Mai knelt on one of the large flat stones resting in the middle of one of the ponds. Her eyes were closed but she could sense everything around her. While she was not one to be stressed often this is when she felt her most calm; out in the gardens using her senses to connect her to everything around her.
She could not say why she came here or what need for the peace she had. These past few days found her in the gardens quite often. The ring that Thaddeus had examined brought back feelings that Mai was unused to having. Guilt. She had left Emma. Had she been there, then she could have protected her clanswoman. She also failed to find Emma's attacker so the threat was still out there, perhaps waiting for her Ba-di. Mai frowned inside her inner thoughts. She'd not leave him unprotected. This wouldn't happen again. Especially not to Thaddeus.
She knew he must have been worried about what he found. Perhaps he should have told the other elders. They have more council than she did but Mai felt it was something they should handle together and own their own. A personal sort of vengeance. In her mind, it was their duty to Emma.
The presence of another brought her out of these troubling thoughts. A slight smile crossed her lips as she felt Thaddeus's approach. She could almost see his thoughtful frown from where she sat even though he was far away yet. Waiting until he was near and yet not too near to startle him with her movements, Mai gracefully rocked backwards onto her heels and stood. Smoothing out the white kimono, she lightly hopped the few rocks that would lead her to the path.
Looking up at the stars, she said.
"Ba-di-kun"
((OOC: She assumes the small frown, its not something necessarily accurate.))
The Gardens
Thaddeus crumpled yet another piece of vellum and threw it into the waste basket next to his desk. He had tried to write the request for an audience several times now, but the words refused to come. Though frustrating, Thaddeus knew better than to beat his head against the problem; things like this could not be forced. He needed to give himself time to think, to process and calculate. He was nothing if not careful, and though part of him longed to spill the killer's blood this very minute, the disciplined side, the side that thought out problems meticulously and then solved them decisively when he was sure, that side always won out.
And in any case this was certainly worth doing right.
This is how Thaddeus found himself wandering the Japanese gardens on the Manor grounds that evening. He found that he had a tendancy to pace, something he'd carefully schooled himself against doing where anyone could see (pacing being a sign of weakness in Thaddeus's mind), but in the gardens he could meander along the many narrow stone paths without ever crossing his own footsteps. The wandering cleared his mind; he could allow the paths to lead him where they would while he sorted his thoughts.
Sometimes, he even found council in these gardens. Mai came here often, and though Thaddeus wouldn't admit out loud that he was seeking her out, he visited the Japanese Gardens often as well, particularly when he was troubled. Mai always seemed to know when he needed to speak, to talk matters out, and when he needed quiet to think. Her council, though usually sparse, was wise and uncomplicated; yes or no instead of the maybes accompanied by both sides of the argument that Thaddeus often came up with.
He continued along the path to a tiny foot bridge that crossed a narrow stream. He paused here without realizing it, looking at the sliver of a moon reflected in the stream's mirror-flat surface. Silvery fish swam just below the surface, so close that Thaddeus could touch them and only get his fingers wet. Not that he would do such a thing; it seemed wrong somehow to disturb the perfection of this place.
Thaddeus lost himself in his thoughts, standing at the bridge, his feet unwilling to cross to the other side.
Mai
19 years ago
Thaddeus Grey
19 years ago
Thaddeus turned slowly to answer Mai's greeting, pleased to see hear her soft voice at such an opportune time, and saw her looking up at the stars. Softly he walked up the path and stood next to her, looking up as well.
Looking up at the stars, listening Mai's soft, nearly silent breathing beside him, Thaddeus felt himself relax. He hadn't realized how tense he was until Mai's presence took it all away. He felt his shoulders uncoil and the creases in his brow fade away.
There was no need to speak until he was ready; for the moment it was enough for Thaddeus to stand together under the same stars, looking up in awe at something so much larger then themselves.
Yet even the stars fade with time.
Thaddeus jumped at the sound of his own voice, some of the tension coming back into his frame. He did not realize he spoke aloud until the words escaped his lips, which was enough to worry him; he was not one to speak without meaning to.
Still, perhaps it was time to break the silence. As much as he would like to stand here in the garden with Mai forever, there was work to be done, actions to be taken. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, and spoke again, this time deliberately.
I spoke with Sorin tonight. I did not tell him about the ring, but after our conversation, I believe Evenhet holds the key to this mystery. I must speak with someone in their ranks.
For some reason, those two simple sentences took a terrible weight from Thaddeus's chest. It was good to tell someone his thoughts, good that there was someone else out there who knew every corner of his mind. He tore his eyes away from the stars and looked to Mai.
I cannot tell where my mind leads me, my Mai. Every path both behind me and before me is black and without end in sight.
Such is the nature of time, I suppose. It takes the light from even the stars.
Looking up at the stars, listening Mai's soft, nearly silent breathing beside him, Thaddeus felt himself relax. He hadn't realized how tense he was until Mai's presence took it all away. He felt his shoulders uncoil and the creases in his brow fade away.
There was no need to speak until he was ready; for the moment it was enough for Thaddeus to stand together under the same stars, looking up in awe at something so much larger then themselves.
Yet even the stars fade with time.
Thaddeus jumped at the sound of his own voice, some of the tension coming back into his frame. He did not realize he spoke aloud until the words escaped his lips, which was enough to worry him; he was not one to speak without meaning to.
Still, perhaps it was time to break the silence. As much as he would like to stand here in the garden with Mai forever, there was work to be done, actions to be taken. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, and spoke again, this time deliberately.
I spoke with Sorin tonight. I did not tell him about the ring, but after our conversation, I believe Evenhet holds the key to this mystery. I must speak with someone in their ranks.
For some reason, those two simple sentences took a terrible weight from Thaddeus's chest. It was good to tell someone his thoughts, good that there was someone else out there who knew every corner of his mind. He tore his eyes away from the stars and looked to Mai.
I cannot tell where my mind leads me, my Mai. Every path both behind me and before me is black and without end in sight.
Such is the nature of time, I suppose. It takes the light from even the stars.
Mai
19 years ago
Mai stared at Thaddeus unblinking for a period of time that would probably unnerve most people. He wanted to speak with some of the 'others'. Mai frowned slightly, not liking the idea. The others were dangerous for such a young one as her Ba-di. Still, she could not keep him from risks. She also knew that if he felt the drive to go meet with them then she should not stop him. Containing a creature only begs to have it attack you and leave by force. She had never stopped Thaddeus from any pursuit, only occasionally advising against something. Even that was rare, he was far more cautious than most vampires,especially a child.
So, she merely nodded an affirmative at his suggestion. He would go..and she would follow. There would be no chance for harm while she was there.
"The scent leads you were it must. Even into darkness. Sometimes, the wrong trail is the right one."
She smiled then and pointed to the hunter in the sky. Emma had shown him to her many ages ago. Her friend had told her that his name was Orion. Orion-sama was an excellent tracker, perhaps he would be able to see what they could not.
So, she merely nodded an affirmative at his suggestion. He would go..and she would follow. There would be no chance for harm while she was there.
"The scent leads you were it must. Even into darkness. Sometimes, the wrong trail is the right one."
She smiled then and pointed to the hunter in the sky. Emma had shown him to her many ages ago. Her friend had told her that his name was Orion. Orion-sama was an excellent tracker, perhaps he would be able to see what they could not.
Thaddeus Grey
19 years ago
This time, Thaddeus did not join Mai in looking to the stars immediately, instead searching her steady and impassive face as she gazed upward.
The wrong trail is the right one indeed. So she felt the wrongness of going to Evenhet too, and had put his own thoughts more succinctly than he ever could. But with her statement came affirmation; this is what he must do, dark as it may be.
Finally he joined her in staring up at the stars, following her steady gaze to Orion, the hunter. When he was a boy, his father showed him this constellation and told its story. It was a disturbing tale for a sensitive young lad, and he spent several nights in fear of a giant man who would destroy all in his path.
Now for some reason his thoughts turned to Emma's killer with a vague sense of unease. Then he smiled when he remembered how Artemis shot Orion dead with an arrow from above. The huntress standing next to him would surely defeat the murderer just as easily, no matter how fierce an opponent he turned out to be.
We're going to find him, Mai. We're going to find him, and we're going to kill him.
The wrong trail is the right one indeed. So she felt the wrongness of going to Evenhet too, and had put his own thoughts more succinctly than he ever could. But with her statement came affirmation; this is what he must do, dark as it may be.
Finally he joined her in staring up at the stars, following her steady gaze to Orion, the hunter. When he was a boy, his father showed him this constellation and told its story. It was a disturbing tale for a sensitive young lad, and he spent several nights in fear of a giant man who would destroy all in his path.
Now for some reason his thoughts turned to Emma's killer with a vague sense of unease. Then he smiled when he remembered how Artemis shot Orion dead with an arrow from above. The huntress standing next to him would surely defeat the murderer just as easily, no matter how fierce an opponent he turned out to be.
We're going to find him, Mai. We're going to find him, and we're going to kill him.
Mai
19 years ago
Mai turned her gaze back to Thaddeus her expression not changing on the outside but on the inside she felt a measure of sadness. Her boy was not a hunter like Mai and her kind. He was a tracker of facts, a thing that she did not understand but appreciated. What she did know was killing and how it would change him. He would no longer be the innocent pup that stood before her and though she knew it would have to happen sometime, she regretted that it would be so soon.
She nodded to him again signaling that she was ready to go whenever he wished to leave.
"Hai, Ba-di-san. We will kill him."
((OOC: She used san instead of kun here to suggest seeing Thaddeus as becoming an equal. Though most likely she will continue to call him Ba-di-kun most of the time since that is the more familiar term. ))
She nodded to him again signaling that she was ready to go whenever he wished to leave.
"Hai, Ba-di-san. We will kill him."
((OOC: She used san instead of kun here to suggest seeing Thaddeus as becoming an equal. Though most likely she will continue to call him Ba-di-kun most of the time since that is the more familiar term. ))
Thaddeus Grey
19 years ago
Thaddeus, ever the gentleman, offered Mai his arm to indicate they walk together back to the manor.
She called me Ba-di-san.
Thaddeus did not quite know if he felt pride or sadness at that realization. Perhaps a bit of both. As they walked, a wistful smile crossed his features as he remembered more simple times, when he was Mai's Ba-di-kun, and Mai was his entire world. But the smile had an edge to it, a sharpness around his eyes, for as he reflected on he and Mai's friendship, in the back of his mind her promise lingered.
We will kill him.
/ooc Thaddeus out, assuming Mai joins him
She called me Ba-di-san.
Thaddeus did not quite know if he felt pride or sadness at that realization. Perhaps a bit of both. As they walked, a wistful smile crossed his features as he remembered more simple times, when he was Mai's Ba-di-kun, and Mai was his entire world. But the smile had an edge to it, a sharpness around his eyes, for as he reflected on he and Mai's friendship, in the back of his mind her promise lingered.
We will kill him.
/ooc Thaddeus out, assuming Mai joins him
Mai
19 years ago
((OOC:Hai, following Thaddeus out ))