• Aurelia stirs... reasonably early. Not too long after she usually gets up.

Aurelia Is he still here?

Dionysus Yes.

Dionysus Sleeping like a log.

• Aurelia stays in bed a bit longer then, before dressing.

Dionysus He wakes as you dress.

Dionysus "Good gods, what time is it?"

Aurelia "Morning. Then sun is not long risen."

Dionysus He pauses, "Will your bandmates kill me for being here?"

Dionysus A little tremor of worry.

• Aurelia blinks and shakes her head.

Dionysus He grins, relieved, "Good. Look, I have practice at noon, but if you want to get breakfast..."

• Aurelia smiles a touch and nods, then pauses. "Before... Some of what is in the box is for you."

Dionysus He pauses, "Oh. I had forgotten. What is it?"

• Aurelia goes to the chest and opens it.

Dionysus He gasps as he sees the inside.

• Aurelia stands back to let him in.

Dionysus He doesn't move, just looks.

Aurelia "Anything that pleases you of it is for you."

Aurelia Clothes, toys, jewelery, wine. I think the only two good weapons have been taken, and the harp definately was.

Dionysus He looks over it, pausing now & then, then looks over the wine, then stops. "I... It's amazing."

Dionysus After a moment, he picks out a Dhunic tunic of fine weave.

• Aurelia smiles slightly.

Dionysus "Thank you, Aurelia." He moves to kiss you.

• Aurelia kisses back, blushing, smile brightening.

Dionysus "Let's go find our breakfast, then, if you want to come, we'll have a talk with Kansallus before I have practice."

Dionysus Nervousness

• Aurelia 's smile wilts a touch. She swallows and nods.

Dionysus Breakfast is good, at a nearby inn. No one notices you leave. Warm rolls & eggs & bacon. Kashaji follows.

Aurelia After a few false starts, as breakfast comes to ending, she asks, "Bartleby? Did... did Kansallus harm my mother?"

Dionysus He pauses, feels apprehension, then says, "Not... Well. I'll let him explain. All I'll say is, I trust him & respect him."

• Aurelia looks at her plate and nods.

Dionysus "Come on, he'll be with the rest of the band. We'll have a talk."

• Aurelia nods again and gives him a weak smile before standing.

Dionysus The walk to the inn where the band is probably seems interminable, but Bartleby is feeling comforting & kind.

Dionysus When you get near, you sense Kansallus.

• Aurelia can't help flinching internally.

Dionysus He, apparently, senses you, because he meets you out front.

Dionysus He feels worried, nervous, & excited.

• Aurelia feels wary, uncertain with options on both hope and flight.

Dionysus Bartleby changes from kindess & comfort to a short burst of anger as soon as he sees Kansallus. He greets him with a punch to the jaw. "Coward."

• Aurelia stops short, startled.

Dionysus Kansallus rubs his jaw, feeling amused more than anything else, though Bartleby is still annoyed, "Good to see you again, Bartleby. Aurelia." A sense of inevitability also enters Kansallus.

Dionysus "Tell her the fucking truth, dog, or I'll cut it out of you." Bartleby snaps.

Dionysus Kansallus loks to you./

Dionysus He feels... shame, fear, & regret, tinged with longing & frustration.

• Aurelia looks back, though she has trouble meeting his eyes for more than a moment at a time.

Dionysus "Tell her!" Bartleby says again.

Dionysus Kansallus says, "Ask, Aurelia. Ask me. I can't do it if you don't ask."

• Aurelia swallows, opens her mouth, closes it.

Dionysus Bartleby glares, "Tell her, godsdamnit. You promised to."

Dionysus Kansallus ignores Bartleby & just looks to you, "I can't! Just ask me, please!"

• Aurelia has moved from wary to scared.
• Aurelia can't bring herself to ask either question directly. She hits an emotional wall every time she tries. Finally she touches Grimdancer's scabbard. "Did he belong to you or the Hornet?"

Dionysus Bartleby just stares at the two of you. Kansallus looks pleadingly.

Dionysus He takes a deep breath.

Dionysus "The truth is..."

Dionysus "The truth..."

Dionysus "He made me. If I..."

Dionysus "I... You have to..."

Dionysus "He was going to kill her, crush her in his hands."

• Aurelia looks up at Kansallus.

Dionysus "I had to serve him. If I didn't, she would have died. When you serve... his kind, they get control of you."

Dionysus "So I traded my freedom for her life, & he... his first act was to make me... take her."

Dionysus He starts to weep, then looks away.

Dionysus Bartleby looks at him, "Tell her all of it."

• Aurelia stares, outside. Inside she convulses with horror.

Dionysus "He... let her go after that, but only after he made me... take her so many times. I couldn't stop him. He branded me, but not with taint."

Dionysus He pulls back his sleeve to show a scar. "The Bloodjewel did this to me."

Dionysus It's a red spot, angry, ugly, twisted.

Dionysus Like the blood boiled in his arm.

• Aurelia looks away.

Dionysus "And then..." He looks to Bartleby, "One day, I have no idea when, we took a prisoner. A musician. They took his instrument, but he could still sing, whistle, clap... Every note, every word, every beat... I snapped free."

Dionysus "I couldn't kill him, Aurelia. He had branded me. He could take back control."

Dionysus "But I could rob him blind, & I did. I couldn't face your mother, but I knew I should..."

Dionysus "I... I'm sorry."

• Aurelia looks up at Kansallus again, trembling, eyes tearing.

Dionysus "Forgive me..."

Aurelia Inside, too much shock, horror, fear to speak without falling apart.

Dionysus Bartleby moves beside you, slowly, feeling comforting.

Dionysus Kansallus drops to his knees. A few people nearby are staring.

Dionysus Kashaji stands next to you.

• Aurelia shakes her head, trying to deny the whole situation rather than responding to anything particular.

Dionysus Bartleby tentatively puts his arm around you.

• Aurelia twitches at the touch.

Dionysus Someone in the crowd feels familiar.

Dionysus Kansallus says, "Please, Aurelia. Say something."

• Aurelia shakes her head again. "I..." She chokes back a sob at the first word, and turns to try to flee towards the ship.

Dionysus You feel Bartleby restrain Kansallus as he tries to follow. Kashaji follows you, & you realize Klaus was in the crowd, because he follows, discreetly, but you sense him anyway.

• Aurelia doesn't look at him. She just wants to get back to her cabin and break down.