepreneurs whose business is best conducted by night; the shadows at the edges of the square often contain furtive figures engaging in their own brand of business.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     267 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
Lysos        5'6"     105 Lb     Human/Tsuran      Female    Dark eyes, dark hair, olive skin, a jotun-sized chip on the shoulder.
Kira         5'0"     120 Lb     Human             Female    A young blonde woman wearing simple robes and an eye patch.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

It's a little before noon and the market is in full swing. People are out and about, various merchants are touting their wares. Children or goblins dart around, it's the goblins disguised as children one has to watch out for, as pickpockets are not unknown.

Standing near a mana-light pole is a white-scaled sith-makar. She's young looking enough but has horns that take a good part of a century to grow. She's wearing layered robes that are a brilliant white, with pale blue accents and a repeating patter. This describes her scales as well, although the patterns are ones lost to history, of ancient sith or dragons. It's quite striking to anyone familliar with the markings of the sith-makar, to everyone else it's merely unusually pretty. The sith seems to be waiting for something or someone and there's an odd patch of frost where she's standing.

Lysos has business of her own to attend to in the market today. She arrives in her usual skirts, her sad looking staff slung over her shoulder and her other hand covering the small pouch at her hip as she navigates her way through the people milling about. And it doesn't take long for her to spot Cryosanthia. For one, she's been keeping her eye out for the white sith-makar.. or at least, her similarly coloured relative. For another.. well, she is rather striking. And tall. Heads above most of the people who are around. It doesn't take Lysos much of a second to alter her course towards the dragonkin.

The sith is clearly looking for someone approaching, and as a wintery pole she's got a great perspective for spotting people in a crowd especially when they're heading her way. She turns to face Lysos, raising a hand in a cheerful wave.

"Peace on your Nest, Lysos." She calls out as the Tsuran gets close. Her tail wags happily behind her. There is a slight breeze in the market, blowing cool air past her.

Lysos is of mixed feeling when she approaches the white sith-makar. Though she does lift a hand in response to the greeting, she doesn't say anything right away, instead stopping a few feet short and looking up at her. Then, finally, "Peace to yours," she starts. Then chews on a lip while she considers. "I've been confused since I saw you at that old elf's house, telling stories to his granddaughter. I didn't know how to ask it then, or talk about it... it seemed like a bad time. But.. you look like Cryosanthia, but at the same time you don't. Like you might be her mom, or her older sister.. or even a really close cousin, or something. I'll admit I don't know much about your folk... there's alot I don't know about alot of things. But my memory isn't terrible, and.. well.. " Then she points at Cryosanthia's head. "Like those horns! Cryosanthia's horns were definitely smaller. Just for starters."

"Oh! Oh Lysos. We should get some tea. That will help, and some buns. There's a good spot over there, come. I'll treat." The white sith waves for the tsuran to follow, to two seats at a patio table where an order for hot mint tea and a basket of buns is put in. She moves gracefully and slides into a seat, waving for Lysos to do the same. Seated, the height difference isn't so great, and the sith curls her neck so her head is lower. She can almost gaze directly across at the human. "You have a good eye and your memory is fine. I am Cryosanthia, an awful lot has happened to me in the last few weeks, for you. For me, it's been years. A lot of years."

She brushes at one of her great curving horns, "These take quite a while to grow out. My mother was a lot more grey, and red. I suppose our builds are similar now."

Lysos follows... what else can she do? And it's not as though she's upset... beyond the fact that being confused isn't a state she particularly enjoys. So she settles into another seat at the patio table to hear what the other woman has to say. And upon learning that it is indeed Cryosanthia, her expression changes to allow relief into her features, though the confusion still remains. "How... no." Lysos shakes her head. "I know you like telling stories... but I bet this is a story you've probably told a dozen or more times."

Lysos falls silent for a few moments, using the effort of sliding a few coins on to the table to help pay for the food and drink as a bit of a stalling technique. She needn't have bothered; at that moment one of the legs on her chair decides to give out, dropping the tsuran onto the cobblestones beneath, stunning her for a second. Only a second, though, as from under the table comes a quick, "I'm okay!" and the sound of her climbing back to her feet.

Cryosanthia is not expecting Lysos' chair to collapse. She's slow to react, leaning to offer a hand. "Here! Take mine. I've tested it for you." She's moving the chair even as she's helping her up. She hooks her another with her tail and drags it over, a tactic she used to use in the Fernwood.

"I've not told it too many times. Most of my friends heard it in the first telling and the rest didn't know me well enough to notice the difference. Here and there I've gotten a few comments. It does keep growing, and it ties in with what we were doing for the Grand-daughter, and the Plague Ooze. Are you settled all right?"

Lysos scowls at the broken chair when she regains her feet, but restrains the urge to kick it.. instead pushing it a bit under the table so that nobody will trip over it. Then she takes Cryosanthia up on her offer, though she gives it a quick check over despite her friend's assurances. Finally, she deposits herself on it and takes a moment to brush down her skirts.

"I'm settled alright now. Thank you, and sorry." Lysos looks a little bit sheepish, but also somehow a touch resigned. Until she looks back at Cryosanthia, anyways. "I would dearly love to hear it, if you're not tired of the telling."

"Oh no, not tired. I am waiting for a delivery so it will help pass the time. It all started in the Fernwood. Faran, Zeke and I, and this warrior named Dorne were experimenting with a glass of water and a Plague Ooze came out of it. We repeated the experiment the next day, and it went badly. Merek and I were infected. I threw up an ooze. I've thrown up a lot of oozes since, it's not pleasant." Cryosanthia daintily takes up the teapot, pouring a cup for Lysos and a bowl for herself. She also claims a bun from the basket, moving it closer and tearing a piece off of it. "The Mistress of the Shard Tower, the one the Fae call the Queen of Endless Winter, she showed up to ask for the ooze. I offered to go with her, to help."

The sith exhales and her cold breath blows across the table, washing over Lysos. She leans back, glancing up at the sky, "This one was young and foolish then, and that's why I'm old and foolish now. I had hopes, to negotiate, find a common ground, bring back some information. I've forgotten just about everything that happened and Zeke tells me I've aged the better part of a century, that I may be over a hundred now. It's funny, I feel quite comfortable like this, but my memories are all about being lighter and much more lithe. I arrived back at the pub mere minutes after I left, and collapsed."

By the end of Cryosanthia's tale.. or at least, the portion that she's told, Lysos's has dropped. Not obscenely so, but 'slackjawed' would definitely be an applicable term to use. Her bun has only had a single bite taken out of it, and her tea remains untouch. At least until she blinks, and shakes her head. She takes a rather large bite, then works it down and gulps at her tea to help it along. "Uh.. huh," she finally says. "That.. well, I'd say I'm sorry, and I am, though.. huh. I can't even imagine...." Then her eyes widen. "The queen of endless winter.. is that the one that the wizard Mikilos was dealing with that tiny queen for?" "Yes. That's exactly why we were dealing with the Wee Queen. I was researching old records and found the event that described the girl's possession, and it sounded like Endless Winter. When we investigated, we found the Wee Fae and made the deal to protect the elf girl and to get information that would help us, to get a weapon that can kill her. I'm a bit of a latecomer, Mikilos has opposed her for a time, was in her tower as well." Cryosanthia takes a sip, gestures at the buns, "Please, eat. My story does not end there either."

Cryosanthia says, breaking another piece of bread and swallowing it without chewing. She washes it down with her mint tea. "Somehow in the Tower I had developed strong feelings for Zeke, physical responses to him. I knew him as my mate, my cihuaa, instinctively. I must have convinced myself. I was very lonely as it seems I had a child while I was away. Adopted. A human. He escaped somehow. I've met him since."

The sith looks off to the side, breathing carefully. Her tail curls quite tightly around her chair. "The story gets a lot more dark. My Mistress has interferred with my mind. When I saw my child here, he was grown. I tried to kill him. This nearly drove me insane. Zeke took the insanity from me, but when he did, now he had murderous intent. He... was successful. It... it took a lot. I can't blame him, the insanity was mine. It was love. He did it so I wouldn't be a mother killing her hatchling. This... can destroy a sith. The impulses that drove me to almost do it nearly did. I've been trying to cope since."

Cryo looks a the table, then over at Lysos, "I hope you don't think I am horrible. A friend of ours, a paladin, suffered a lot during the attacks from both of us, as well as the halfling knight, Faranmidahn. And there is more, much worse."

Eat? Lysos would look at Cryosanthia as if the very idea was insanity... if she had any thought to, anyways. But some of the suggestion must have sunk in for though she doesn't look at the basket of buns, her hand reaches for one regardless, and she starts peeling pieces of it off to put into her mouth while she chews mechanically. She realizes that at one point she should respond to at least part of what Cryosanthia has said. "Horrible? What? No! At least, the Cryosanthia who defended me against those disgusting flying heads wouldn't do something like that intentionally. Like you said, there was madness, right? I'm just sorry... it sounds like it hurt you so much. And this friend of yours.. Zeke.. he must be hurting over what he did too. Wow. I never knew anything like this was happening."

The whitescale nods, "It hurt us both, deeply, and I was too much wallowing in my grief to be a proper friend, to anyone. Zeke... had to atone to the Dragonfather for what he did, and I know it hurt him. The one he killed was his friend also. I wish it were as simple as Merkabah, I can deal with physical threats and wounds so much better than the emotional ones."

She's finished her tea already. She pours another bowl for herself. While she seems composed, certain things like going through her tea really quickly, suggest otherwise. "We have had some victories, but they have come at a cost. We managed to defeat Kol the second time he appeared at the Temple of Daeus. His blood-lust drew him to the Paladin, and the group of us were able to wrestle him into the fountain and hold him under until he dissolved. After, Seldan discovered he could cure the Plague Ooze. He was ecstatic."

Cryosanthia halts again, inhaling deeply. Her hands close on themselves. "His mother was afflicted, in the Soldier's Defense. He rushed there to cure her. That's when we found everyone there dead. Frozen solid. His mother taken. He was devastated. My friend Faran, had mentionned her parents aloud. I went with her out into the desolation. We found their research camp. It too, a frozen wasteland. Her parents missing, their research taken. All their co-workers, corpses. Even the fat pony Faran grew up with."

"Oh.. oh wow. That's..." Lysos swallos, then finishes off the rest of her tea, then sets the cup down on the table carefully. "I heard about the vampire... I'm glad you were able to kill him. I still have nightmares about him sometimes..." she admits quietly. "But this queen... she sounds horrible. Evil. I wish.. I do wish I was stronger, so I could help." Lysos's eyes fall to her cup, her expression plain. She knows she's not. "But I know you and your friends will do it. Evil has to fall, right? All the stories say so. And every story, no matter how fantastic, has its roots somewhere. She's hurt too many people for there to be any other ending to this."

"You may help us yet, this one is not sure she is even up to the task. She has to fall, her cruelty is endless. So many are arranged against her. Much more has happened, it's hard to keep track. So, the Wee Queen, was after my foundling was killed and before Kol. This is why I completely fell apart when Merek ... offered his first born. What my Mistress did to me, what I've seen slavers do. I can't conceive of offering a child into that." Cryo is shaking her head, instinctively, her eyes staring at Lysos, expressionless and hiding her pain.

"A visit with the Queen of Air and Darkness came next, but before that I took Seldan to help my friend Elleandra with her attempt to clean the giant ooze out of Underground Alexandria. This, did not go well." The sith brings her bowl up, drains it. She smiles weakly, "I'm saying that a lot. Someone else was down there, sabotaged us, a giant ooze emerged and I kept falling in it. Merek went insane, detonated an explosion in his hands, blew his arm off and set off another one. We were scrambling to escape the blast. Several of us barely emerged, and many were infected by the Plague Ooze. Worse still, the explosion made it move from the underground to the Temple District. There, many people died, I'm sure you would have heard. Guards and Clergy. I feel responsible for that. Elly even more so, it was her plan."

"While I was sick with plague, and I was throwing oozes up out of my eyes, the others went to see the second Queen. I know they traded things, Seldan traded memories of his mother to get something that might bring back mine. I'm meeting with them to try that later today."

Lysos licks her suddently dry lips. Or maybe not suddenly.. maybe she just noticed it. She quickly refills her cup and take sa sip. Maybe more than a sip. "That.. Merek.. " The tsuran shakes her head, feeling no need to repeat the feelings she expressed during that encounter. "I did hear about that giant ooze. I... " Lysos looks shamefacedly down at the table. "I was near when it was happening. I.. didn't think I could help. I couldn't get myself to get any closer." She takes a few breaths, but doesn't look up. "I'm glad you're better. You are better, right? You don't seem sick. And I hope this... meeting of yours goes well. I mean.. I'd hate to not have my memories, even the bad ones." She chuckles weakly, without humour. "The bad ones remind me of what not to do." "Yes, oh yes. It was a very agonizing cure but I'm better now. The lack of memories has been quite strange. Despite how it sounds I have been able to handle emotional upsets, much better than it seems I did in all the occasions I can remember before I went away. And it feels like I've not seen you in decades, that you're an old and forgotten friend, that Merkabah was something I did as a child. It all feels so long ago." The palescale smiles faintly again, "I am very glad to see you again, trust me."

"And I do hope this procedure goes well. I want Faran to be there, but I've not seen Faran and I worry about her, it's only been a few days since she lost her parents. This has been hitting all of us, hard, over and over. I've still more to tell. A few days ago Seldan's mother was returned. I can't share the details, but it was a horror. Worse for me, one of my fellow adventurers created an image of my adult child, calling 'Mother, why?'. To distract Seldan's mother, but it ripped my heart out instead." Cryosanthia makes a warbling noise in her throat, clearly a sound of distress and grief. She shakes a little as she does, then the sound quietens, to something more like a low vibration, an oddly comforting thrum.

Somehow, she has a genuine smile, "I did meet a gold dragon. A little one, Tanith. She rode on my shoulder and I bought her fish. She helped us send a demon that was summoned to the Temple District back to Hell, twice. There is a giant summoning circle beneath Alexandria. Yesterday I went into the tunnels with a team to try and find it."

"Well, you know where this is going. We met the demon again. Eclavdran. He opposes Endless Winter as well, but feels he doesn't need mortal help and enjoys messing up our plans. To let us live, one of us had to agree to a demonic debt to him. So ignomiously, we got out. We were not prepared for Demons. Do not go underground, adventurers stronger than I should. We managed to destroy a part of the summoning circle so it may keep the demon away, but the circle is huge, the section could be easily repaired. Anyhow, I've certainly managed to make a lot of bad new memories in the short time I've been back."

Lysos is reacting a little bit better now. Perhaps the fact that there was so much to the story has left her.. not numb, but perhaps out of perspective. At least no longer able to truly relate. Not that that makes her any less sympathetic, or sorrowful. And there's no denying the fantastic nature of it all. "I can't even imagine what it's like for you, even when you describe it. It's just... so... amazing. Awful, horrible, yet also... awesome." She rubs absently at her arm, where the missing band once was tied. And she grins a bit at the mention of the dragon, though it's unlikely she truly understands what it must have meant for Cryosanthia. "Oh, I don't plan to go into the sewers. I've heard there are all sorts of monsters down there. Doubly so, now." She swallows, then. Recalling something Cryosanthia said moments earlier. "If.. if there is something I can do to help.. I'll do it. So may people are hurting.. I shouldn't run away from this, if there's something I can do."

The white-scale sith smiles. Her gaze had lingered on Lysos' bare arm, and she sighs another cold breath, "I am sorry you lost that. It was worth it to save her but I should have warned everyone better. They might have been happy with a bag of candy, you saw what they did to the rose bushes."

"This talk has helped, at least let me feel that people out there are having normal lives. I'd say I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop but I've long since run out of feet. I keep wondering what the next horrible experience will be. That's the end of them so far, that I know of. The others want to move against Endless Winter, they're having a meeting soon. You could show up to provide ideas, a perspective. We may end up setting teams to tasks, I don't know..."

Cryo gazes off to the side, the smile returning, "Tanith was fun. I enjoyed feeding her a lot. She's some sort of much bigger dragon, she's the size of a cat but ate wagons full of fish. It was like watching the ocean pour into a cup and somehow not overflow. I went to see her Home, and! I don't remember that either. If you see me a week from now and I've forgotten my name, do let me know, ok?"

She's joking. It sounds like she's joking.

Lysos looks at Cryosanthia oddly, then just shaks her head. Alot. But she somehow finds herself grinning. As much hurt as it sounds like the sith-makar suffered, the fact that she appears in strong spirits now says something. Says alot. "I might. Maybe. Maybe there's something in my old mother's takes about this endless winter. I think I'd have remembered by now if there were.. but I'll try to think hard on it." Then more softly. "I should have liked to have seen this dragon, I think. That woudl be a story to tell. Maybe someday." A rough shakes of her head, then. "I'm glad you're back from... that place, Cryosanthia. Even though I didn't realize you were gone.. I'm glad for you. And your story.. I think this city is going to be a better place for your experience. "

"It's Ok, I don't remember being gone!" Cryosanthia grins, showing off lots of sharp, sharp teeth, both frightening and a little comforting to know they're on someone with good intent. The sith leans forward to take Lysos' hands, holding both carefully, "Anything you might remember could help. Being there, will make the others feel we're not carrying this alone. I will do what I can for Alexandira, and I'm sure the dragon will be back. I heard of her from a friend. Perhaps she visits people who know of her but haven't seen her. It would be a nice thing."

Lysos smiles a bit wistfully. "That would be.. nice. I surely would like to meet her." Abruptly, the tsuran rises. "I need to check one of the vendors for a specific kind of cloth I heard they have.. they're not supposed to be around long. You looked like you were waiting for someone... I'll not keep you from that. But if I can finish my errand swiftly, I'll look for you again, if that's okay? I do have a few stories of my own, though not so grand.. but they might be funny enough to lighten your burden a little bit. Maybe."

The whitescale nods to the tsuran, grinning widely, "Go, go get the deals, this one will wait here and keep the tea cold. Hopefully still here when you're free but if not, we will meet again. And I love stories, I'd love to hear yours." She pours herself another bowl as her friend leaves.

Morning in the market! Kira arrives from the east, carrying her near-omnipresent basket of bread. She is not -quite- as ubiquitous in handing it out, here, however, as she doesn't want to supercede the growers, bakers, and butchers and their businesses. Instead, she keeps her eye out for those eyeing food, but not stepping up to purchase. Everyone deserves to eat, and she'd rather none resort to larceny to avoid starvation. As she looks about, she notices a bright, white, familiar form and offers a lifted wave, smile, and a cheery, "Good morning!"

Hearing the call, the sith's head turns, "Kira! Good morning! This is unexpected. I hope you are well. Come, join me." Cryo stands, waving at the empty seat opposite and gesturing for the paladin to come over. "Your bread smells nice. I, alas, have already bought some!" She indicates a basket on the table, along with a teapot, a cup and a bowl.

Kira gives another glance about, turning her head and body almost fully around for good measure. When she sees no more hungry lurkers on the periphery, she relaxes some and focuses on Cryosanthia. "Thank you," she responds as she moves near, "and I am well..." a slight pause and waning of her smile "as can be, with what happened below. I am very grateful that none were harmed. Physically." She feels, regretably, obligated to add the last caveat.

"That chair should be solid but be careful, I've seen them break." The sith twists around and snags a cup off a passing server, gives it a quick wave with a glowing glove and sets it down in front of Kira.

"This one is so sorry. I say stupid things when I'm panicked, and it got the Demon's attention on you, then Darius..." She sighs, shaking her head. "I hope... it has not affected him too much. A friend of mine went to great lengths to avoid getting embroiled in a pact. Demons can read minds, and saying their names will draw their attention. The Duke may be watching him."

"You're not to blame," Kira assures her as she takes the suggested seat and offered tea, setting the latter before her. "Darius feared that E..." she pauses, minding Cryo's words, "...The Duke would demand favors of me, and that I would accept. He was acting selflessly... if not wisely. He is feeling ...unclean, but he is otherwise healthy. I treated him at the temple, and we spoke of his actions. He will use more caution in the future."

Cryosanthia nods, lifting the teapot and holding it near the cup in front of Kira, "That's good. I feel fortunate that Zeke is older, it gives him a stability. He has had to struggle through a lot. Plus his calling is as a healer, so I'm the rash young thing rushing headlong into danger and he is anchoring me back. I'm glad the incident hasn't ruined things. Heck of a first rock to stumble on yes?"

Kira's smile renews, "I hope that you are not as rash, now. You've been very wise and knowledgeable in many things that I've seen. " She nods at the gestured question for more tea.

"It was ... a worry, yes, but it did help us to discuss some matters and concerns, for a better understanding, I think. Even his sword, Ddraig, gave his ...its? opinion, so I was able to speak with ..him, too." She's a litle unsure of pronouns, but decides to err on the side of polite.

The palescale carefully pours the tea then sets the teapot down. She smiles awkwardly, "I've not fought... well, armoured and with a weapon fought, against a proper enemy in a long time. It's been oozes and struggles with friends since I returned. With proper opponents I'm usually fastest to react and charge. This has not worked out so well. I'm trying to get them to come to me. I'm actually hoping to meet a cobbler friend, I've ordered some boots that will help immensly."

Cryo tilts her head to the side, catching the noon light on her scales, making her blue eyes very bright, "Ddraig is the name? Pronouns would confuse me also. Seldan's sword has many people in it, should each be a he or she and the sword a they, or it? I guess it would depend how the sword is viewed. Does Ddraig see the blade as Ddraig now, like your body is you, or is the blade a place, like this square? Then there would be two distinctions in the latter case, and it would be much more like a prison."

"He..." Kira sticks with this, "is aware of what he was, before, and what or where he is, now, but he didn't seem angered or frustrated by it. It happened very long ago. He has been with Darius' ancestors for many generations, it seems." Her smile turns more bemused. "The two of them bickered, some, like siblings, or very old friends. Ddraig was polite, if very confident and sure of himself."

"Ah, see, I prefer to bicker with enemies! Impress them with some flamboyant, flashy phrase, then strike home!" Cryosanthia makes a thrusting motion in the air with an imaginary dagger, "It's the best way to win an argument."

The sith takes a bun, breaks a piece off, swallows it down and washes some tea after, "So, long impri.. in a sword. Well, good that you were able to talk and Ddraig is accustomed to it and seems polite. This one thought old friends never argued at all, instead sit silently and perhaps grunt 'Story #45' at each other, then chuckle."

Kira takes a sip of her tea, though coughs some at Cryo's explained 'Sharp Pointy Thing' methodology of debate. Judging by the smile, due to amusement. Then again, she's always smiling. After clearing her throat, she comments, "I prefer not to argue, if possible, but wouldn't try to get the final ... point in, like that."

She nods, then. "They seemed ... very much like siblings, to me. It was very amusing, even if they didn't think it so much so. Ddraig approved me, as well, which ... was flattering and comforting." Another sip of tea. "Darius has a ... very interesting family."

"I like to be sharp and full of points." Cryosanthia leans forward, her hands together at the edge of the table, her tail wagging visibly from side to side behind her. She looks eager enough to pounce, and with her long neck can cover most of the distance to Kira in her lean. Her eyes fix intently, "So you are deciding, you want to be a part of this family too? There were the questions, about your interests and directions? Or there needs to be more wooing?"

Kira's cheeks pinken, though whether its the topic, or Cryo's keen interest in it, or the dirct questions on the topic... she is getting more practice warming her own cheeks lately, regardless. She gives a simple nod. "I am deciding, but it isn't a small one. Darius is confident in his choice, and eager, but I ..."

Her words trail off then shift with another nod to the other question. "Yes, there were more questions, and I spoke of my interests, concerns, and of my past. More wooing, yes. More time. I think that I explained to him why, and he seemed to understand."

The sith nods, slinking herself back to her seat, "I think that's good. You need time to be sure. Merek, Ezil, I feel good friends, but Azog had a point that I didn't know much about them, their birthdays or favourite food. It was the excitement of adventure and quick companionship. I associated it with them, thinking they the source of the thrill. I'm very much taken by this written idea of love at first sight. For sith, it would be smell perhaps? I'm not sure that it's a thing, or if it is, perhaps fleeting. Merek now has crumbled, Ezil is occupied... well, I also had a lifetime with the Mistress, that has taken a toll on my ties to others. They all feel withered my end, from years. So, yes, you should see how things go, more wooing, make sure it will last."

"I understand," Kira nods, "very much so. I had a ...fanciful notion of romance, once, and it went very poorly. I didn't give thought to it since, and never to being ... wooed, like this." Her smile is mildly wistful, though firms, moreso with Cryo's reminder of her time ...away.

Her countenance perks, though, at a revelation. "Oh! Your years! Did you recover your memories, now that we acquired the Fruit?" Now it is Kira's turn to lean forward some, and show her curiosity.

"Oh, no, not yet." Cryosanthia sits back, almost retreating, her voice hesitant, "that is planned for this afternoon. No, I know there were many years by the size of my horns, and everyone I knew before I left has a feeling of a childhood memory associated with them. I'm still completely blank as to what happened."

The white sith folds her hands together, tucks her tail in. "I wonder if perhaps it's a kindness, to not know. I might have done anything. I helped her and she is evil, would that make me too even if my intentions were good. To learn secrets that would defeat her? We all know where the path of intentions lead. What if I discover I'm a monster? Will I be the same self? I will remember having done so much more than I can now, will me be erased by the weight of all that?"

Cryo stares at Kira, "If you could change into yourself at the end of your life, right now, would you?"

Kira can't readily imagine such a strange passage of time, much less having no recollection of it. She can only offer more general assurance, "I think that you are still you, Cryosanthia, though time and events change everyone..." Then she is rather obligated to imagine that, with Cryo's direct question.

She is quiet for several long moments in thought. "I would not wish to be changed, but if I were... I think that I would want to know the time between. Even if some was unpleasant, I'd rather know it with the joy than always wonder."

The sith listens, is still for a while, perhaps contemplating the information, then finally she nods, "I am more for than against, but it's not without a worry. I have to trust that I run fastest in a straight line and will not have vered off self over time, even though there is so much more unknown than known. I want the biggest piece of me back. It is still daunting to face one small act altering so much..."

"Whatever happened, did. I don't think that makes you any less you." Kira tries to assuage whatever concerns Cryos has, as best she's able. "No matter what happened, you are still you, and your friends are still your friends. We are here for you." Lastly, she nods. "We never know what can happen, or for this, what did happen. We can only grow from it, the good or ill."

"Thanks, I do appreciate your thoughts. I still have no idea how it will go." Cryosanthia admits, refilling her bowl of tea. She laughs a little, "It is funny to think I'll be in an actual fairy tale, getting memories back with a magic apple. The story is complete with a wicked witch! The author has made some strange choices, this one is not the monster, and the damsel in the tower is the most dangerous of us all."

The sith grins widely, wobbles her head. "Do you think I should write it up for the Crimson Pen?"

Kira's smile returns in full force, and full of warmth and amusement, echoing her grin. Just with less pointy teeth, of course. "That is very true, and I think it would make for a wonderful story. Even the frightening tales end with happiness forever after." "I shall see what I can come up with then." Cryo taps on the table as if she's using a pen. She shrugs her shoulders a little, "Find me tomorrow, and you can see how it went. I'm... worried, but I must go through with it. If there's a chance I know something that will take her down, it must be restored."

Kira nods twice. "I shall!" Her exuberance wanes some, but her smile stays warm, "Cryosanthia, even if it happens that you didn't learn something that would help stop her, it is worth returning your memories. For you."

Cryo bobs her head, grinning, "It would be nice to know how I got like this. My puzzle will fill in. Then we can complete the Mistress'."

"We will figure it out, and stop this," Kira assures her. She may ever be the optimist, but at least she's consistent and confident in it?

She then stands from her seat, adjusting the basket on her shoulder. "It was very good to see you, and I thank you greatly for the tea, and the conversation. I don't want to keep you, though, and I must continue my rounds. More people than ever are in need of food and aid, unfortunately."

"Of course, of course. Good luck with the rounds and Peace on your Nest. I shall be waiting here until it's time. Working up my will, or an urgent need for the bath-room." Cryo grins, she has been drinking a lot of tea. The sith stands to make a small bow towards Kira and a friendly wave, then takes her seat again.

The sun moves across the sky. Cryosanthia takes out her timepiece, activates it and stares at the hovering numerals. "Ssscaless. I'll have to meet her another time." She drinks down the rest of her tea, grabs a bun, leaves some coins and heads off to try and remember where she's been all these years.