Naveen

Carefully I rewrapped her arm, making it snug enough to not fall off. "I'm sorry Rina..." I gently ran my thumb over the bandage before looking up at her. "Are you alright?"

Rina:

I nodded but frowned. “What are you sorry for?” I asked. “You have done nothing but support me. I'm glad you came.”

"That you had to do this at all. Now, gather your strength. I'd like to get you out of these halls." I flicked my gaze up to meet hers.

Rina:

“I'm well enough.” I told him eager to leave this place. It had not been quite as scary as I had thouhgt, but I was afraid I had paid a bigger price in coming here.

I stood then, offering my arm down to her so she could take it. "Then let us be off."

Rina:

I held onto his arm, I didn't need it for support, but I did feel weakened and was glad for it. The unnamed male vampire was in the hallway. “Leaving in the night?” He asked. “There will be no one to return you to the land, and waters are rough.”

"Perhaps not then. Has a place been set aside for us to dwell and eat?" I asked the vampire as I settled my gaze on him. I didn't recognize him, but that didn't mean much of anything.

Rina:

“There is no accommodation for you other than the chamber you have left.” He answered. “Should you see that unfit, then you are welcome to leave, there are row boats, but you must propel yourself.” The room he indicated for us was bare stone with a bench and a blue fireplace. I shuddered at the thought of spending the night there.

"And what of supplies and comforts?" I asked after a moment of silence. I didn't trust the boats, not for lack of skill or strength on my part, but an unwillingness to fight the seas at night.

Rina:

“We do not have need of such comforts as your kind, and as it is not.. feast time, we do not have nourishment for blood-givers either.” He said it plainly, like it should have been known already.

"No, but Anston has ever been a gracious host. You will at the very least fetch a cloak for the girl. I know you have those." The cloak in question I spoke of were the thick fabric ones that fully blocked the rays of the sun. It was incredibly rare when a vampire would leave or function in the day. Even then it was only ever under heavy cloud. But still they had coverings for those occasions.

Rina:

“As you require.” He left for a moment. “You don't think we should risk leaving?” I asked Talon in the absence of the other.

"No. For a few reasons. I don't want to insult our host for one, fleeing is one way to do that. And then I also don't trust the journey across the waters." I told her softly.

Rina:

I sighed and looked away. The vampire returned with a cloak and a scroll for me. “Your payment.” He said handing the scroll to me. It was was sealed with red wax and written above the seal was the name, Renee. I stared at it. Thinking back to the moments after when I had been under the effects of the vampire venom. I turned without a word back into the chamber. Aero flew out from under my skirt and into the blue flames; they immediately blossomed in red and heat touched me for the first time. I sank onto the bench, still staring at the name.

I watched the Vampire a moment before inclining my head in thanks. Without another word I closed the door behind me, settling against it as I focused on Rina. I watched her, cloak draped over my arm as I considered her and the reaction she'd given.

Rina:

“If the water is manageable, we will be going.” I said, leaving no room for disagreement. “We have a long journey, and we have to make it back to the Moroe's by sunset tomorrow. I'll tell them as much, it won't be an offense, and if it is, it will come from me.” My mind was reeling. There was urgency in my heart. My world had a chance of collapsing just because of a simple name. With my fingernail, I gouged a piece of the wax and smeared it over the five letters.

"If that is your wish..." I stated carefully. I pushed off the wall to wrap the cloak around her shoulders. "Warm up as much as you can before we set off. Things will only be colder when we are on the sea."

Rina:

I didn't say anything but the warmth from the fire and cloak was welcome. It took me a few minutes but I decided to open the scroll. It was addressed to me after all. I read the information, most of it was the directions and plans for the army, but the most significant made me scowl. “The prince is going to marry and be crowned King this May.” I said aloud. “The woman has a lot of power, and she's not from Naveen.” I wasn't really telling Talon, more speaking to myself. It didn't say who she was.

"What woman?" I asked from where I'd placed myself. I sat cross legged on the floor, hands on my knees as I breathed slowly. I was meditating, trying to draw as much power as I could. Settled onto my legs was the moonstone that I'd been gifted with, and it was from the stone that I drew energy from.

Rina:

“I do not know.” I rolled the parchment up again and tucked it into my dress. “It appears my blood did not buy that piece of information.” my tone was scathing.

I shot her a confused look, abandoning my meditation to go and sit beside her. "I never was sure what the price would be, or what it was you were after by coming here. Is it enough though?"

Rina:

“Do you mean was this information worth it?” I asked. “Maybe for Brian. Not for me. Had I known what I would have to do, what would come of it, I would have refused.” I squeezed the fabric of my tacky dress in my closed fist.

"Sometimes you have to do what is best for the people. But you also need to do what is best for yourself the rest of the time." I told her softly, reaching a hand out to place it over her closed fist. "Perhaps this was a mistake. But it happened and we will have to move on from it."

Rina:

I gritted my teeth. “Yes, I suppose so.” I muttered. It wasn't possible to undo it now, I would just have to face the future whether I wanted to or not. I looked up into his face. “Are you ready?”

"Are you?" I answered with my own question. I stood then, offering my hands down to her.