 |
May 15, 1999 |
|
]
Gideon Club sitting room...
Petilence stands near the fireplaces. She runs a finger over the ledge creating a trail through the dust.
Damen tilts back his drink and samples a sip. He regards you. "So..."
Petilence turns her head and glances over her shoulder. "I thought Mr. Stone would be back by now..." She adds, "He sent a letter."
Damen shrugs, "I wouldn't know."
Petilence moves toward him; casually. "No matter. I'm sure I know what he wanted."
Damen steps, almost as casually, behind the bar. Damen says "Drink?"
"Thank you."
Damen nods. "What would you like?"
"Water. Please."
Damen nods with a shrug, pours the requested drink and places it on the bar. "No problem."
"You are rather cordial for someone who wants to 'destroy' me. I think that's what you said."
Damen shrugs, "I want Yosannah back."
She smiles lightly, "... yet I'm still here."
Damen nods, "For now."
"What are you waiting for, I wonder. And why the niceties?"
Damen says "Would you prefer that I acted like an ass? As for the first question....I have no idea. Information is still being gathered."
She runs a finger around the rim of her glass.
Damen chuckles, "This isn't a love story....the hero doesn't offer to make the ultimate sacrifice and offer himself to the parasitic entity in order to release his love. "
"Who says you're the hero?"
Damen grins, "It's my movie."
"Then help me." She removes the straw from the drink and lifts it to her lips.
Damen smirks, "Help you do what?"
"I could give her back to you." She sets the glass back on the bartop and bites at the straw, "When things are finished."
Damen raises an eyebrow, "Oh?"
"There are things I don't understand. For instance...Your uncle brought us together again. And the control he has over my sister - I don't like that."
Damen says "My uncle....I have lot's of uncles....or are you speaking specifically of Dalt."
"Yes. Of course. On one hand... He promises protection and power. And on the other, my companions have become slaves as a result." She shakes her head, "It's not.." She studies him. "I'd have us free of him. That's all. Help me."
Damen says "And once you were free?"
"I might be more inclined to make consessions."
Damen nods. "Agreed."
She seems mildly surprised. "Do you understand the serious of what I'm asking?"
Damen meets her gaze, "I care only that Yosannah is with me once again....there are a myriad of shadows she and I can go.....and if need be....you and your brethren can be dealt with at another date. I just want.....need her." Damen chuckles, "As what will be sacrificed....you should understand that my side of the family is willing to sacrifice reality as we know it for what we are passionate about."
"Damen, what makes you think she wants 'you'?"
Damen shrugs, "That is for 'her' to decide. Not you."
Petilence exhales slowly, "This is against my better judgment..." For a moment it seems as if she ceases to breath - then, slowly, the black clouds spill from her eyes.
Damen studies you.
Yosannah blinks as if the light in the room is too bright.
Damen smiles softly, "Hi darling."
Yosannah's lip quivers as she smiles. She raises a hand to her lips and then over her eyes. Yosannah rests her elbows on the bartop and her head in her hand. "I'm tired."
Damen nods, "I doubt it's going to give me much time with you, my own. And I may have just struck a deal with the devil...." He grins, "Although some say that I'm old Jack...so maybe it's just a devil wannabe." He chuckles, "I promise you'll be free soon....and then...if you want...we can sort us out."
Yosannah just nods.
Damen nods too. He smiles, "Sip your water....or kiss me....whichever you prefer at the moment."
Yosannah climbs around the bar to meet him. She reaches up her arms and smiles, a painful wince on her face.
Damen wraps his arms around her and presses his lips lightly against hers.
Yosannah sobs lightly in your chest. "It's like dreaming all the time. And you just never wake up."
Damen nods, stroking his hand in your hair. "It will be over soon, lass. And then we'll get away...."
Yosannah tilts her head upwards and reaches a hand up toward your face, "It feels different. Everything even looks different."
Damen looks down to you, "Even me?"
She frowns. "... even you... And your bruise is gone."
Damen smiles, "I heal fast...." Damen places his hand on his chest, "What matters....remains the same."
Yosannah seems doubtful, "How many times are we gonna go through this same thing, Damen."
Damen chuckles softly, "One last time, my own." Damen asks you, "Are you up for it?"
Yosannah closes her eyes painfully. "I must be crazy." She opens them in affirmation, "You aren't going to hurt me again."
Damen shakes his head, "No. I'm not."
"Damen."
Damen regards you, "Aye?"
"I believe she is what she says she is."
Damen nods, "Perhaps."
Yosannah bites her lip, "I know you don't believe.. I mean. My god." She shakes her head, "Forget it."
Damen says "I'll do whatever it takes to get you back, Yo....even if it means letting her loose on the world."
"I don't think that's what she wants."
Damen says "Then what?"
She clutches at a crucifix that dangles at her neck. "I don't think she even thinks they're supposed to be here. I think she thinks Dalt has corrupted what they are."
Damen shrugs, "It's possible. I need to talk to Dalt." Damen frowns, "I don't have a trump of him."
Yosannah nods. She lifts the cross to her face and studies it for a moment before tucking the cross back under her shirt. "I don't want him to hurt you."
Damen says "He won't....he can't. He's friends with my father." Damen says "And he's terrified of Brand."
Yosannah laughs, "Dalt was going to hurt Mer.." She looks toward the fireplace. "..Merlin. And he's friends with your father too. I don't think it matters."
Damen reaches up and tilts your face back towards him, "Whatever happened....while you were in her possession....is already forgiven."
Yosannah takes a step away from you, "She had nothing to do with my feelings for him." She frowns, "Though, I think Dalt scared him away. I can't reach him so it doesn't matter."
A muscle clenches faintly in Damen's jaw and his demeanor instantly becomes more reserved. "I suppose I should at least thank you for setting the record straight."
Yosannah bites her lip and looks to you and then to the door and back at you. "I'm sorry. I din't mean to hurt you, I am sorry. "
Damen shakes his head, "Never mind that for now. I just don't know when she plans on coming back....our time is limited and shouldn't be wasted quipping at one another."
"Fair enough. Let's get out of here."
World's End Bar....
Damen releases Yo's hand. Yosannah rolls her eyes at Damen and mumbles, "Typical."
They both move to the bar. At the bar,
Damen says "Can you get me a trump of Dalt?"
Yosannah regards Ithius with a light smile. "Ah, hi."
At the bar, Matthew looks at Damen for a moment from across his tea.
Yosannah reaches into her pocket and pulls out a silver case. She sets it before Damen. "I drew these. Or she did.. Or maybe I .. whatever. I think he's in there."
Damen nods, taking up the case and shuffling through the cards. At the bar, Damen selects one and studies it for a moment. "Can I borrow it?"
Yosannah watches as Damen shuffles through her cards.
Damen says "Should take a few hours..."
Yosannah nods at something he says.
Damen nods and signals the bartender for a cup of coffee, "Talk to him."
Yosannah laughs, "Ah. That simple, huh?"
Damen shrugs, "Maybe. Talk to him...free you from bitchy-woman and then marry you." Damen raises his glass. "In that order."
Yosannah raises a brow and laughs, "I've heard this before." She nods at the cup before you, "And did you order one for me?"
Damen smiles, "You drink coffee?"
Yosannah pauses and considers for a moment, "I do now."
Damen nods, "Fair enough." He lifts his hand and orders another coffee.
Yosannah says "Thank you." She collects all the cards and puts them back into the case. "Damen. That letter that she mentioned earlier..." She tucks the case back into her jacket."
Damen nods, "Yes?"
Yosannah retrieves a letter from her jacket after fishing around for a moment. She hands it to Damen. Yosannah says "Stone wrote it. And it was in response to a discussion about you."
He reads it:
'If it's pestilence you want, it's pestilence I can give you. Trump me as soon as you can. Hell's following with me - Stone.'
Yosannah says "He and she talked about you. She wanted him to keep you off her back. This was his letter back."
Damen laughs, "Well....he's in prison...and he wouldn't dare."
Yosannah obviously isn't so sure. "Wouldn't he."
Damen smiles. "I know Stone."
Yosannah says "And you're saying I don't?"
Damen smiles, "You know Stone on specific levels....levels he allows you to see...it's different. No offense."
"If you say so."