RP:Saints And Sinners
Summary: Lanara covers up in a cloak and sunglasses, and leaves the safety of Enchantment, as she fells compelled to speak with Khitti. Once the bakery is closed, the witch makes her presence known, and after a few moments of uncertainty about her true identity, she's led into Khitti's private quarters. There, the best friends have a heartfelt reunion and confide in each other about what happened prior to and during Lanara's absence from the lands. Khitti assures Lana that she will speak on her behalf at the trial, promises her a tikifhlee kitten, and that she will arrange a meeting in a few days, so that Meri can be brought up to date. Their plan is to break into the Cenril bank to retrieve the rose quartz skull that will help to prove Lana's innocence! Once she's able to wield her magic, the witch hopes to return the favor by visiting the Shadow Plane and assisting Khitti and Brand in battling an evil dryad.
Part of the Magic, Madness, and Mayhem Arc
Part of the Through The Looking-Glass: Return To Wonderland Arc
Lanara :: A cloaked figure sits on the bench before the Ginger Snapped Bakery and Sweetshop, with its head down, and a book splayed over its lap, as though it were engrossed in a novel. A pair of oversized sunglasses cover the upper portion of the face, and the figure maintains its pose, not once lifting that head or locking eyes with another. How was this person able to read at this hour, without the proper lighting, while wearing sunglasses? Thankfully, no one dares to bother the form, and for the next hour or so, it basks in the anonymity of the cloak and shades. Finally, the hour grows pitch dark, the streets are bare of any patrons, and the nearby shops are all closing as business was done for the day. The cloaked figure rises from the bench, the body somewhat frail, though obviously that of a female. Despite the fact that autumn is nearing, the atmosphere of Cenril remains humid, and the fabric clings to its wearer, as she attempts to stretch her limbs as she had remained in the same position for nearly two hours. Going out in public was dangerous, especially without the aid of a glamour potion, but she felt compelled to see her best friend. It had been seven months… Would she believe all the rumors? Run in fear? Turn her into the authorities? She would find out soon enough. Taking a few hesitant steps, the woman stops before the door of the bakery and lifts her hand to rap gently on the glass, her gaze eyeing the ‘closed’ sign which had been flipped moments prior. Victoria, the assistant, had already left for the evening, so hopefully only Khitti would be inside the establishment. If the redhead were to appear at the door, the sunglasses would be removed, the hood of the cloak lowered, and she’d see a very familiar face looking into her shop.
Khitti || Upstairs in the apartment, Khitti was drinking peppermint tea and leafing through a book. The tea had long since gone cold, the anxiety in her stomach running rampant still, though the redhead’s attention was fixed solely on the tome. Carelessly, she flipped the page a bit too harshly, pain shooting through her right wrist. Both of them had been bandaged up recently, and tightly too, in an effort to keep Khitti from bending it too much. Sadly for her wrists, Khitti was not always a careful person, especially when it came to herself. The pain was enough to diverge her line of sight away from the book on different kinds of dark magic, and take up her cup again, only for Khitti to realize that it was cold. She uttered a sigh, and that’s when she happened to hear the knocking from downstairs. As per usual, once everyone in the bakery left, Khitti would leave the apartment door open, should she happen to be home. Her anxiety flared again as she wondered who the heck would be here now, but she eventually hid her book beneath a couch cushion, and made her way downstairs. Khitti’s thoughts went to that woman from the Shadow Plane’s promise: ‘when we’re done here, we’ll come for your world too’. Jessamine had been a cruel being, her magic’s even crueler, and while Khitti hadn’t thought that the dryad-hybrid would just waltz up to her shop and knock on the door, it still had crossed Khitti’s mind anyway. That irrational worry only worsened as she stepped through the doorway that separated the restaurant and the kitchen, olive-green eyes settling on Lanara. No. This was a trick. It had to be. Just like when Jessamine forced her to think Brand had drowned. Stone-faced, Khitti crossed the short distance from the serving counters to the door, unlocked it, and just stared at the other woman. “I don’t know who you are, but if you have anything to do with that bitch from the Shadow Plane, then do yourself a favor and run away now.”
Lanara looked mostly as Khitti would have remembered, though she’s obviously lost some weight, as her cheekbones are more pronounced. Her long hair is a few inches shorter, as they trimmed it at the asylum, and in the shadows it seems a few hues darker. Chocolate hues widen, the warmth they once held filled with despair as her dearest friend seems to call her a ‘bitch’ and tells her to get lost. She had been expecting repulsion, maybe some tears, perhaps a hug, or even a scream to alert the city guards. She was accused of murder, animal abuse, arson, and a handful of other crimes. The witch was believed to still reside at the Wellness Clinic in Corlonia, repenting for her sins, secure in a padded cell and restraints. Yet, here she stood, trembling, and shaking her head as she refuses to budge from Khitti’s doorstep. “No-No… I’ve come so far to see you… Being here, unprotected and with a poor disguise… I risked my life to see you again…” Blinking back tears, she clears her throat, hoping that the redhead was mistaken. She –had- lost a lot of weight, and it had been several months. “I’ve only been to the Shadow Plane, once, but I don’t think we ever discussed that in depth… It was to retrieve the skull for Valrae’s resurrection. I accompanied Taly, Meri, and Encara… As for being a bitch? Well… I can’t entirely dispute that, as I have my moments…I just… It –is- me, Khitti…” Wondering what she should say to refresh the woman’s memory, she awkwardly shifts her weight to one foot and takes in the sight of the bandages on her hands, “What happened? How is Dominic? Brand? And… How is Aspen?” Only the true Lanara would remember that polar bear cub’s name, and who she demanded he be given to, before her departure from the lands. “I… I can leave if you want me to, but please, just give me a few minutes of your time… I want to explain what happened. I… I need your help, Khitti.”
Khitti || For a few moments as Lanara went on to explain, the smell of smoke began to fill the air between them--the telltale precursor to a fistful of holy flames. But it soon faded as Khitti realized that it was indeed Lanara, and not some lackey of Jessamine’s, as the witch rattled off names and an event that had taken place that the dryad woman would’ve had no way of knowing about. Khitti’s line of sight followed Lanara’s and fell to her own wrists, a shake of her head given, “It’s nothing. And they’re fine. They’re all alright and on the Tranquility.” She frowned at Lanara’s tears, then grabbed her hand and led her upstairs, but not before relocking the door and letting loose the curtains to cover the windows entirely. Once they were upstairs, she’d bring Lanara to sit on the couch, another teacup grabbed along the way, and the remainder of the tea reheated with Khitti’s magic. Inside Khitti swirled anger and confusion and happiness and practically every other emotion available; on the outside however, Khitti attempted to not let those emotions leak out--she wasn’t going to put any of that on Lanara, after all she’d been through. “What the hell happened, Lanara? I knew you hadn’t been okay the last time we saw one another, but…” But, I didn’t think it was enough to make you snap. Well, that’s what Khitti wanted to say anyway, but it was a little insensitive and it was yet another thing she bottled up. She’d failed of late to keep her harshness in check, and now she actually made the effort to do so. Once the tea was good and hot, she’d pour a cup for Lanara and handed it over, the teapot soon set back down on the coffee table. “It’s peppermint… It’s really the only thing that helps settle my stomach, heh. I can make something else though, if you want.”
Lanara :: The smell of smoke, the bandaged wrists, the name calling… It was enough to cause a relapse in one that had been hospitalized for mental instability, as they all were harsh reminders of what she’d been forced to endure before she was captured. However, she had been at the clinic for the deeply insane under false pretenses, and she fights to maintain her composure and gives a slow nod. Khitti was now certain that this wasn’t a mere apparition or another glamouring herself as the woodland witch. It gives Lana small comfort, though not enough to bring a smile to her face, as she is led into the bakery, up the stairs, and into the apartment. It’s the first time she’s been in Khitti’s home, and she’s never visited the Tranquility, so she takes a long look around as her friend prepares the tea. “Nice place you have here…” She’s trying not to feel so depressed, so her voice comes out a tad higher pitched than is normal, as she wrings her hands and stands awkwardly in the living room. Touching wasn’t allowed in the asylum, unless it was to tighten her restraints, so her haunted hues are drawn to the palm that held Khitti’s just a few moments prior. It was the smallest act of kindness, a simple gesture done without thought, yet tears are threatening to spill onto her cheeks. Thankfully, it’s then that the mug of tea is pressed into her hands, and she’d blame the steam for the film of moisture if Khitti were to inquire. Lowering herself onto the designated couch, she takes a sip of the peppermint tea and collects her thoughts, unsure where to begin. After a few moments, she rests the mug on a coaster atop the table, and slips the suffocating cloak off of her form. Beneath, she wears a fitted tee-shirt, a pair of leggings, and a pair of flats. Nothing fancy, as she hasn’t been to collect her belongings from the house in Sage Forest. Now, Khitti would see the self-harm scars that line the animal empath’s wrists and forearms, and she would also see the unique ankle bracelet that is worn on her left ankle. It’s a monitor of some type, glowing in crimson, and it’s bulky against such a tiny leg, but somehow the woman is managing. “I’m glad that everyone is well and thank you for welcoming me into your place…” There’s a pause, before she finds her words, “I wasn’t okay the last time we spoke… Eli grew weary of having me around… He used me, in a sense, to gain his status in the Guild, and to figure out where to go with his life. He threw himself into his work, barely spent any time with me, didn’t show up for the wedding, and had his butler throw me out of our home.” A hint of anger is in her gaze as she looks at Khitti, though it quickly shifts, as she continues, “He was the smallest piece of the puzzle that caused my undoing… I think I started to emotionally break after the death of Larz… So, yes, I felt too much, and I grew emotional. I hated going out in public, I felt like everyone was laughing at me for getting left at the altar. I questioned my faith, I began to just fall into this state of constant depression.” Nipping her lower lip, she eyes her right leg, patting the thigh with affection, “Then… There was that attack on my sanctuary… My staff was murdered, Venin was tortured, and I was abducted for being a witch. The bastards made sure I would never dance again, and I barely made it out of there alive… I fled the healing center, and left Krice to deal with Taly, as she was pretty messed up from Cramer’s lackeys.” Swallowing hard, Lana shakes her head, as a rogue tear spills onto her cheek, “I never meant for it to get so out of hand, Khitti… You –must- believe me… What happened next? I take all the blame, though it’s not my fault.”
Khitti mustered a smile for Lanara when she complimented the apartment, “It’s not much, but it’s home for when Brand is off elsewhere… or when he needs a break from the ship.” Once Lanara began to tell her story, the anxiety twisted her stomach in knots again. Maybe it’d been less about the Shadow Plane, and more about an unexpected visitor. It wasn’t something Khitti always voiced, but she’d always had these bad feelings. Not many would understand or care, so it was mostly something Khitti’d kept to herself. It had, however, helped her many a time--especially the day that Lionel had went off to the Shadow Plane nearly two years ago and came back gravely wounded. She hadn’t been able to go along with that trip, but that hadn’t stopped her from setting off to stop Lionel from doing what he’d planned. She’d been far too late, of course, but she’d still been there to help him afterward. Now, the feeling was still there, worsening as Lanara went on. This time it was enveloped in guilt for not having been there to help Lanara. Or Talyara. “I… heard about the witch hunters,” Khitti’d said with a frown, eyeing that ankle bracelet. It seemed similar to the one Alvina had been forced to wear by Cenril’s judge during her house arrest, and Khitti wondered if it worked the same way. “They’re still around too. Cal and Meri and Fleur were attacked during the full moon. Long story short, Cal’s a werewolf too now and that was supposed to be the first night he changed. It... “ Khitti sighed and shook her head. It hadn’t gone well… and Khitti hadn’t been there. “Of course, I believe you, Lanara.” The witch’s tears were like a knife in Khitti’s heart, easily piercing the stone wall she’d built up around it during the last few months. She wouldn’t bring up Larz or Eli or either of their return to Lithrydel. She wouldn’t say anything more about the witch hunters. Instead, she’d just set her own cup down and pulled Lanara into a hug. “I didn’t -actually- think you did any of these things that’d been said. I know you better than that. -Everyone- that knows you should’ve known better than that.”
(Post 1 of 2) Lanara whimpers as the witch hunters are mentioned, choking back a sob, “They were awful to us… They kept me in a cage, and they severed this major tendon in my ankle… I lost so much blood, and it’s a miracle that I can walk again, though my days of teaching dance are over. It still hurts like hell if I wear heels or if I take any long journeys. I watched a few good men die, because I fell for their illusion, and they even slaughtered my familiar, Tanner… Taly… They had her longer than they had me… She was repeatedly tortured, and they magically branded her flesh, telling the world she’s a Witch. The wound will never truly heal, and it’s a constant reminder of the pain she suffered at their hands.” As Khitti speaks of Callum, Meri, and Fleur, she’s relieved that the focus is momentarily off of herself, and she takes another sip of the delicious tea. “Poor Cal… When all of this passes, I would love to meet with him… Maybe I can help him a little? Or even Meri or the little girl… With their shifting. I still have my animal empathy…” They both glance at Lana’s ankle monitor, and she clears her throat, “I’m not allowed to use my magic when this device is worn… The only one that can remove it is Lunalesca, she’s the head of the Magical Oversight Committee in Enchantment. I… I have been doing volunteer work in Enchantment… And they provide me with food, shelter, and protection, at least until my trial.” The mug rests on the table again, as the tears shed in full force and she’s pulled into Khitti’s embrace. Her arms lift to return the hug, and for the first time in a very long while, the witch allows another to provide comfort. Sobbing on Khitti’s shoulder, Lana explains the horrors that were done by her hand, against her own will. “I learned this new form of magic; it’s a heightened version of meditation… I didn’t want to be me anymore… Because I’m not worthy of love or prolonged happiness… I just wanted to be someone other than an elf with a broken heart.” Her words become muffled, so she leans back enough so that she speaks clearly, while still maintaining physical contact, “It’s called astral projection… Basically my spirit can explore on its own, and can enter the forms of other things… Like a slumbering rabbit or deer. It gave me the freedom that I sought for so long! I didn’t have to stress about meeting everyone’s expectations, or saving lives of animals, or trying to build a family… I just… I didn’t know that there was a dark side to this magic. And one night, when I was out of my body… Another entered my shell. It was an evil entity that had roamed for so long, trying to find a body to inhabit. And it did unspeakable things, in Venturil, Gualon, Sage, really all over!” It feels good to speak about this, despite the dagger that plunges deeper into her heart with every ounce of her confession, “I floated… Watching from close by, and unable to get back into my own body. Finally, I was successful, but there wasn’t enough room for both of us and I was too weak to fight this spirit. So… Nick, the Backstreet Bard? He took the fall for my crimes, and the realm was grateful just to arrest someone, so they stopped searching for the true terrorist. And I was institutionalized, where I suffered a hell unlike any other… Daily, I fought with the other spirit, and when she grew too angry she would take it out on my body, or harm another. I endured all sorts of violent therapies, and when all hope was gone, the book I was studying was discovered. I had many healers work on me… And they did a spiritual cleansing ritual, and I finally overcame the spirit.”
(Post 2 of 2) Lanara sniffles and grabs a tissue from a nearby box, offering one to Khitti, as she dabs her cheeks. The poor woman’s shirt was covered with tearstains, though the majority of the tale was over, and Lana felt a little better now that it was all off her chest. “So… After I was healed, and back to myself… I set out for the lands, again. Nick was released from prison, but his career is on the line, and he now has a record for something he didn’t even do. I couldn’t just go to another land and start over, knowing the way I left things here… I returned to set things straight, even if it costs me my life. I want Nick’s name to be cleared, I hope to somehow make amends at the sanctuary and orphanage, and maybe one day the Adventurer’s and Devout’s Guild will welcome me back as a member. I doubt I will ever find love or have a family, but as long as I can have a few animals and use my magic again, I will be content…” She pauses, her fist clenching around the damp tissue, “I found a haven in Enchantment, but it came at a great cost. If I’m found guilty of the crimes, I will be hung or burned at the stake… So… I’m meeting with a lawyer later this week, and Taly is going to visit Kelvar and try to get some kin from our youth that can vouch that I’m not a psychopath…” Lana reaches out and grips Khitti’s hand, “I have a favor to ask of you, and I think Meri would be wonderful in this area too… But I’m not sure if she will agree to it, as she’s probably preoccupied with Cal, and may not think I’m innocent. Thank –you- for believing me…” There was more, Khitti could tell, as the brunette chooses her next words carefully, “I need you both to help me break into the bank in Cenril… My assets are frozen, and they won’t let me access the safe deposit box… Which has my skull in it, which will help me to prove my case.” She doesn’t need to elaborate on which skull they had to reclaim, as Khitti would know she’s referring to the rose quartz skull that chose Lana as its keeper… A skull that would speak only the truth, and help prove the woman’s innocence. But obtaining it again, wouldn’t be easy.
Khitti frowned as she held Lanara and the woman sobbed. The way she spoke, it echoed of the way Khitti had felt when she was a vampire. Hell… even when she’d just been a freak after all those experiments she’d been forced into. She hugged Lanara a little tighter and then finally released her. She took the tissue, and kept it handy, but didn’t use it just yet. “First of all… You do have a family. You have Talyara and me and Meri. And who cares if you don’t get to marry someone--most of the men around here aren’t worth a damn. And while you may not be able to have children, there’s still adoption. It’s something I’d originally considered, back when I realized I wanted kids with Brand, but… over time I realized it was less about the family and actually being a living, breathing human again, heh.” She shook her head, getting herself off the tangent that begged to be let out, “And as for the long-distance travelling, after you checked on my cat, I’d decided that I wanted to give the cubs to you and Talyara. They’d protect you, just like their parents do with Brand and I. Because they’re from the Shadow Plane, they’ve got their own set of shadow magic, the main one being the ability to blend in with shadows--and that’s including their rider. Which, you know, is perfect with all these idiot witch hunters around.” That, of course, meant that she still had them, living with all their other animals on the ship. Khitti certainly could empathize with Lanara when it came to the spirit--after all, that’s basically what Amarrah had been. She took Lanara’s hands in her own and held them tightly, “Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it together, okay? I’ve fought my own fair share of undead, so if it comes back, I’ll deal with it.” Khitti sighed, trying not to think of Lanara’s possible death in the near future--it’d felt like Lanara had been dead when she was gone, and Khitti really didn’t want to go through that again. “Robbing banks isn’t really my forte, but it might definitely be up Meri’s alley. I can, however, also try to vouch for you during your trial, if you’d like. I’m not going to let you die and you’re definitely rejoining my guild,” she said finally, one hand releasing Lanara’s and moving to rest against the witch’s cheek, her thumb wiping away the tears, “and I’m going to feed you so many cookies because you’re starting to look like how I used to and I can’t have that.”
Lanara had grown up at an academy for advanced magic users in Kelvar, as her empathy was rather difficult to handle, especially when you were a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. Poor Grandpa was turned into a squirrel, and the spell was irreversible! She no longer had her empathic abilities with humans, as she sacrificed it to save her sister a few years ago, but Lanara had the memories of feeling what others felt. Khitti truly believed her innocence, even without having the skull to unveil the truth, and it’s the assuredness in her expression that has fresh tears brimming in Lana’s eyes. Her friend felt her pain, through words alone, and she even offered comfort and assistance in the days to come. It’s at this moment that Lanara sees Khitti as a mother, though not in the sense of raising Dominic, or reminding her of Kuruni, her own birth mother… So many linger between the stages of the Maiden, the Mother, of the Crone, yet none truly achieve the title of any given stage, in their lifetime. It’s the highest honor one could hold, in the elf’s eyes, so she gives Khitti her first true smile since she’s arrived in the lands, as the other promises to fatten her up and dries her tears. The grin is small and short lived, but it’s genuine, and filled with a new hope to reclaim all that she had lost. “Khitti…” She hadn’t said this to another woman before, save her sibling, but she’s going to say those three words right now, because she feels that strongly for her friend, and because her future was uncertain. “I love you… And I cannot thank you enough for believing me, and for not turning on me. I would love to have you at my trial, as a character witness, because you know me better than anyone in the lands. I sometimes tell you things that I can’t confess to Taly…” Her little sister was fragile before the witch hunters, and she didn’t even know that Lanara was back, or all that had happened! “Maybe… I can meet you and Meri here on Sunday? I know the bank is closed on Sunday’s, and maybe we can devise a plan and head to Enchantment? Once there, I will use the skull so that you, Meri, and Lunalesca will know the truth… I know you don’t doubt me, but it’s important to prove that I didn’t intentionally let another use my body to commit those nightmares. And… Yes! Please, feed me all the sugar you want! I’m even starting to lose my arse! I wasn’t allowed to do daily squats in a straight jacket.” The old Lanara would have died of laughter at her choice of words, but the truth did hurt a tad, so she merely shakes her head and sighs. “Thank you for being my family, Khitti… I’ve felt like I was cursed for so long, but sitting next to you and being able to open up and not have it slap me in the face? You’re a blessing.” Lana reaches out and gives Khitti’s hand a gentle squeeze, “How are you –really- doing? How is the Devout’s Guild?” She couldn’t linger for too long, but she had enough time to finish her tea and hear about the recent happenings in the lands and her best friends lift. For tonight, things felt like they were back to normal, as the two women were chatting over a cup of tea, like they had so many times in the past.
Khitti || For a little bit, things felt back to normal. It felt like it’d not been seven long months without her friend. It felt like Khitti hadn’t had to put up the walls that she’d been rebuilding. It felt like Khitti hadn’t entirely failed people she cared about. “I love you too, Lanara.” Much like the witch, there wasn’t many people she told this to--so few actually earned the words that so many were so quick to say. “I’ll let Meri know to meet us here. And even if we’re not able to do the actual breaking in that night, we can watch what happens outside from the window over there,” she said, motioning towards the bay window that Khitti utilized as a reading nook most days, especially when it was raining. “And I’ll have Victoria send plenty of food for you to Enchantment. I would let you stay here, but I’m not sure how that would affect things there, with your trial.” The conversation was finally shifted to Khitti and the thought of talking about the things she’d been up to lately brought that signature pensive look of hers to the forefront. She released Lanara fully from her grasp, turning so that she faced the coffee table. “Lionel’s gone again and it seems Kahran has followed him--and good frakking riddance to both of them.” The last of her words dripped with a bitterness that few had seen from Khitti within the last couple years, “There was a plague. There’s a blockade in Venturil. And… I got… several calls of help from the Shadow Plane.” It was hard to explain the things that’d happened so far to Khitti in that other plane of existence and Khitti wasn’t even sure where to start. She opted for the short and sweet route, “Basically… there were things written about me over there, a long time ago. I don’t like calling it fate but… I can’t really argue with the things that’s happened to me since then. They think I’m some kind of hero. They think I can help. My type of holy magic is so weak over there…” Carefully, she unwrapped both of the bandages on her arms, revealing bruises colored a deep dark purple, “It’s corrupted over there now. Brand and I went there to check things out. There’s a woman there… she looks like a dryad… but she wields a strange sort of dark magic. I felt completely powerless. She chained me to the ground with that magic and made me think Brand had drowned in the lake in the Shadow Plane’s version of Larket. It’s… there’s so much to say about it, but it’s not something I’m going to put on you. Brand and I have a plan and we’ll be taking another trip there soon. Vailkrin’s mirror there is a neutral city, like a sort of marketplace where everyone manages to co-exist. I can’t bring Meri there because she got left there before, and I’m not asking anyone else to jump to their death to try to help me. I’d do it myself but Brand wouldn’t let it happen. So… we’re going to try to find help over there. If these people want me to make things better, then they need to help -me-.”
Lanara hadn’t expected Khitti to reciprocate the ‘L’ word, as it held much more weight than any other word in the realm. The witch only said it if she meant it, and those times had been few and far between. She senses that Khitti wasn’t saying it because she felt she –had- to say it, but because she felt that she loved Lana like a sister. Tucking an errant strand behind a lightly tapered ear, she frowns as it’s mentioned that Lionel left the lands, along with Kahran, there was some sort of plague, Venturil is blocked off, and Khitti and Brand were tortured in the Shadow Plane. She leans in and peers at the purple bruises on the arms, likely earned from pulling on the chain to try and rescue Brand. If they were magical chains, it may take the bruises longer than usual to heal, though the emotional effects would remain forever. “I… I don’t remember much from my time in the Shadow Plane, it was only a few minutes but it felt like an eternity. This Lady of the lake tried to drown me…” A shudder runs down her spine, as she places an arm around Khitti’s shoulders and sighs, “I’m sorry that I wasn’t here… I wish I could have been beside you, so you wouldn’t have to go through all of that alone. Maybe Lionel will return… Hopefully –without- Kahran, and if he doesn’t… Well, you all managed fine without him before. And… I don’t think you should bring Meri back there… She went into a state of shock the last time she was there… But… When I’m able to wield magic again, and when they find me innocent… If you and Brand will allow it, I would be happy to accompany you to the Shadow Plane and help you unleash hell on this evil dryad.” Her words are spoken with conviction, despite the softness in her tone, and she gives a slight shake of her head, “Thank you for offering me a place, but I have to be in Enchantment for the duration of the trial. Plus, I’m safe there, and I would be terrible for business. I know that –you- forgive me for all of this, but your customers may not want to buy your goods if they see me lurking about. Plus, you’ve already promised me a kitten!” Earlier, she hadn’t thought to comment about the gift of a shadow cat, as she didn’t want to get her hopes up. If she was deemed guilty, she wouldn’t have a breath in her, let alone a new pet! Her eyes light up, as she clearly cannot wait to see the kitten, and she can only imagine Taly’s delight, too! Pushing herself from the couch, Lana finishes the rest of her tea, and pulls Khitti in for a tight hug, “I –hate- to run, especially after you just opened up to me about all that is going on… But I have a curfew and this anklet is starting to pulse, which means it’s close to my check in time. Promise me that you will consider letting me go with you and Brand? Or that you will at least train with me when I’m allowed to use magic again? I… I know you may not feel like a hero over there, but in Lithrydel? At this very moment? –YOU- are my biggest hero… So please, don’t downplay how awesome you are, Khitti. Also… The bruises? They may be a magical burn… Try using milk, mixed with a few drops of aloe… I will send some freshly squeezed aloe to you, and it will be here in the morning.” It’s obvious the witch doesn’t want to leave, but she better get on her way, or the gates to Enchantment would lock her out, and she doubted she’d be granted anymore favors. “Be safe, Khitti, and thank you for everything. I will see you on Sunday, maybe around lunch time? I will use a glamour potion, so that I can be out in public.” Another gentle squeeze is given to Khitti’s shoulder, before Lana puts back on her sunglasses and cloak, and heads home for the night.