March 16, 2003

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Hell's Kitchen ...

In Yosannah's mind, Mariko says, ~ Now there's an unfamiliar presense. ~

Yosannah stands, her back to a building. She reaches at her back for an item tucked away there. She yells out, "Where are you!"

In Yosannah's mind, Mariko says, ~ Everywhere. ~

Yosannah pulls a silver glock out from it's place under her jacket. She holds it tightly with both hands, pointed slightly at the ground before her.

In Yosannah's mind, Mariko says, ~ Curious. Do you think a gun could hurt Death? ~

Yosannah mouths something softly to herself. She tilts her head and looks up toward the rooftops. Searching.

In Yosannah's mind, Mariko says, ~ If you need something corporeal with which to interact, you will find a body I use withing the Cathedral. ~

Yosannah looks about the area, eyes falling on an old Cathedral about half a block up the street. She makes her way toward the entrance...

Cathedral...

Crowds and sheets part to create a path towards a couch off to one side, where a body lies drapped, attended by pretty young things of either and occassionall indeterminate gender.

Yosannah tucks her weapon under her jacket and at her back. Slowly she steps toward the couch.

The path closes behind her as she approaches, it is clear the body is neither alive nor moving. Still, the pretty young things stand at ready with fans, a silver chalace, what ever the corpse might require.

Yosannah stops before the woman. She asks softly, "That was you I heard? Wasn't it." She question seems rhetorical as if she doesn't expect the corpse to reply.

Mariko jerks up, almost like a puppet on strings. She takes a breath, "Yes, in as much as *this* is me. So, what brings you to my humble shadow?"

Yosannah startles, and is forced to step back with a gasp. Her hand moving instinctively to her back for only a second. She lowers it after a moment.

Yosannah studies the woman, perhaps looking for some indication of what, if anything, has occurred that has lead to her current state, "Your shadow? What happened here. It was destroyed - to be rebuilt I thought." She shakes her head, "But this. It's far worse here then it ever was."

Mariko eyes pop open insanely wide and she has a large, toothy grin on her face. "I *am* the shadow. Welcome to Death, my dear. You should be proud, this is your doing."

Yosannah raises a brow, "What are you talking about?"

Mariko's eyes loll about, as if not quite secure in their sockets. "Oh, wait, that's right. You didn't make me what I am. It's hard to remember all the details." Her head flops back for a second before she yanks it up and straightens it up. Her eyes creep apart before they snap back to focus on Yosannah. She smiles her big Joker smile again. "I suspect that my magic somehow made me one with this place, this world, this shadow. I think that's why I can't leave." She cracks her shoulders, one after another, then her neck. She stretches her back and arms, then stops learing, though there seems to be a slight tick, with her mouth involuntarily twitching into a smile.

Yosannah crouches before the woman in an effort to examine her more closely. She asks, "Do you know who I am?"

Mariko says "Pestilence."

Yosannah nods and raises a hand to her chest, "She's here, yes." And then, "But I'm not sure about what you're saying? You say you can't leave here?"

Mariko says "Oh, yes, how could I have forgotten that you haven't been to see me since that night. What was it, over a year ago? Such touching concern, you overwhelm me."

Yosannah exhales slowly, "I won't pretend that I care as I am not Pestilence. She is here, but my will and her's are not one in the same. My concern is only that I thought I crossed your manifestation two days ago in a neighboring shadow... and now you say you cannot leave here." She raises and stares down at the woman, "I'm not sure what to believe."

Mariko wriggles her fingers, takes a breath, and says, "It would not surprise me. Since I am cut off here, I am Death only here. Death must be elsewhere, and if I cannot be, than it must manifest itself within another. Curious. I wonder if we could coexist."

Yosannah considers, "Or maybe you're just insane. And Death left long ago."

Mariko says "But I can still feel you. And Famine, when she choose to come, and War is never far away."

Yosannah offers, "Lingering memories. I have seen it in other avatars."

"If you don't believe me, go see Famine and War. You should know the truth."

Yosannah turns as if she means to go, "I will know the truth. Count on that."

Mariko says "If you can't feel it now . . ."

Yosannah doesn't respond as she makes for the exit. Once outside she inhales deeply and reaches for the cards in her pocket...

World's End Bar...

Yosannah tucks something in her jacket pocket and strolls over to the bar, climbing on a stool.

Roland lifts his fingers in an off-mannered salute to Yosannah.

Yosannah offers a smile to the folks at the bar.

Merlin laughs quietly at something Roland says. "Well, hey," he says, to Yosannah, as she takes a seat.

Yosannah fidgets a bit until she gets comfortable, "Well, hey to you too." to Roland she greets, "Hi. I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"I don't see how. It's a free bar." Roland downs his glass of absinthe, exhaling cigarette smoke afterwords.

"Goody." She waves at the bartender in effort to get his attention, "Who's your friend, Corey?"

Merlin gestures vaguely with his beer bottle. "Actually, there hasn't been any introductions."

"Oh?" She reaches over Merlin and holds her hand out to Roland, "I'm Yo."

Roland says "Yo, I'm Roland." He shakes her hand, and says, "That was a grammatical nightmare." He grins, and glances at Merlin. "And you I know." A pause. "You're Corey."

Yosannah finally gets the bartenders attention. He wanders toward her, glass and polishing rag in hand. She orders, "Wine please. Something white tonight."

Merlin smirks. "That's me," he says. He swivels on his stool, leaning back against the bar, eyes absently wandering the room.

Yosannah is handed a glass of wine. To Merlin she notes, "I didn't get to tell you yesterday. I got to stop by the Cathedral out your way."

Merlin looks over at Yosannah, brow lifting slightly. "The Cathedral?"

Yosannah nods, "Yeah. I'd been meaning to for some time now."

Roland doesn't swivel on his bar stool, glancing at the mirror, blowing a smoke ring.

Merlin prompts, "And? What did you think?"

Yosannah lifts her glass to her lips, "I'm not so sure. I have a lingering respect for Christianity. I'm not so sure I'm ready to reconcile that with what they were trying to sell me at the Cathedral."

Roland says "Praise the Serpent all mighty. Hallelujah, Amen." He nods sincerely. "Magnus told me so."

Yosannah regards Roland with faint amusement.

Merlin says, "Hey, converting people isn't easy. Even with nice architecture."

Yosannah regards Merlin, "What about you?"

Merlin asks, "What about me?"

Yosannah shrugs, "Are you into the architecture?"

Merlin says "It's an interesting place, I suppose. But you don't tend to appreciate the stuff you grew up with in quite the same way." He shrugs slightly. "You get to miss it though, when you're away."

Yosannah asks of Merlin, "Do you ever think of moving back there full time?"

Merlin nods. "Mmhmm. Occasionally."

"What happens to those thoughts?"

Merlin shrugs again. "They seem to disappear with proximity to my mother."

Yosannah smiles, perhaps knowingly, "Now now."

Roland grins at Merlin's comment, in a cloud of smoke.

Merlin splays his hands. "Just telling it like it is..."

Yosannah smiles lightly, "I have no doubt you are."

Despil appears next to the bar, and takes a seat as he puts his card away.

Roland says "You could always try to make your mother sick of you. Drive her away after you move in."

Yosannah notes Despil's arrival, "Heya."

Despil nods with a smile. "Good turnings, Yo. Good to see you, Merle. I'm glad you two seem to have met up."

Merlin grins at Roland, shrugging slightly. He lifts his chin towards Despil. "Hey," he says, "How are things?"

Yosannah regards Despil, awaiting his answer.

Despil says "Pretty good. How are you?"

Yosannah rests her elbow on the bartop and her chin in her hand. She listens to the exchange of greetings with mild amusement.

Merlin smiles slightly. "You know. I've been better. I've been worse."

Yosannah rolls her eyes, just a bit before lifting her glass to her lips.

Despil says "That's good. Hate to think this was a nadir, or that the high point of your life was here."

Merlin says "I'd have nothing to look forward to."

Yosannah inclines her head to Merlin and mouths with word 'nadir' as if not understanding it's meaning.

Despil says, "Low point." He gestures with his hand, palm low. "Nadir," and lifts it up above his head and says, "apex."

Yosannah nods, "Yeah yeah. I get it now. Did you want something to Drink, Despil?" She indicates her glass, "Wine, maybe?"

Despil says "Sure, what are you drinking?"

Yosannah says "White." She looks between the two men, "You guys act as if you haven't seen each other in forever."

Despil says "We've both been gone."

Merlin nods. "And we haven't actually had a chance to catch up yet."

Yosannah hmms, "Oh." She again to the men on either side of her, "You guys want to catch up? I can take my leave..."

Despil says "I don't want to chase you away, Yo."

Merlin shakes his head, picking up his beer. "We'll have time enough for that."

Yosannah raises a brow and then nods, "Okay. Well. So.."

Despil says "So how are you? And do you have any more of that white?"

Yosannah says "Um," She motions for the bartender to bring more wine, "Here we go." She asks that he leave the bottle and bring another glass, "I'm good. I was just telling Corey that I finally made a visit to the Cathedral. Spoke with the lady you referred me to. She was quite charming, actually."

Despil says "Ada? I like her. A bit over the top, but I like her."

Yosannah says "Yeah," She nudges Merlin lightly, as if in effort to draw him into the conversation, "I liked her too. She was really helpful."

Merlin frowns, as Yosannah's nudge knocks his bottle off course on the way to his mouth.

Yosannah mouths, 'sorry'.

Despil says "What did you talk about?"

Merlin's lips curl up faintly in the corners, and he tries again at taking a sip.

Yosannah bites at her lower lip, "I have uh.." She wraps a strand of hair around her finger in a childlike gesture, "You know, it's not such a big deal, and it's not easy for me to talk about."

Merlin's brows lift slightly, and his eyes slide to Despil for a moment.

Yosannah crosses her arms and rests them on the bar.

Despil glances to Merlin, back. He asks, "Because you're normally not religious?"

Yosannah hehs as she smiles, "No. Quite the contrary. I'm a person of great faith. Just not in the same way that you're probably used to. But," She winks, "But that's not it."

Despil says "I'm used to a lot of ways, actually."

Yosannah glances at Merlin and then back to Despil, "Why do I have this feeling you're going to drag this out of me?"

Merlin smiles. "It's not good to keep things bottled up," he says.

Despil shrugs and sips his wine after swirling it a bit in his glass. "I don't know. I'm just interested.

Yosannah sighs dramatically, "Okay. As if I could refuse you two." She pushes her wine glass away, "I'll show you." She offers for Merlin's benefit, "I have a certain amount of control over her now, so don't worry."

Despil looks over to Yo and nods.

Yosannah inhales slowly, closes her eyes for a moment, and then exhales. She turns in her chair to face Despil. Very gradually, the color in her eyes begins to fade as if being filled by black storm clouds - swirling chaotically.

Roland watches with something resembling curiousity.

Merlin's lips purse faintly, until he plugs them with his beer.

Despil watches intently, himself. Those capable of seeing it will also note that he's bringing the Logrus to mind as he does, so he's probably a bit more distracted than he looks from Yo.

Yosannah blinks once or twice as she inhales deeply, when she speaks it is as if a second voice can be heard behind her own, "I don't much draw it out any more than this. I don't have the strength."

Despil says "Interesting. What is it?"

Yosannah clenches her hand into a fist as if holding something within her at bay, "I'm not sure, not completely. If you're familiar with the religions of Earth, you might call it the cherubim, Pestilence."

Despil says "I'm not sure I would call Pestilence With A Capital P a cherub, but all right."

Yosannah lets a slight smile escape her lips, "In any event, Ada refers to it as one of the hands of the Serpent."

Merlin murmurs, "Which makes a whole lot of sense..."

Despil adds, "...Metaphorically speaking, but we'll let that pass."

Yosannah closes her eyes and, after a moment, opens them again. The dark pools having sinced drained from her eyes. She runs her hand over her temple as she asks Merlin, "What do you mean?"

Roland says "Fascinating."

Merlin says "What do you mean what do I mean?"

Yosannah ask the bartender for a glass of water, "You said something about 'a whole lot of sense'. Are you teasing me?" She smiles coyly as she takes the water in hand.

Merlin smirks. "I might be teasing you a little bit, yes."

Yosannah says "And then you wonder why I don't like to talk about it."

Merlin shakes his head. "That's not what I wonder, no."

Yosannah lifts the water to her lips, "Oh? You know, speaking of Ada. Wasn't she having a little gathering tonight?"

Merlin takes a sip rather than elaborate, finishing the bottle.

Despil says "I don't know. I wasn't invited, I don't think."

Yosannah reaches into her pocket and pulls out an invitation, "I don't think you had to be directly invited." She unfolds the invitation which contains a trump, "Yeah, here. It's a boat party. You guys wanna stop by?"

Despil says "What sort of boat party?"

Yosannah shrugs with a smile, "I have no idea. It just says... you are invited, blah blah. At Red sky... feel free to forward the invite." She looks to Merlin, "What do you think?" She tugs at his sleeve.

Merlin's shoulders rise and fall. "If you want. I've sort of got my own party going right here."

Yosannah looks to Merlin's now empty bottle, "I can see that. Come on, make an appearance. It'll help raise your status showing up with me." She winks and then looks to Despil to play along.

Merlin's eyes slide over to Despil as well. A brow lifts.

Roland turns his gaze on to Despil. Just to add pressure.

Yosannah laughs, "Come on, guys."

Despil looks to Merlin and shrugs. "I'll go if you go. People will talk, seeing us together. It'll stop that rumor that I'm your secret identity."

Yosannah nods and plays along, "Yeah, like Janet and Michael." She insists.

Merlin laughs. "All right, all right. But if I get drunk and fall off the boat, it's your fault."

Yosannah not sure who Merlin is talking to she nods, "Yeah. Despil's fault. Let's go."

The Thorn Bird, Castaways...

The long luminously polished deck glistens with a light of it's own. A superb silhouette of a yacht looms gracefully out of the water. The smooth piercing lines of the vessel are sculpted with unparalleled antique craftsmanship out of radiant dark wood. The refined relief engraved into the wooden bows lends the yacht a haunting yet regal appeal. Tangled ornaments, fashioned in the form of prickly thistles, draw together at the nose of the vessel, jutting forth into an elegantly soaring shape of a songbird. The carved thrush projects forth from the prow, as though it were a live thing, frozen in mid-flight. Surmounted upon the long powerful stalk of the main mast is a buoyantly fluttering flag displaying the emblem of a maroon thistle on a short green stem.

Yosannah arrives, holding Merlin's hand. She turns to Despil and indicates the crowd, "Quite the gathering."

Stone grins at Elektra and says, "Enjoy." He then tells Vladimir, "Lek's a tough warrior. She's got your back." as he turns, smiling at Ada as he walks to meet her. He gives a glance over towards the new arrivals and gives a nod towards Yosannah, "Hey there."

Yosannah nods in Stone's direction and offers a light smile.

Merlin swivels, looking briefly over the crowd, then out over the side of the boat, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

Yosannah looks across the group, her eyes fainally falling on Ada. She smiles lightly.

Ada-Shazandra's brilliant coral lips part to mouth a few words to Stone, but the lady is caught in mid phrase, her lips slack and jovial eyes kittenishly slender. She toasts Yosannah and her companion, though her windswept head bows towards Despil.

Despil bows back to Ada and says, "Lady Ada. A pleasure to see you again."

Stone follows suite with both toasting and bowing, moving along with Ada.

Ada-Shazandra chants to Despil, "Lord welcome and enjoy! It warms my heart to see so myriad a gathering!"

Yosannah turns her gaze away from Stone and Ada and to Merlin as he gazes out over the side of the boat, she leans toward him and mutters lightly, "I had no idea there'd be so many."

Merlin's eyes are drawn from the waves as he leans in to murmur a reply to Yosannah, "Must be that magnetic personality of yours again."

Stone leans in to speak to Ada quietly when the chance arises.

Yosannah laughs lightly. She glances at Despil over her shoulder in effort to see where his attention has turned. She then nudges Merlin and nods in Arion's direction where his corpse lies, "What on Earth.."

Merlin squints that way a moment, then murmurs something out the side of his mouth,"I guess that would be 'the life of the party'."

Stone raises his glass towards Ada in return and then wanders towards Yosannah.

Yosannah chuckles lightly as she makes a face at Merlin.

Stone says to Yosannah, "Didn't expect to see you here." tone friendly. He gives Merlin a smile and a nod as well.

Yosannah nods at Stone and offers a light smile, "I'm everywhere. Like a Visa card. I'm surprised you're here, actually. You remember Corey, right?"

Merlin inclines his head slightly towards Stone. Polite.

Yosannah offers for Stone, "And our friend Despil, you seem to know," She looks over the crowd, "Though, now i'm not sure where he went off to."

Stone nods, saying, "Of course." to Yosannah. He then says to Merlin, "She says you and I were at odds with each other when we last met. You'll forgive me if I haven't decided which would be least offensive, apologizing for past misconduct or confessing that it was so long ago that I don't remember what it was about." He then glances about for Despil as well.

Yosannah raises a brow at Stone.

Merlin murmurs to Stone, "Some things are probably better forgotten, at any rate."

Stone grins at Merlin, saying, "My thoughts exactly." He then glances at Arion's approach.

Yosannah asks Stone, "How long have you been here? "

Arion slows to stillness, on the ocean breeze betraying a state of animation as they play shamelessly with his silken robes. Glittering stars swirl in his eyes as the very breeze that surround him seem to coalasce into words. "Stone...I trust you'll keep yourself from the rail..."

Yosannah turns and rests her elbows against the rail as Despil returns.

Despil asks Merlin, "Want me to find you some food and drink, Merle?"

Stone nods, telling Arion, "In this crowd I will." with a grin. He then says to Yosannah, "Short time. Enough time to thank Ada for holding this fete where I can come instead of in Chaos proper like most do."

"Hey, that's right. You're still 'banished' or whatever."

Merlin brings up a smile and nods at Despil. "Sounds like a good idea."

Despil asks, "You too, Yo?"

"Yeah, thanks, Des."

Vladimir gestures towards Stone, telling Selene, "Some though, I think, would prefer more exciting self. Can't please everyone."

Merlin brings up a smile and nods at Despil. "Sounds like a good idea."

Stone nods, saying to Yosannah, "Yeah, I'm whatevered alright. How about you? You're in a good mood today."

Yosannah lets a smirks escape the corner of her lips, "Good company. Good mood."

Ada-Shazandra graces Scylla and Atarene with a blissful smile, one hand curled elegantly over the shining flute of bubbly champagne, the other pressed to the swell of her feminine chest where her heart ought to be. Her darkly lustrous head bows with dignified reverence and the lady backs away, spinning like a and the lady backs away, spinning like a vish to blaze a smile at Yosannah, Merlin and Despil. The lady approaches the crowd, tasting from her glass in perfect rhythm

Stone ahs, saying to Yosannah, "That would explain why you're always irritated around me."

Despil comes back over to Yosannah and Merlin with drinks and food in hand. He passes out glasses at first.

Yosannah reaches for a glass, "Thank you." To Stone, "You're catching on." She teases.

Merlin takes one with a nod and a murmur of thanks.

Yosannah shrugs at Stone and adds, "It helps that I've kept myself out of the club lately, I think."

Ada-Shazandra touches a milky white fan of fingers to her mask-like lips, "Yosannah and company - I had thought you might use a bit of reverie - How fare you child." The lady's glossed gaze exudes a flare of fathomless green light.

Yosannah smiles at Ada, dipping her chin in greeting, "Ada. I am well. I wanted to thank you again for your thoughtful words the other day." She reaches for Merlin's arm, letting her hand linger there for a moment, "Ada, do you know my friend, Corey?"

Ada-Shazandra hums, "I do not speak without thought, my dear." She declares, bowing her rabidly tousled head to Merlin, "She will not introduce us formally it seems, my Prince - But you are nonetheless welcome. I am Ada-Shazandra - Prelate of the Hole Church of the Serpent - It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The lady's hand floats from her mouth towards Merlin, palm down.

Delicately perfumed petals of lilac are strewn across the deck, cushioning Ada-Shazandra's step - as the Prelate prowls towards the altar, raising a thin flute of shimmering champagne high into the air - an exquisitely manicured finger vibrantly tapping the glass to gain the crowd's attention.

Ada-Shazandra's honeyed Anglican voice pours forth through pallid smiling lips, "Ladies and Gentlemen - The Thorn Bird welcomes you aboard! I am infinitely glad to see such a wonderfully diverse company! And while you are all here to mingle and meet - I ask that you grant your hostess," she bows briskly, "The courtesy of keeping the peace!" She salutes the gathering with her glass and sips.

Merlin tilts his glass from side to side, absently. He leans over, murmuring something to Yosannah, "Kind of an odd bunch... Maybe we got here late and everyone's drunk already. There's naked people in the water."

Yosannah blinks and then smiles, "Are you hinting at something? You could be a bit more subtle." She lowers her gaze to the deck coyly. She peeks over the railing and into the water. She quints lightly and then turns her gaze back toward the deck and whispers, "My word."

Merlin lets out a quiet laugh, shaking his head slightly. He whispers "It was just an observation."

Yosannah lifts her glass and tilts her head back in an effort to finish off the drink, "Mmmm hmm."

Ada-Shazandra clears the curvaceous column of her throat with a delicate cough, "Now, as the more conscientious and the curious may have noticed - we are all gathered here not only to indulge in blissful reverie, but to witness a the fusion of true hearts. We are here to celebrate the merging of the gifts granted us by the Serpent, to take those who were Lylli and Radegast and craft them anew in matrimony." The lady pauses, allowing the weight of her priestly words to sink in, then gently adds, "If any choose to object to this union, let us hear you now."

Ada-Shazandra hums a husky hue, the thick veil of silken lashes masking the genuine nature of her gaze. The Prelate sips from the frothing flute of champagne and intones, "On this Day Arion Yyvrael has agreed to act as advocate for lady Lylli Kolzin-Darr and Stone for Radegast. Ring bearers, Queen Scylla - to whom we owe gratitude for her hospitality and young Atarene - please step forth. Advocates, please lure your respective parties below deck."

Stone gets a refill in his glass as he heads towards Radegast.

Atarene waits for Scylla to move forward before she drifts toward Ada.

Radegast still hasent released his lady, arms wrapped around her. He beams a smile down at her. "Guess i' be aboot time, aye love?"

Yosannah whispers to Merlin "They're getting married? Right now?"

Merlin whispers "It sure looks that way."

Selene watches the scene in silence as a smile forms on her lips.

Lylli nods with her eyes affixed on his. "Long awaited." She seems to squeeze his new arm especially tightly.

Yosannah looks up at Merlin, questioningly and asks softly, "Have you ever been?"

Stone walks to Radegast, grinning as he says, "There'll be enough time for thatafterwards. C'mon."

Radegast leans down and kisses Lylli slowly and fully. "S'much fer a church weddin'." he murmurs, then looks on at Stone's approach. "Ye be in o' this too, eh?" he says, not unkindly.

Merlin blinks, tilting his head back and whispers "Have I ever been what?"

Yosannah chuckles at Stone's words and then tilts her head lightly to Merlin, muttering, "Married, of course."

Ada-Shazandra stands behinds the palm leaf altar - her boat decked with flowers and tables full of delicacies. The lady's face twirks in a charming expression of vivid shock as Thog plods onto the deck, an expression which slims into a smile of secret satisfaction.

Stone grins at Radegast, saying, "I'm in on everything." starting to head belowdecks, gesturing for Radegast to follow.

Radegast laughs, trailing along behind Stone.

Stone leads Radegast below decks, chatting away.

Merlin rocks back on his heels a moment. He purses his lips slightly, then murmurs to Yosannah, "Never really been my thing, no."

Ada-Shazandra opens a miniature red velvet box - bringing forth an iridescent pair of smooth pearl wedding bands. The smaller one is gingerly placed upon a boat-shaped palm leaf powdered with lilac petals, while the wider one is laid on a leaf strewn with shredded tulips. With a gracious dove-like spread of her arms, the lady Prelate silently motions for the Ring Bearers to take up their leaves. Her windswept head bows a regal nod to Arashi and Diandra - "Would you honor us with a tune?"

Yosannah nods at Merlin, as if in understanding, "Yeah. Me either"

Merlin whispers "Why do you ask, anyway?"

She whispers "Oh, I don't know. Cuz we're standing here at somebody's wedding." She adds, "And it makes me think, I was supposed to be married by now."

Merlin whispers "Says who?"

Yosannah hehs, "I'm perpetually engaged, you know that." She shrugs, "But for one reason or another, it never seems to..." her voice trails off.

Arashi takes another look, then nods to Daindra. He sets up the opening cords of the wedding march, the only way it can be on an electric guitar, long, low, and wailing, with many stretching riffs.

Merlin opens his mouth as if he were about to say something else, but he closesit abruptly.

Despil leans back against a rail and watches.

Radegast emerges, along with Stone, from belowdecks. A long white sash has been tied around his head, covering his eyes.

Yosannah regards Despil and then turns her attention to the ceremony. He looks to her, inquiringly.

Stone stands beside and a bit behind Radegast as the ceremony starts.

Yosannah whispers to Merlin "Say what's on your mind."

Ada-Shazandra casts a benevolent smile towards Michael, a slim finger hushing her lips.

Michael makes a quiet oops and stands back, dripping a bit on the deck.

Radegast zeroes in on the sound of Ada's voice, and nods once. "Aye, I am."

Ada-Shazandra smiles a pale whisper of a wan expression, "Who is to speak this day for what you were before this day, Radegast?" Her beautifully beaming eyes linger on Stone.

Radegast says, "An old friend. I'd ask Stone te do th' honors."

Merlin shakes his head slightly at Yosannah, his eyes on the ceremony.

Stone speaks up as he's spoken to, saying, "And I'm honored to do it." flashing a grin at Radegast.

After a time, the ceremony begins to wrap up...

Ada-Shazandra smiles, her coral lips tender and dim, her arms draped pleasantly to her sides. She reclaims the conch - pouring the thick milky aphrodisiac overboard into the azure seas "Your time together has began - may it be like the hemlock milk - heavy and flowing - In the Eye of the Serpent you are One." The shell too is relinquished to the seas, as it tumbles into the tide with a splash that bathes the Wife and Husband in a generous spray of white froth.

Lylli laughs with delight, practically throws herself at Radegast, rising on tippy toes to reach him for a first kiss.

Merlin leans towards Yosannah, murmuring something, "Okay, I think I'm all partied out."

Yosannah nods at Merlin.

Stone claps at the kiss and starts towards Vladimir.

Yosannah offers Stone a wave as she prepares to depart.

Merlin whispers to Yosannah, "Where to then?"

Vladimir looks towards Stone at his approach and nods to the man, "There you are again."

Stone waves back to Yosannah, leaning to speak to Vladimir.

Yosannah leans to Merlin and mutters, "My place or yours, big guy." She smirks, "Up to you."

Merlin smirks and offers Yosannah his hand...

 

Apartment at Berkeley...

Yosannah sighs, "Whew. If I had known that... Man."

Merlin pinches the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger.

Yosannah drops herself into the Sofa, "You alright?"

Merlin exhales a sigh. "Yeah. That was just... A little rough."

Yosannah smiles, "Yeah, come on over here." She slides down to the end of the couch, "You can rest your head."

Merlin does just that, flopping down like a ragdoll.

Yosannah reaches a hand out and runs it over his hair, stroking softly, "Here'sthe deal though. You have to tell me what was on your mind at the ceremony. What were you keeping from me."

Merlin stifles a yawn. "At the ceremony?" he murmurs. "I don't remember."

Yosannah smirks as she shakes her head, "Mmm. Of course you don't. Now what?" She asks as she leans toward him, kissing his forehead softly, "Time for bed?"

Merlin smiles slightly. "Now that's the best idea I've heard all day..."