"Ties Undone - Part I"

[Laehval tTemarr 0]

Laehval adjusted her bag as she waited for the door comm to be answered, turning her head to gaze at the flowers that grew on the nearby trellis. Flying insects flew lazily about, sipping nectar and pollinating in the process. The sweet scent of the purple blossoms hung heavily about the door. She touched one of the petals with her finger just as the door opened. She looked beyond the open door and then dropped her gaze to the occupant that stood before her, his stature shorter than hers by at least a foot. The slender Rihan boy stared at her.

 

"Jolan tru, Makil. Do you remember me?"

 

"Ie, you are mother's sister," he said without any obvious emotion or fondness for his aunt.

 

"Laehval," she offered. "Is Nalhven home?"

 

She knew very well that her sister had arrived home only a few minutes before. Laehval had been tracking her through the market for some time, watching her interact with her two children. Though her sister worked for the main port authority of ch'Havran, she preferred to live in one of the smaller outlying villages rather than within the crowded city itself. Her nephew gazed at her for a moment longer, then nodded to Laehval's question.

 

"I will wait here," Laehval said simply.

 

Makil nodded again and disappeared. The door closed after a few moments and Laehval stared at the dark lacquered surface. It was only shut for a minute or so before it opened again, revealing her older sister. The deep scowl and disapproving look on Nalhven's face would be instantly recognizable to anyone serving in Talon's engineering section.

 

"How dare you come here!" Her sister peered out of the door, leaning out far enough to view the dwellings on either side of her own. "What if someone were to see you?"

 

"So ashamed of your sister that you would not welcome her into your home?" Laehval asked, thought was not surprised by her sister's reaction.

 

"We have all heard tales of your mutiny," Nalhven said icily, "and the treachery you instigated on the ship."

 

"There is no truth to those tales," Laehval protested. "I did what was necessary to save the ship and its crew and had nothing but the best intentions."

 

"You call murder the best intention?" she spat. "The murder of your Enarrain?"

 

"She did not die," Laehval said flatly.

 

"A near thing, Elements be praised, or we would suffer even more than we have already because of your foolish actions. Laehval, if you came here because you think we will shelter you from your own actions and keep you from those that want to punish you for what you have done, you have yet again made the wrong decision. I would no more have you in my own house than my greatest enemy and am not going to take responsi..."

 

"Enough!" Laehval shouted, cutting off her sister. She took a step forward so quickly that Nalhven shrank back in fear. "I am here to see you, you because you are my sister, no matter what has been wedged between us in the past. If anyone should believe me and take my side, it should be you. I came to see if you had any shred of love for me in your heart and I see that it is not so. Our mother's poison spreads far and there seems to be no cure. You need not worry about your own standing, Nalhven. You will no longer be tainted by association."

 

Without another word, she turned sharply on her heel and headed back the way she'd come, her anger spurring her on. Though she heard her sister step from the house and call her name, she did not look back.

[STSF_BluRox 0]

Awww, her own sister..... :P Nice log. I still want to know what she's building!

[Lerak trPexil 0]

Awww, her own sister..... :P Nice log. I still want to know what she's building!

 

An automated tr'Pexil punching machine, naturally. I'd.. :: punch :: frak it all to... :: runs away ::