There isn't a bed. Persal sleeps hanging upside-down from a perch. He must have sore feet every time he wakes, given his age. At least in this position there's never any snoring. There are signs on the floor rugs that there once was a bed, but the patriarch must of gotten rid of it when he started sleeping alone.
Alptraum gingerly puts two fingers over the sleeping Eeee's nose. That should cause him to wake up. Or ... start snoring. He's not about to do some sort of traditional style of waking someone; using a deep voice and all that. It just isn't his style.
The old bat snorts, opens his mouth, licks Alptraum's fingers and begins to wake up. "Huh?" Persal mutters..
Alptraum draws his fingers back. "I suppose licking is permissible on the second date," he comments a bit dryly. "I have new instructions; Trystle needs to locate a pregnant sow for next time. The piglet is needed as a ... transfer point, of sorts."
"Wha?" the old man asks, still waking up. "Trystle needs a piglet?" he asks.
Alptraum shakes his head. "She needs to locate a pregnant sow. No more children are needed. This time it needs to be a live sow with a live piglet that I can ... modify, so to speak. I need to create a poisoned pill to destroy an evil tree," he explains.
"There's a tree?" Persal asks, finally sitting up. There are crackly noises when he does. "And that'll be the end of it? Will.. will the Yodhsunala take us in? For protection?"
"I have not arranged that yet, but I should be able to. Is that your request?" Alptraum asks.
"There's nowhere else we can go," Persal says. "There won't be a payment, I imagine. The General will not move against Sunala."
"The General wants to, that is what you have been helping her do," Alptraum corrects. "The children were to build an untraceable army to infiltrate and attack Sunala's temple."
"You can't defeat Death," Persal claims. "In any case.. who else would take us without condemning us? Assuming Sunala can forgive me in the first place. They'll take my children at least, won't they?"
"I should be able to arrange sanctuary. You are helping stop her and can tell them all of what the General demanded. That should be enough," Alptraum claims. He's pretty confident he can arrange such, too.
"And my wife?" Persal asks, choking a bit. "Will they take Mefti too? I can't leave her."
"That too should be arrangeable," Alptraum says and nods.
"But, they will likely insist on her being put to rest," he adds.
"As long as I can visit," Persal says. "I've preserved her well, according to all the customs. I can't afford to give her a proper tomb though. A grave is fine, if I can be buried with her later."
Alptraum nods. "Nothing unreasonable in the request," he claims. "So, you will arrange your daughter getting the proper sow?"
"If there is one to be found, Trystle will find it," Persal agrees. "What is to be done with it though? Do I have her brought up to the shrine as usual?"
"Yes. There I will have to see to it and alter its child, just a little. That way when the tree claims it, the tree gets my little surprise," Alptraum says with a nod.
"You did say a tree. A tree?" Persal asks. "All of this horror has been.. for a tree?"
"Yes. It ate dead babies and spat out full grown adult living dead bodies," Alptraum says as if it were perfectly ordinary.
"That makes no sense at all to me, and I am grateful for that," Persal says. "Such a thing should not exist."
"It is fairly ordinary in my dealings," Alptraum admits. "You are fortunate to have a more mundane existence."
"Fortunate," Persal repeats, and lies back. "I shall count my blessings, Barsunala. It is all I can do."
Alptraum nods slightly. "Indeed. How long will it take for your daughter to manage collecting the sow?" he asks.
"It is a matter of chance," Persal says. "There is a shipment of livestock arriving later today, however. We may get lucky."
"Worst case?" Alptraum prompts.
"We wait another day," Persal says. "Although, I suppose we could try to purchase one. Or make one. But that could take longer. I do not know who buys most of those hogs."
"Well, lets try the first route and see if we get lucky. As for making one, I might be able to convince Inala to help with that, but there are no promises. As for purchasing one ... I can provide funds for such if it comes to it," Alptraum ticks off.
"I have faith in Trystle," Persal claims. "She will save us."
"She is a good girl. I do not doubt you," Alptraum claims.
"I will tell her and Seylen to pack as well, so they will be ready to go as soon as the sow is collected," Persal says. "I'll follow after, once Lester returns and we can move Mefti."
"All right. I will make arrangements with the Yodhsunala. If they wish to be difficult, I can be forceful if need be," Alptraum notes.
"Thank you, Barsunala," Persal says. "If there is a sacrifice or donation you would have of me, merely ask."
"I don't seek payment for my help. It needed to be done, so I have done it," Alptraum says as he waves his right hand. "There is nothing I would ask of you."
"I will see you again at the shrine then, with a sow," Persal promises.
"As I will see you. I may ask you to leave while I tend to dealing with the sow, however," Alptraum says, "I do not wish to make you see more than you would want." The Eeee turns and heads for the door now. "Granted, it wouldn't be worse than the tree that will take it, but ... some things are just better left unseen."
"I have seen too many things in my life already," Persal says. "Thank you for the small mercy at least."
"Unfortunately I am rarely spared seeing things," Alptraum admits, "Good evening to you." With that, Alptraum slips out the door.
The crowds from Alptraum's last visit to Mt. Sunala have dispersed, so it's just business as usual for the hospice and the Yodhrinala. The High Priestess, Sukara is even out, speaking with several attendants and one of the Yodhrinala - who is doing a lot of bowing.
Alptraum heads towards the High Priestess. He does not, however, interrupt the discussions. He merely waits politely and will listen until the discussion comes to a conclusion.
"Be more circumspect next time," Sukara is telling the nurse, who bows and promises to do so. She's then dismissed, and once she's gone, the attendants are also shooed away. Only then does she turn towards Alptraum, and perform a slight curtsey. "Your presence enriches us, Barsunala," the High Priestess notes. "And so, I hope it will enlighten us as well." It's a very flowery way of asking 'what do you want?' but at least it seems genuine.
"A request and forgiveness and asylum for one who err'ed, realized it, and has made efforts to correct is mistake. He has been working with me to entrap agents of the General and track down what they wished stillborn children for," Alptraum explains simply and politely after a short bow of respect, even if he isn't required to offer one. "His actions to entrap them will make him a target for the General now, and thus he wishes to ask for asylum for himself and his two children now that the final aspect of his alliance with me draws to a close. The one in question is the Patriarch of the Hortus family."
"Persal Hortus," Sukara says. "The one who called us witches and denied us the soul of his wife in anger? I was a young Yodh at that time, and Persal was already old. He will bring us the remains of his wife, and give her to our care?"
"He will, yes," Alptraum says and nods. "I would have brought her sooner, but it was at her own request that I did not. She wished to keep watch over her family."
"We will shelter them," the High Priestess says. She gestures with a sweep of her arm towards the hospice tents. "We shelter the dying, after all. Why not the living as well. Perhaps his children will join us."
"That I cannot say. The son is ... a typical boy. The daughter is ... unusual. She had an affinity for speaking with animals. Hogs in particular," Alptraum notes, "And she is a bit awkward, and snores. But ... a good girl nonetheless."
"We hang here, she will too," Sukara notes. "That will stop the snoring. And there are plenty of animals that people bring as offerings. What is Persal's health?"
"For his age, rather well," Alptraum notes, "Lucid and mobile; he's just a bit creaky in his bones."
"We'll make sure he is kept warm and dry," Sukara says with a slight sigh. "They only come to us when it's too late.. or now, almost too late," she laments. "I'm sure you have similar experience."
"It is usually always too late with me," Alptraum notes a bit grimly. "Are things going well here? No significant issues with the Yodhrinala?"
"Not with them, no," Sukara says. "They have been hidden for so long, that they do not know how to be public. When a Yodhsunala is not with them, they get nervous. Ironic, to say the least! But the people see them as the ones saving people. Our efforts are ignored."
"Is there anything I can do to help there?" Alptraum inquires. "I tend to not meddle publicly in things as it can easily backlash or be perceived wrong, but if you need me to step in..."
"And do what?" Sukara asks. "Plead on our behalf? Sunala is patient. We are not expected to be thanked. Many of us do not even grasp the concept itself. It isn't our place. We tend to what we tend to. Nobody else is going to do our job, and in the end we are appreciated. There is some talk of having the Yodhrinala formally join the Yodhsunala.. or at least wear our raiments. But they cannot perform all the rites. They are devoted to Rinala, even if, for now, she calls herself Sunala."
"That is why I asked. If there was something I could do, I wished you to know I could be asked," Alptraum points out. "If you decide to invite them, you have my support in the matter. In other matters, how is Sunala and her attendant? I have not spoken with her in some time, nor her attendant."
"She has withdrawn somewhat from Temple affairs," Sukara says, and looks again to Alptraum. "Other matters weigh on her. I'm sure you're aware of them. Her attendant.. frets, I suppose. She came here to be with her friend, Srinala. Now she has to deal with a goddess and a goddess's issues."
"I am aware of many issues, yes," Alptraum concedes, "I have tried to keep the burden's share on myself to spare both of them, but I can only manage so much. I have debated if it would be good or bad if I visited her."
"Family is family," Sukara advises. "There are not many She can confide in, after all. You may do better than her attendant."
"Yes, but we are a strange family, as I am sure you can grasp," Alptraum notes, "I take care, as do all who interact with her. Still, as I am here, I should visit."
"I'm sure she will be glad of it," Sukara says, and starts to lead the way into the temple proper.
Alptraum follows along. "How are you dealing with matters," he inquires. "Is there anything you would ask of me?"
"My place is on the mountain," Sukara notes. "Keep doing whatever you have been doing, until you need us." The barsunala guards stand to rigid attention when the pair pass, even those the High Priestess doesn't acknowledge their presence at all.
"How goes preparations to deal with the 'untraceable' corpses?" Alptraum inquires once they have passed the guards. "I imagine they may be put to use soon after I trigger the next stage of eliminating their supply chain."
"You've spoken with Razaka I see," Sukara notes. "A ward is being prepared. If something passes through it that has no spirit, there will be an alert. We plan to test it by carrying the.. Lost.. in our care through it."
"Good. I do not know how may there are, unfortunately," Alptraum notes. "But as long as the temple is prepared, they should not pose a significant threat."
They arrive at the doors to Srinala's suite, and the guards open them for the High Priestess and the Barsunala. "I'll leave you to it," Sukara says to Alptraum them. "The Blessings of the Sisters Upon You."
"And to you," Alptraum says, his head dipping in a polite, if unnecessary bow. The Eee then steps away, and through the door to the suite.
The doors close, and Alptraum is in the foyer. Daughter-of-Shadows has her room just to the side, and the throne and other rooms, including the High Priestess's living chambers are ahead. A spotted face peeks through the curtains that serve as a door for the attendant's room.
"It is not necessary to hide from me, you know," Alptraum notes to Daughter-of-Shadows. He also smirks slightly.
The girl makes an embarrassed sound, and steps out from behind the curtains. She's actually wearing a colorful dress instead of the usual dark cloak. "You surprised me," she whispers, breaking the illusion of her being a Savanite.
"The feeling is mutual. I did not expect to see you dressed like that," Alptraum admits as he walks over and ruffles the top of her head playfully. "Are things well with you?"
"They're.. not bad," Daughter-of-Shadows says, in the sort of uneasy teenage voice that means 'oh yeah, they're bad', especially when she rubs her own upper arms in a self-hug.
"What is wrong?" Alptraum inquires, his head tilting slightly to the side.
The girl bites her lower lip, and glances into the rest of the suite before turning back to Alptraum. "Dreams," she says quietly.
Alptraum crouches a bit so he is less towering. "Tell me about them?" he inquires.
"Amenlichtli is upset with the General," the girl claims at barely above a whisper.
"How do you know this?" Alptraum inquires. "What has happened?"
"She told me," the girl claims. "The General is.. jealous? She was supposed to be the favorite, the chosen one.. but it's me. First it was you that upset the General."
"The General tells you, or Amenlichtli?" Alptraum clarifies. "And I am not surprised the General is angry with me."
"Amenlichtli," Daughter-of-Shadows says. "She says the General will try to get me if I don't leave. But I think maybe she's lying again. If I stay, the General can't attack here, right? Amenlichtli or Diphath or whatever she's calling herself won't let her put my life at risk."
"I think it is more a ploy to get you out of here so that she can get her hands on you," Alptraum points out. "You are safe from her here in more than one way, after all. As for the General, anything is possible, but I have been working to make sure they cannot attack the Temple."
"I won't let them get to Srinala," the girl promises. "I'll kill myself if I have to."
"I'm not about to let either of those things happen," Alptraum says a bit sternly. "So don't think such thoughts."
"I pray every night that nothing bad will happen," the girl confides. "Srinala doesn't like it if she hears me. But I can't pray to her. I taught her how to walk."
"What does she say if she hears you?" Alptraum asks.
"She just.. pouts.." Daughter-of-Shadows claims. "It's when she doesn't react that I worry. It means she's obsessing on something else, or too worried or.. not herself."
"And what do you pray?" Alptraum inquires, "That causes her to pout?"
"I pray to the Star," the girl explains. "She knows I'm not insulting her or anything.. I think she just gets upset that I don't accept her as a deity."
"You just want to see her as your friend, I know," Alptraum says and nods. "Is there anything I can do?"
"I dunno," the girl says. She brushes down her dress, and says, "I wear this sometimes to see if Srinala will come out and.. just be a girl, you know? It didn't work today. It helps me though. She's the only friend I have here, and I promised to stay with her and remind her that she's also a girl."
"Do you want me to ask her to come out, then?" Alptraum inquires. "I have no idea if she would listen to me on the matter, though."
"If you can remind her of who she really is.. well, who I know she really is.. it would help," the girl says. "I think you're the only person she's really comfortable around anyway."
"Oh, I don't think anyone is really comfortable around me," Alptraum admits, "But people only have to endure me so long."
"You seem nice enough, and you don't smell funny and you smile," Daughter-of-Shadows says. Then she smiles and adds, "Of course, it's usually the sort of smile that my father would yank me away from."
"Pardon?" Alptraum has to ask and arch his brow.
"It's a bit too knowing," the girl claims. "Too charming. Like a gypsy."
"Appropriate, since I grew up one," Alptraum notes, "I was worried you were going to say lustful. I have no such desires for you."
"No, you don't.. just.. you seem dangerous," the girl notes. "Exciting dangerous. Mysterious. The kind of guy who'd show you stuff you never knew existed. And then steal your shinies!"
"Well, I wouldn't steal from you. I have some morals," Alptraum notes as he stands back up. "I should probably go see Sunala now. I also need to find a way to isolate your dreams so she cannot bother you any more."
"She always finds me," the girl claims. "She's my mom. Sort of. You aren't the only one with a complicated family."
"And I'm sneakier than your mother, I should be able to do something," Alptraum claims.
"Get Srinala to eat some candy, then I'll believe you," Daughter-of-Shadows challenges. "Also, you can call me Pouncer when we're in here."
"Do you have any candy?" Alptraum has to ask. "Also, with a name like that it would be tempting do do that. Politely, of course."
"Hey, I'm the one who pounces," Pouncer claims, and pokes Alptraum in the gut. "You might be a vampire, but I was raised by cannibals and Vartans and I was a Temple Scout too!"
"I was raised by gypsies and once pick-pocked half a town while they were watching a show, then stole the Mayor's wife's delicate garments," Alptraum counter-counters while he rubs his gut. "And you didn't answer about the candy."
"There isn't much," Pouncer claims. "I have the only stash. It's hard to get the Yodh to bring any."
"Hand over a few pieces, challenge accepted," Alptraum says and pokes the girl right in the nose.
"After all that boasting?" Pouncer asks, crossing her arms. "Shouldn't be able to pick my pockets?"
Alptraum rolls his eyes. "I'm trying to be polite," he claims, leaning in so he's nose to nose to her. Also good for keeping her attention on him, so that he can attempt to swipe something from her pockets. "You must be bored."
"Of course I'm bored," Pouncer says, "I'm a teenage girl cooped up in a dark castle surrounded by a giant graveyard."
"Safest place to be, frankly. Outside of this tower teenage boys would try to grope you," Alptraum points out wisely. "And truth be told, it isn't as fun as it sounds."
"I reserve the right to decide that for myself.." Pouncer starts to say, then grabs Alptraum's right hand. "Aha, caught you!" Of course, she didn't notice his left hand raiding her other skirt pocket.
"Yeah, you're too quick for me," Alptraum has to concede, looking chagrinned as he draws is left hand back quickly before trying to draw back his right. "I suppose I should go speak with Sunala now anyway."
"I dare you to tickle her," Pouncer says, then grins and slips back between the curtains into her room.
"Hah. And thanks for the candy," Alptraum calls back since he did manage to get a few pieces after all. Chuckling to himself, he turns and heads into the second section of the suite, pausing to knock on the doorframe before he enters.
"I know you're here, why knock?" Srinala calls from a side room. Apparently she isn't in the mood to brood on the throne.
"Because it is only polite," Alptraum counters as he heads for the side room now. "And as rude as I know I can be, I'm not to those important to me."
Srinala is sitting on a bed, wearing some sort of black nightgown - which means she's either getting ready for bed, hasn't bothered changing, or has just woken up (you can never tell just which part of the day an Eeee will consider daytime). "Has Daughter-of-Shadows made you worry about me?" she asks.
"She worries about you," Alptraum points out as he sits on the edge of the bed. "She would feel better if you would spend some time with her in a non-official role," he notes.
"Shouldn't I be working to secure the future of Babel, like you are?" Srinala asks.
"Of course, but taking a break now and then is good too. He helps from getting to lost in everything," Alptraum claims, "Even I take breaks now and then."
"You do?" Srinala asks. "What do you do during a break?"
"Varies a lot. All too often it involves drinking," Alptraum admits, "I don't think I would recommend that for you, not given your friend outside. She just wants you to spend time with her as a regular person. She challenged me to get you to eat some candy." He punctuates this by leaning over and simply giving it to her. "But for something like this I would rather it occur by choice and not through subtle manipulation. Real actions are better than fake ones."
Srinala takes a few tries to find the candy. Alptraum knows the limits of Wraith-Vision, assuming Srinala sees things in a similar way. "So you don't do anything fun then? I heard you took Barada to a carnival."
"That was sort of the other way around. I also gave her glimpses of my childhood," Alptraum notes, "And of course I do some things are fun. Questionable and probably bad ideas, but fun."
"I don't really know how to have fun," Srinala admits, while sucking on one of the candies. They're hard candies instead of candied bugs. "I don't think I'm supposed to. Daughter tried to teach me how to dance. I don't have the legs for it."
"Or you haven't practiced enough. Dancing is all about letting go and just following the music; don't worry about what others think. Anyone can have fun, you just have to try to," Alptraum points out as he rolls his shoulders a bit. "What weighs on you that makes it hard now to 'let go' now and then?"
"War," Srinala says. "The Yodhsunala will have to fight to defend Babel. I'll have to lead them."
"Only if I fail," Alptraum notes. "I intend to keep the fighting as isolated as possible, no matter the cost to myself."
"No, we all have to stand with you, Alptraum," Srinala says. "Or it doesn't mean anything. We have to fight for our future in order to earn it."
"I would rather spare you those horrors," Alptraum admits. "I don't want to see you hurt."
"We still have to be there, to show we'd fight," Srinala says. "You have to show you're willing to give up everything to win. You have to feel you had a part in the battle to appreciate the victory. I'm not afraid. There isn't any form of death I'm not intimately familiar with."
"Death isn't what there is to fear. It's losing those close to you; that is far harder than facing dying yourself," Alptraum notes grimly. "It's easy to sacrifice yourself, it's much harder to watch your friends do the same."
"It makes you want to fight harder though, doesn't it?" Srinala asks. "We'll be there for you, Alptraum. To fight or to cheer, or whatever else you need. All of the Sisters."
"Then answer me this, truthfully. If someone walked in, right now, and killed Pouncer, how would you feel? If I killed her, how would you feel?" Alptraum asks in all seriousness. "Honest answer. How would you feel?"
Srinala is silent for quite some time. "Angry," she finally says. "I would have to allow it. And that would make me angry."
"Yes, it would. And that is good, it means you are starting to understand regular people," Alptraum says, "And this is also why you need to spend time with Pouncer in an unofficial role. You need to find reasons to find, to find strength and will to push on no matter what. Those reasons often come from those around you. People who believe in you, people whom you love. That is what gives strength in even the darkest moments; sometimes it will be all there is. If you truly want to be able to stand in this coming War, you also need to be able to stand with your people and your friends outside of it."
"I don't know how to live," Srinala says, and cries a bit. "I'm a terrible friend. I'm aware of every death but.. There aren't any carnivals to go to. No music. Even candy is a bit bland. What do I do, Alptraum?"
Alptraum extends his hand, "Take it and come with me."
The frail girl puts her hand in Alptraum's. "Where are you taking me?"
"No place far," Alptraum says as he rises and guides Srinala out of her chambers and back to the main room. She then knocks on the frame leading to Pouncer's room. "Pouncer, a moment?" he calls out.
The spotty face looks out again. "Oh, you got her out of bed!" Pouncer declares and smiles.
"Right now I think she just really needs a friend and a hug," Alptraum says as he guides Srinala a bit forward; gentle bit a bit insistent. "Happen to know anyone who might be willing?"
Pouncer comes out and gives Srinala a hug, and Srinala hesitantly hugs back.
"Let go of the desire to hesitate, to stand proud," Alptraum whispers in Srinala's left ear. "I know you have the urge to keep up your appearance, but right now, here, you need to let go. I know it is hard, but try. She believes in you, not out of fear or duty, but as a friend. Do the same for her."
The hug tightens then, as Srinala really.. leans on Pouncer for support. "Wanna do a sleepover?" the feline asks her friend. "We can play riddles too.."
"Yeah, that sounds.. fun," Srinala says, a bit muffled.
"You should also practice music for her, Pouncer. You do still have the instrument I helped you build, right?" Alptraum asks. He then leans in to whisper to Srinala, "See, the secret to finding happiness, color, and flavor, comes from the people. Candy is best shared with friends. Music too. It is what brings the spark. Alone .... it just tends to be bland."
"We can both try to play it," Pouncer claims. Once the hug ends, the cat has both of Srinala's hands held now. "We'll be in my room, so, you won't be Sunala in there, right?"
"Right. Only Sunala out here in the office," Srinala promises.
"Did you get her to eat the candy you stole?" Pouncer asks Alptraum.
"Good. No thoughts of duty, or of things to come. You need to just be, and just be her friend," Alptraum tells Srinala. As for Pouncer, he says, "Of course. I simply asked her too. Sometimes the simplest solution is to just be direct. I don't deceive my friends on important things."
"You couldn't trick me anyway!" Pouncer declares. "That's why I watch out for Srinala, so nobody tricks her."
"Who says I haven't already?" Alptraum points out.
"You're trying to trick me into thinking you tricked me," Pouncer points out. Then she sticks out her tongue and guides Srinala through the curtains. "Thanks though!"
"There. They will at least have each other when I am gone. Each will be able to look after the other in a new world free of monsters like me," Alptraum notes softly to himself as he heads to the door leaving the suite. Wordlessly, he exits, leaving the two to find happiness together.