On Pins and Needles

Thaddeus was quiet. Claire was coming to the conclusion that this was the norm for the Nightsman. He had not spoken a lot the first time they met but the circumstances did not lend themselves to chatting and there were other things more important. Now though there was ample opportunity to do so and yet her bench companion seemed lost in his own thoughts.

He had agreed to help her with the sensing and to even follow her odd request of doing so in the privacy of her rooms. She was grateful for his patience and understanding but wondered what he was thinking about the situation. Was he worried that she was up to something? Perhaps her own loyalty could be in question. They were within the stronghold of Anantya so why else would she want secrecy? Unless it was embarrassing, perhaps if she hinted that it were something more personal it would ease his fears on the matter. Assuming he had them, she over analyzed these things as a Nightsman herself and with someone equally closed lipped it was hard to discern his motives on the matter.

"I thank you. It is something of a more personal nature and I wouldn't want others to know about it beyond the necessary."Â?

She looked down at the tapestry and smiled at the name. Claire was not aware things had progressed to the point which seemed to be indicated by her clanmate's activity. Good for them both; they seemed happy together. It must have been difficult in the beginning to resolve their feelings for each other knowing that they would encounter so many problems because of their different clans. To go ahead and follow their feelings was very brave and she respected them for it.

"That is looking lovely. You're embellishment work is very nice and appropriate."Â?

It was, Thaddeus reflected, somewhat more difficult to break away from the pattern of the tapestry and create something he was less familiar with doing, but he felt that in the end he had accomplished what he set out, and paused to look at the work in progress. Adding a gathering of wisteria made for a good unifying element between what would soon be three doves, or at least he thought so, and he set to making the third one as he mused.

He raised one eyebrow when Claire explained and spoke softly.

“I understand, it’s really no trouble at all.” He smiled somewhat ruefully. “I can relate to a desire for discretion; you’ll certainly have mine.”

He still wasn’t certain of what to make of her request, though he thought at this point her interest in having him examine something was genuine; it would be more complicated than necessary to contrive such a reason to get him alone, especially given the importance she seemed to place on the item.

He was becoming restless to put both of their minds at ease but he didn’t know when he would get another opportunity to work with the tapestry without Alfarinn’s knowledge. The thought made him smile; he wanted everything to be perfect when his lover saw.

Just as he was reflecting on that, Claire complimented his work and he couldn’t resist beaming for just a moment. He was truly excited to see the finished piece hanging up, though he wasn’t certain of where it would go yet.

“Well thank you. It seems as much as we Greys respect tradition, we also have a common independent streak; I’m not the first to add specific embellishments…some branches are quite clever in their subtlety.”

Keeping focused on the tapestry had the effect of steadying his mood, and while he vaguely thought he might be rambling, he went on anyway, glad for an ear to share the secret he’d been dwelling on for some time.

“I have a contact at the museum who will give everything a proper cleaning, though I’ll admit I’m hard pressed to put this in other people’s hands. Still…I want everything to be just so.”

Mai hurried back to the Cathedral with a bundle tucked up under her arm. It was nothing urgent that had required that she leave the two of them but it seemed necessary to her. They could each use the friendship of each other and if Claire had been wrongly loyal to Sorin then perhaps leaving them alone but somewhere safe would have allowed Thaddeus to find those clues within the conversation.

The item might help Thaddeus in his search and a tracker might be helpful. She should have given it to him a long time ago but she had almost entirely forgotten about it deep in the bottom of a trunk in her rooms.

Mai had wrapped the thing in a red silk with small white cranes and mountains scenes with villages and little people walking along a path. Kneeling once more in front of Thaddeus and Claire, she carefully unwrapped the cloth to reveal a large book.

It had a wooden cover of shiny black lacquer with a locking mechanism in gold and jade. Looking up an him, she said.

"This came from the same place as the turtle. Perhaps you both might be able to find something from it."Â?

Claire smiled and nodded her thanks and continued to watch him as he worked on the embroidery and replied to his statements about the past Grey's and their additions.

“I believe that part of the beauty of sewing is the handiwork that shows the individual's touch. It has the personal details that a sentient being and a human hand can give it. Little imperfections or spur of the moment changes and additions.”

She could see how many people in the various family portions wished to add a little extra something to make their branch stand out. Perhaps each had a meaning at the time or perhaps it was merely decoration in order to go that little extra step to be a little better, or at least different, from the past. Sewing was also a mark of pride to many women and this was a chance to have their own efforts immortalized on a piece that they knew had been handed down and would continue to be handed down through the ages. It was little wonder that quite a few went 'all out'.

“Is there anyone in Anantya with the skills to carefully clean it? If it were old lace I would be able to help you but I am not so certain I would risk my hand with something like this. Especially not when it means so much to you personally.”

Mai walked back into the room and knelt once more in front of them. She unveiled a book that appeared to be very old. Not knowing where and when it was from or her place in the proceedings Claire waited on Thaddeus's input though she was curious just what a book and a turtle had in common.

Thaddeus smiled slightly at Claire’s reflections, focused now on his work and finding it was going quite smoothly, the line growing almost organically under his fingers.

“I quite agree. There is a science for learning about a person from their handwriting; I wonder if a similar thing exists for embroidery.”

He grinned at the thought, finding the idea interesting even though he was skeptical about the accuracy of such techniques. Rather like finding out what a person was like by the bumps on their head.

“You know, that is a possibility. Perhaps I should ask Chryseis if there is anyone ‘inside’ who could assist me.”

Thaddeus looked up with interest when Mai returned, holding something wrapped in cloth that to his literary mind resembled a book, though he told himself it could be anything. In any case, his curiosity was piqued even further and he carefully tucked the needle in place, rising to his full height and stretching his neck.

He looked on in almost rapt fascination as Mai uncovered what was, indeed, a book, and from the looks of it a very old one, though it was beautifully preserved. He leaned in for a closer look at the lock, hoping it could be opened without damaging the book, and turned his head when Mai explained.

He didn’t know much about the turtle he wore around his neck; only that it was Mai’s, and that was certainly enough. He did, however, remember what she had said when she brought it out.

‘Sorin-san did not ask the right questions.’

It made slightly more sense to him now, though all the pieces still weren’t in place. While Sorin asking about a jade turtle didn’t strike a chord, he could imagine Sorin was –very- curious about this book.

He wondered if his Elder knew about it, and imagined he didn’t.

In any case, Mai had brought the book to both of them, and while for the moment he would keep the Sorin matter to himself while he thought it over and gathered the facts, Claire should know about the turtle. With that in mind, he slipped open the top button of his shirt, then looked to Claire and pulled the red cord over his neck, bringing the turtle out into the open.

This had the somewhat undesired, though perhaps useful, effect of bringing out the ring as well, which he had kept on the same red cord since that fateful day it had fallen back into his hands. Steeling himself against his senses, he carefully pulled the ring off the cord and hesitated for just a moment before slipping it into his jacket pocket, frowning at the irreverence of that. Though he was uncomfortable wearing the ring…yet, in any case…he didn’t like it to be far from him.

That matter settled, he held the turtle out for Claire to see and turned to Mai.

“Thank you. Let’s see what we can learn.”

He had any number of questions, but felt as a matter of courtesy he should do as Mai implicitly requested and gather what information he could before badgering her. He turned back to Claire and raised one eyebrow as an idea occurred to him.

“Two psychometrists examining the same object at the same time seem to get a stronger sense of said object…I’m just wondering what might happen if we were to sense the book together with our respective abilities, if that would effect anything.” He grinned a little, excited by the thought. “Would you like to try?”

Claire smiled and nodded at Thaddeus's comments and hoped that her own had been helpful in suggesting something he had perhaps not thought about before.

She was curious about the book but schooled her mind and posture into patience. This was something that Mai had brought out at this time so Claire felt there was something very special about it. She was honored and bemused by her own presence in the revealing of the book.

Turning her head back to the blond who shared the bench with her, Claire noticed that he had pulled out a jade turtle. That then explained why the animal was mentioned. Interesting, the jade of the lock and the jade of the turtle, she wondered if they were made from the same piece. A psychometrist like Thaddeus would be better suited to answer that question. In fact, his talent was better suited to discovering most everything about the book.

She nodded quietly at Thaddeus somewhat unsure about combining her abilities with another but willing to try. She worried that she wasn't going to be able to tell them anything at all. Tracking was sometimes a difficult ability to be precise with and could be very frustrating.

"I am ready if you are."Â?

Thaddeus nodded his head, feeling the good tension of excitement and anticipation, and leaned down, fingers splayed over the book but not quite touching. He looked up at Mai and gave her a small smile, then turned to Claire with one eyebrow raised before letting his hand come to rest on the wooden lacquer cover.

There was that same sense of great age as he began to sense, his eyes falling closed as the feelings made themselves known. There was a great deal of darkness at first, then someone, he thought Mai, holding the book. More darkness, hidden and enclosed and very nearly claustrophobic. More people touching the book, though no one he recognized. Feelings blending together; sorrow and respect, as though this book were holy writ…

His fingers twitched a little as an image of a man came into focus, though he didn’t pull away. It did come as a shock to him, though; he knew that face.

Three hundred years ago it had been inches from his own, and while the expression the man wore was now one of…reverence, solemnity, rather than the twisted sneer Thaddeus remembered all too well, the features, the scar on his chin and the brooding dark brown eyes, were unmistakable.

The feelings were so strange, though; a sweet sort of sadness combined with fierce protectiveness. He wouldn’t have thought it of this man, but he felt a kindred spirit of sorts; a fellow lover of literature and books and a respect for something greater, larger, than himself.

That image faded all too quickly into more of the same before going dark, and as much as he was certain there was more to see and learn, he also suspected it was beyond his abilities to sense.

Finally he pulled back, opening his eyes, and turned to Claire, then to Mai, then back to Claire. He was somewhat stunned by everything he had sensed, though it was not the dizzy, sick feeling of being overwhelmed by his own abilities. Simply a great deal of information to process.

He leaned forward, resting his chin in his hands with his elbows on his knees.

“Well. How interesting.”

Claire watched Thaddeus's face and hands as he placed them on the book. It went through a series of changes like he watching and reacting to something only he could see behind his eyes. Her own ability worked something like that so that is how she had always imagined psychometry would be but without the ability herself, she had no way of really knowing what is was like to sense an object in that way.

She placed her own hand down on the book, a little uncertain about whether she should lay her hand on Thaddeus's or try not to touch him at all. They were supposed to be sensing the book together but she was not sure if that was aided by touch or not. Deciding that laying her hand down on her clanmate's might disrupt his perception of the item, Claire placed her hand on the book and then slowly slid it up next to his.

There was blackness when she touched the book, a disconcerting sense of oppressive darkness, heavy and entombing. Claire felt her heart race and her breathing come in rapid gasps. Move! She needed to move, there was no way to go anywhere!

Then her hand touched something else, something cool just before she touched Thaddeus's hand. The darkness gave way to grey and then she was standing on a path in her mind. The path led strongly to Thaddeus and so was very short in that direction. Another path led to Mai; it was even stronger and also short. There were fainter ones as well, these she did not bother following as most of them appeared to lead into the smothering darkness.

...Then there was another path. This path pulled at her, drew her in and seemed to almost draw her along it. Claire found herself -wanting- to follow it with every ounce of her being. It was odd, so strong and yet she could not see its end in her mind.

Claire felt herself stand, clutching the object so tightly that her knuckles must have been white with the effort, though her eyes remained closed. She walked haltingly at first and then faded away into graceful formlessness. The path was -so- bright in her mind, -so- bright! It was blinding to look at and yet she could not turn away.

She went continued forward, nothing else mattered but following the path. And then it ended, burnt away in her mind like over exposed film. There was ground, dirt. Claire fell heavily to the earth in a heap of white fabric. The shock of losing the tracking causing her to drop out of etherealness.

/ooc book sensed with permission, Thaddeus touched with permission.

Mai watched both of the people in front of her as they sensed the book. Thaddeus did not seem as disoriented as he sometimes did though it seemed to her that something was useful to him or at least made sense by his expression.

Claire seemed distressed almost immediately, Mai leaned forward but held her hand just above the French woman's. The rapid breathing and anxious expression left fairly quickly. Claire seemed much more calm and then appeared focused on something only she could see.

Mai quietly stood and followed the taller woman as she wandered down the aisle. She sighed as Claire became ethereal but continued to walk slowly after her.

When Claire fell in the ground, Mai came close and knelt beside her, careful not to touch her. The effects of her ability might still be with the Nightswoman and touching her might be like startling a sleepwalker.

((OOC: Permission to interpret claire ))

His mind still reeling over the implications of who he had seen in his sensing, Thaddeus barely registered when Claire stood, the jade turtle in her hands.

The man was, he recalled, the ring leader of the four he had encountered in Bulgaria all those years ago. He could still remember that face, could remember him dancing with Emma at the ball, then, later, pulling one corner of his lip back in a snarl when they came face to face. There were other memories, too, but those were the strongest.

It had to be the same man though; Thaddeus was convinced of that much at least. But what did that mean?

He began to review what they knew at this point. Mai had found both the book and the turtle in the same place. Thaddeus recognized the man who apparently owned the book, or at least kept it safe for some amount of time. This same man was seen in Bulgaria, where another ancient text was found. A book over which there was some considerable conflict.

Was that the connection, then? Was this vampire another competitor for unearthing books that had fallen out of time and knowledge?

A sudden commotion cut off further thoughts on the matter, however, and he looked up sharply, setting the book to one side and getting up to hurry over to Mai and Claire. He shot Mai a look of confusion before dropping to one knee at Claire’s side, fingers splayed on the ground in front of him and his brow crinkled in concern.

“Claire?”

Claire blinked into the white fabric of her sleeves. Where was she? How far from the Cathedral had the path taken her? Normally she knew these things, had a good sense of time and place. The path normally was not so bright that it blocked out everything else in her view. She saw the paths as though they were laid in glowing gossamer strands along the ground.

Hearing her name she looked up and smiled faintly at Thaddeus.

"You followed me?"Â?

Sitting up straighter, she lsaw Mai and then looked past him at the front of the Cathedral.

"Sacre Bleu"Â? Claire mumbled in frustration, embarrassed at her question. "I did not get so very far, no?"Â?

She looked down at the little item that was tucked so tightly in her hand. It was Thaddeus's little turtle. Loosening her hold, she handed it back to him with a sheepish expression.

"I... it belonged to someone with a very powerful presence. The path was -so- bright but then.... it broke apart. Now I cannot track with it again."Â?

She felt a certain sadness at the loss of the bright path. It offered something mysterious and worth finding. This was the true use of her powers. Not finding someone who failed to turn up to a meeting because he had a new human girlfriend. Claire mentally rolled her eyes at that memory before returning to the regret of that path that was burned clearer than anything else in her mind.

"Do you know anything about it?"Â?

Standing up, She brushed off her white dress, frowning at the dust that clung to it. At least the soil had been dry and not muddy.

"Ah but more important. The book first. I could not sense anything from it. There were no paths leading anywhere that I could trace. Whoever owned it is dead."Â?

Looking from Thaddeus to Mai, she questioned.

"Did you have better fortune?"Â?

Mai watched the woman with interest. Claire seemed to come to back to herself quickly enough though she still seemed a bit disoriented by the experience with the turtle. Rising gracefully to her feet, Mai watched the taller woman through her senses and discerned that the French woman was now capable of standing on her own and was not in physical distress.

She smiled faintly at the Claire's pronouncement that it belonged to someone with a powerful presence. It was something Mai knew already. The amulet had belonged to her creator more than 4000 years ago. Many things had slipped through her memory over the ages but not the feel of clutching a handful of silk in one hand and that cool jade turtle in the other. Once she had picked it up again in China, she knew immediately that it was his though she did not have the senses that Thaddeus and Claire possessed. She -knew- that is was, believed that it was and now she was proven right.

When Claire asked if anything was known about it, Mai knew that the woman was speaking to Thaddeus but she answered as well. Quietly saying

"It was my creator's."Â?

With that, she nodded to them both and walked back into the Cathedral, trusting that they would follow in their own time.

Thaddeus accepted the turtle back and put it around his neck once more, not wanting to fuss with putting the ring back in its place right now. He offered a hand to Claire as she stood, though she seemed to have recovered and had no need of his assistance now, and rose to his full height in tandem.

He raised one eyebrow when Claire described her experience with the turtle, wondering if the man he had met in Bulgaria had such a strong presence. When Mai calmly explained that the necklace had belonged to her creator, though, he thought differently as he watched the Elder walk away. He lifted the turtle back up and frowned thoughtfully, all the more touched that she had given it to him to keep safe for a time.

For a long moment he stood still, simply stewing over his own thoughts, before realizing that Claire could hardly read his mind and had asked him a question. He nodded in the direction of the cathedral proper, wanting to walk and talk if he could not have the advantage of pacing.

“It was somewhat enlightening.”

He was surprised to find that he was disappointed at the news that the book’s owner was dead. He had not been completely certain in his sensing, though he supposed that was partly wishful thinking on his part, hoping that he would have some opportunity to speak with this man about a great many things.

“Someone cared a great deal about that book.” He rubbed absently at his chin. “And I’ve met him before. In Bulgaria. Very strange; the man gave off the impression of being something of a rogue, a clanless thug, but he was…quite protective when it came to the book.”

Claire looked over at Thaddeus when Mai turned to leave. Her creator? How old must that be?

"He is alive still."Â?

Mai was the oldest vampire she knew though sometimes the elder did not seem so. To think there was someone older still around was staggering. How much knowledge they must have? Claire knew the history that she personally saw. There were so many things that were different than the history that had been written by the humans of the time or those compiling information later. The taint of political opinions and personal beliefs slanted the knowledge for the shorter lived race. The vampires had more accurate records and Anantya personally tried to record unbiased information knowing that the truth was most important.

She had personally witnessed her own share of history but there had been much that she had missed, important and interesting things going on elsewhere in the world. Claire loved to speak with those who had been places she had not and to hear their stories.

At this moment, she listened to Thaddeus speak of a person that he had met in his past. Claire frowned thoughtfully at the description of the man as they continued to walk.

"But he did not try to steal it?"Â?

Thaddeus raised both eyebrows at Claire’s declaration, stopping in his movement to take that news in.

Simply amazing. Thaddeus wondered just how far back that line went; like many of Anantya, he was fascinated by where the roots of this particular tree might end.

He frowned a little at Claire’s question, rubbing at his chin once more.

“Perhaps he did try but came nowhere near close to succeeding. I cannot imagine him not wanting it back.”

He picked up his step again, heading back inside, and thought to give Claire a bit more background. He wanted to talk to Alfarinn before bringing up the book they had found, but thought it would be wise to tell her about that soon. Hopefully she might help them find the potential connection, if there was one at all.

“I met the man in the summer of 1707…once just before I was turned and once just after. Now I wish I knew what became of him and the crew he traveled with.”

He shook his head, frowning. “But I’m assuming you know that particular story…of what happened that summer.” He rolled his eyes at himself. “Of course you do, what am I saying. Strange…how so much comes back to that time. In any case I’m wandering off topic. The book.”

Holding the door open for Claire, he thought back to determine if there was anything else worth mentioning. “I believe it was very old, but then that is rather relative; my abilities simply don’t work that specifically. There is also a good amount of…sorrow…associated with it.” He gave a little shrug. “I suppose names and dates would be a little more useful but still, information is information.”

Claire listened to his explanation as they entered the Cathedral once more. She nodded solemnly at his mention of the time he was created. Though she left the country shortly after Thaddeus had become a vampire, Claire had been at the Manor long enough to hear the details. She had avoided her creator and the returning elder and her charge the night she left.

It was perhaps the suspicion of one in her Order that caused her to feel that things were left unsaid about this man and why he was of interest. She wondered if Thaddeus felt he might be responsible for Emma's death or know something of it. The thought helped lighten some of the shadows that still lingered around her heart. Those suspicions that had caused her to leave before she found evidence that her creator was responsible for her leader's death.

The years had sent no such rumors or accusations to her ears. Of course there were those who believed Sorin had a hand in the murder but no solid proof nor anything more than the wagging tongues of idle gossip was ever unearthed. Claire had begun to feel that she was safely wrong in her fears years ago and finally in these past decades felt the pull towards Nachton once more. Perhaps her instincts were bringing her at a time when she could be of help finally proving his innocence. It would lay her fears to rest once and for, all though there was no small amount of guilt in her for misjudging her own sire.

Claire nodded and sat back down where they had been before, leaving enough room for Thaddeus on the bench as well.

"I can see where you would be interested in finding him."Â?

She smiled and shrugged a little.

"Though I did not sense a path to this vampire and received only darkness there. It is possible that the trail has simply faded away, too old for my abilities to work."Â?

Claire looked down at the book and continued.

"Tracking is not so precise with answers -about- things and a trail can go cold for us for a number of reasons."Â?

Looking up again at Thaddeus, she added.

"I must warn that death is still the most likely reason but if the book has been away from him for a long time then it might simply have faded to unusable."Â?

Thaddeus trailed behind Claire as they walked back down the aisle of the cathedral toward the pipe organ, still stewing over the new information presented, though he gave a nod to Mai before taking a seat. He looked over at Claire as they sat down, frowning a little. Hadn’t she said the one who owned the book was dead? Then he blinked, realizing his error in logic. He could understand the not so exact science of tracking that Claire described and contributed his own mixed senses.

“My sensing was oddly unclear in that area; I am not entirely certain if he is alive or dead. If he’s still alive, and if we can find him…I suppose a good many questions would be answered. Frankly the more I think about it, though, the more I wonder why he hasn’t found –us- if he’s still alive. If the books were so important to him.”

He didn’t particularly like that line of thought, but picked up the tapestry and set to finishing the thread.

“Of course, if he had something to hide he would want to stay as far away as possible, whether he has a rightful claim to the book or not. I sincerely regret letting him slip through my fingers now.”

Considering what he should say and what would be dangerous to reveal, he decided it could do little harm to explain more about his line of thinking to Claire.

“When we met after I was turned he had expressed a wish to take me to Anantya. He knew who Emma was, you see, and I got the impression he felt he had landed into quite the mess by meeting me by chance at an inn further south. He said he didn’t want them to ‘kill the messenger’. –I- didn’t realize Emma was an Elder at the time; I suppose we both felt there was still plenty of time to explain such things. In any case I left before my fate could be decided by the likes of them.”

Carefully finishing off the dove and beginning on the name, he continued.

“At the time I felt their little group was innocent of any foul play in Emma’s murder. They were shocked at the news and…well, I think I was still –in- shock to be truthful. I did some investigating after the fact; the alibis were solid all around. Even so…I can’t help but feel leaving when I did has come back to haunt me.”

He shook his head, realizing that notion sounded irrational.

“Or perhaps my mind simply cannot stay in one place. It was a bit of a surprise to see his face again and I wonder if it means something.”

The shorter name was going smoothly as he spoke and thought, and he realized with faint surprise that he was nearly done.

“At any rate. I think it would be good to know for certain what this man’s fate was.”

He gave the book a thoughtful glance before turning back to his work.

“Of course, the contents of the book itself ought to prove useful, or at the very least fascinating.” He looked to Mai. “Would you mind if we held onto it for a while, to further study?”

Mai watched them both come inside still speaking about the book. She was starting to feel restless but schooled herself into patience, feeling that she was not yet ready to leave Thaddeus. He had not been here very long and she tended to lose track of time when she wandered.

Coming closer, she lightly laid her hand on the tapestry. Following the raised threads with her fingers, Mai slowly closed in to the area he had been working on. She could feel the little dove with Alfarinn's name neatly stiched across it. Smiling, she said.

"It is lovely work, Ba-di-kun. He will be pleased."Â?

She kept her hand off to the side of his present work so he need not fear stabbing her with the needle. Falling silent again, Mai continued to gently touch the heavy fabric in order to feel Thaddeus's working the through it underneath her fingertips.

She had nothing more to impart into their discussion that she knew of. The Order of the Night were the ones who solved mysteries and directed the members of the Hunt when they needed their aid. For now she was happy to have Thaddeus back for a brief time.

Looking up when Thaddeus asked her about the book, Mai smiled.

"It is yours, Thaddeus-san. I went to find it for Emma-chan and now I give it to you."Â?

Claire looked over at the elder and then looked at Thadeus.

"Perhaps he knew it to be too well guarded to attempt reaching. If he knew Emma as you said then he is probably reasonably certain that Anantya would take care of it. We are not known for destroying artifacts. In some ways it would be safer with us, though he might still want it back and is out there waiting for mention of it to surface again."Â?

It was a long shot really. Anantya archived things and they rarely saw the light of non-clan day again, remaining forever kept and cared for by those in the archives. Still the vampire had nothing but time and hope so without knowing more about his ties to the book it was not certain whether he would simply give it up or wait for the first opportunity to take it back.

She nodded her agreement at Thaddeus's decision to leave the group of vampires that -said- they would return him to the clan. One so young, without a home, he must have been so terribly frightened and yet he managed to walk away from aid that was dubiously offered instead of simply accepting any assistance in order to not be alone. Claire applauded his good sense and mental fortitude.

Quietly she said.

"I believe you did the right thing."Â?

The Elder offered Thaddeus the book and though she found herself somewhat surprised by the handing over of an artifact, Claire felt that there was a justness to the action. It -should- belong to Thaddeus...and now it did.

A warm smile crossed Thaddeus’s features when Mai touched the tapestry, pleased at her opinion and glad she had taken an interest. He might have felt some concern at anyone else touching the needlework but it seemed good and right for Mai to leave that trace of herself on the fabric.

“I hope so.”

He continued to stitch with Mai close by, coming close to finishing and finding her closeness did not distract him in the least. Nor did speaking with Claire; he supposed this really was a social activity. Claire had some good theories to support the clanless man being alive; perhaps he cared enough about the book to be content to see it in good hands for a length of time and was patient enough to lay low for centuries waiting for the time it might be returned to him.

“There is that. I wonder how old he is. And how the book came to him.”

He tilted his head to one side, wondering a great many things that might or might not ever have answers while steadily embroidering the name in the dove. Smiling, he finished the tail of the ‘i’ and knotted off the thread, moving up to dot the ‘i’ with another elaborate knot. He sat back and surveyed his work for a moment, then turned back to Claire with a slight shrug.

“I suppose I didn’t think there was any other choice at the time.”

Then Mai explained that she wished for him to keep the book, pulling him out of more difficult memories. Emma had wanted this book; Mai had confirmed what he suspected.

“Thank you. I’d like to think Emma would be pleased to see this path followed.”

Moving the tapestry so that Mai's dove would fall under her hand, he tilted his head to one side with a pull of nervous anticipation. To Claire, he spoke in quiet tones.

“I haven’t forgotten; you wanted me to take a look at something?”