RP:Slipping Back Into Shadows

Part of the The Whisperer In Darkness Arc

Summary: Meri and Khitti have lunch on Khitti's day off. Things shift back to business rather quickly though when Encara shows up, looking to Khitti for answers about "drow" that Lionel may have seen in the Shadow Plane.

Ginger Snapped Bakery And Sweetshop

Today was a day off. A day off from cooking and baking. A day off from mom-ing. So what was Khitti doing? Sitting in her bakery that she was supposed to be taking a break from and talking to Meri about mom stuff. With the news that Meri wanted to get married and maybe, one day, have a child (or maybe even multiple children depending on how easily she could convince Cal and if she could tolerate the first one), Khitti was excited to talk about things with her. The conversation would eventually turn to business though, and a shift in Khitti’s mood obvious. “Something’s going on in Venturil, Meri. That mermaid--the one we took the scales from, the one that saved me--she showed up not too long ago out of the blue, looking sickly and spewing up blackness like what was happening to me when Facilier had his hold on me. I managed to heal her of it, thanks to Seika, but… she said there was foul blood tainting the water over there. Some of the sealife was making its way this way and bringing this sickness with it. That’s how she got it, from the family she has over in those waters. I sent some of the Warrior’s Guild’s recruits to figure out what’s going on, but I haven’t heard anything back yet.” Khitti frowned in between bites of carrot cake, “I hope leaving that island like we did, with all that dark magic swirling about wasn’t the wrong choice. I can’t do anything about it on my own, so it has to wait until after that meeting.” She didn’t clarify what meeting, but Meri knew: it was to reform the Paladin’s Guild, to bring hope to the realm and hopefully stamp out people like those cultists from that island off the coast of Chartsend.

Meri || Yes, Khitti and Meri managed to come up with an exciting escape from work and mom-ing for Khitti, didn't they? Honestly it's not the worst of places to end up, there were plenty of tasty things to eat and yummy things to drink and ever since Meri has been back from the Shadow Planes (times two - her secret still though), she has been avoiding drinking anyway. That eliminates meeting up at the Whaler, lest Meri end up tempted. Conversations shifts from giving Khitti all the low down and dirty details about recent exciting developments to more business related stuff. Well, this was not really business in Meri's eyes. Business made her money -- this was adventuring as far as she concerned so it's not like she minded the subject matter. Mostly. Except for all this mermaid talk. The woman gives a faint roll of her eyes when Khitti mentions that she had encountered that mermaid again, and that Khitti healed her. The drow are not the only beings in the world that Meri has a thing against. "I don't know, I would have thought that the magic would have dissipated by now. Maybe we missed something." The woman shrugs, refusing to talk about the mermaid. "Regardless waiting until after the meeting is the right choice. The more help you have, the better. We got lucky last time." So what is Meri enjoying while she is catching up with Khitti? Well there are the remains of a chocolate muffin on her plate and coffee.

Encara follows a set of directions scribbled in Lionel's hand on a scrap of paper. Cenril may be largely unfamiliar territory for her but the atmosphere and its tangle of narrow, overcrowded streets is not. With a rough map to guide her, the drow winds her way down seemingly endless roads and twisting terraces, glancing at the note from time to time and levelling a stern glare on anyone who stares at her a little -too- curiously. She's dressed lightly and without her usual armour and bladed bow, her winter clothing swapped for an outfit better suited to the summery air - white cropped pants and flat shoes accentuate her long legs, while a muslin off-shoulder tunic in dark blue exposes both the silvery henna swirls across her left side and the vivid, uneven scarring Hellfire made on her right. It's obvious even against her dark skin and it isn't pretty, but Encara wears the brand proudly like a badge of honour. Her hair has been tied into a loose, knotted braid in an attempt to tame it but the ocean breeze has helped the choppier sections spring free again, and she tucks a few stray strands of it behind a pointed ear as she walks. Strangely out of place with the rest of her attire is the black-steel gauntlet that encases the drow's left hand and arm up to the elbow, concealing the shadowy scars that flicker upon her skin like smoke. When she reaches the bakery, Encara pauses in an uncharacteristic moment of hesitation; the expression on her face is one of quiet dismay as she takes its cheerful facade, icing-trimmed and lined with sprinkles and peppermint colours. "Delisha's eyes," she whispers under her breath before casting a cursory look around her, then back down at the paper in her hand, brow furrowing. Is this really it? The décor certainly matches the store's name and it's the same one Lionel told her of, but… gods, does she have to go in there? It's frilly and cute and exactly the kind of hellhole Encara would never want to be seen in, but she spots Meri inside talking to another woman and knows she's in the right place. Ugh. While every fibre of her being protests it, Encara pushes through the door and into the bakery. There's a purposeful edge to her steps, for she knows each one carries her just a bit closer to the answers she's sought all her life. "…Good afternoon." The words have a strained edge as though they were dragged kicking and screaming from her throat; Encara wants to die. She gives Meri a weary look then shifts her scarlet gaze to the stranger. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm looking for a 'Khitti.'" Please don't offer her cake (but do).

Khitti opened her mouth to speak, to reply to Meri, to try to agree about the island though she knew deep down in the pit of her stomach that things were never that easy when it came to dark magic. There was always residual magic floating around--something… anything, that could be manipulated by those that wished ill upon the world. But, that reply never came. Instead, she was interrupt by a very out-of-place drow who was very clearly distressed. Well, it didn’t take much to decipher that the pointy-eared being didn’t care for the look of the place--what drow would? “I’m Khitti,” the redhead finally said at length after taking a careful, but brief inspection of the drow. Was she one of Gevurah’s? No, definitely not. The Matron of the Underdark, unless she wanted something in particular, kept her assassins well hidden. So, if she wasn’t Gevurah’s… then what the hell did she want? Khitti’s signature frown found her lips once again as pale arms folded across her form. The redhead, adorned in a dark green, sleeveless and knee-length dress and sandals, eyed Encara a little more closely, her own tone somewhat mirroring the drow’s, “What do you need?” The templar-in-training was curious about what Encara wanted, but ever so cautious--as one should be around the drow.

Meri looks toward the door when it swings open, as was a habit of Meri's. The blonde was usually prone to keeping tabs on her surroundings, who was coming and who was leaving. Encara is noticed immediately and Meri's initial reaction is one of surprise, a brow is lifted as an open expression of this surprise. Her first thought is that Encara could not possibly be here because she has a sweet tooth, and when she approaches and speaks her want to meet with Khitti, that suspicion is confirmed. Encara's words sounded strained, Khitti seemed to adopt the same tone that Encara regarded them with, and Meri? Well maybe Encara was expecting some sass or hostility from the woman who has demonstrated nothing but mistrust for the drow, but for a change that is not the case. "Encara," Meri begins, "Why don't you have a seat and tell us what you want?" The assumption was that whatever Encara had to say to Khitti could be said in front of Meri too. Maybe Encara did not feel that way, but she was entirely certain that Khitti would back her up. "Do you want something to eat? A piece of cake? Something to drink?" Meri would foot the bill for these offerings, Khitti, don't worry. Aunt Meri is not taking too many liberties with the bakery! "I was actually hoping that I would run into you sooner over later." She might have gone looking, but she was not sure where Encara took up residence. "So I am glad to see you." What the heck is this? Meri is being nice? To a drow? What?

Encara 's scarred and painted shoulders shift in a shrug when Khitti confirms she is, in fact, the woman the drow has come looking for. "Answers," she states bluntly. "I was told you'd have them, or at least some more information to go on." Briefly her gaze drifts around the shop interior, studying the painted walls, the miniature gingerbread house, and displays of sweet foods. There's pink, which in her eyes means there's too much pink. Her focus quickly returns to Khitti and if Encara is aware of the redhead's tension, she doesn't let it show. "I wasn't expecting this of someone with so much knowledge of the Shadow Plane." Meri speaks her name in greeting - perhaps to some surprise, Encara has a small smile for her but soon finds herself blinking in the face of her civility, evidently not expecting it. She clears her throat, shakes her head while tucking the scrap of paper into a pocket. "Meri," the drow starts, a touch of awkwardness in her tone. There are numerous routes she could take this conversation but Encara isn't certain which to begin with, as all of them are quite outside her comfort zone. After a short pause, she purses her lips and decides to dive right in at the deep end. "I'm sorry. For dragging you in again." Incredibly rare words from a drow, Encara offers them plainly and genuine to Meri now; she remembers how the psion had reacted when they tumbled into the Shadow Plane, with trembling hands and panicked pleas, remembers Lionel's words when she'd told him of their misadventure in Larket and he'd told her of Meri's torment, and it hasn't sat right with her since. "And I don't know if you'll want to hear it, really." A sigh follows before Encara glances at the displays again and adds, "I'll take a water. I'm not big on sweets." She spies a tray of caramel tarts; her expression darkens.

Khitti || “Different people like different things. I happen to like fairy tales. Perhaps it’d make you feel better to know that this particular tale, that the gingerbread house is based on, is about a witch that lures children to her house to be cooked and eaten?” Khitti doesn’t know if that’d actually help. She also doesn’t know if she should even care. But, Meri and Encara seem to be familiar with one another and the apology from drow to human earned a raised brow. Her olive-green line of sight found Meri again with a quizzical look, but she didn’t dwell on the subject for long. She doesn’t say much else for the moment, allowing the two to catch up if it’s needed, those arms still crossed and that frown still present, with a pair of furrowed eyebrows to complete the look.

Meri quickly finds her out of her own comfort zone. Encara has gone straight to a subject she has not brought up to Khitti, and was not intending to really. She just did not want everyone to fret over the fact she ended up back in the Shadow Planes again. She made it back okay...Blue eyes shift to Khitti who is sitting where with furrowed brows and arms folded across her chest. This was not the first time that Meri was wishing that mind-reading was actually part of her psionic capabilities. It was not though. To Encara first, "Yeah, thanks. I appreciate it." And she did, but she also now feels like she owes Khitti an explanation. "And yet you don't have to apologize because you did not know. None of us knew." Meri would have thought twice about actually helping gather that skull if she had any sort of insight that they would have ended up -there-. TO Khitti, "Encara and I worked together to bring Valrae back...A couple of missions, one of which took me to the Shadow Planes again." Meri's blue eyes look away in a guilty sort of fashion, because normally Khitti is in the know of all the details. There were a couple people in Meri's life that she was not keen on keeping secrets from. The woman clears her throat and then finds her feet, explaining her brief departure with, "I'll grab that water." There was staff that Meri could flag down, but she usually hated bothering them when they could be tending to customers. Meri was more like loitering family member than a customer.

Encara might've shuffled in awkward silence were she the more self-conscious type. Instead the drow stands impassively while Meri admits to Khitti something she apparently had yet to bring up to the woman. Hm. Meri gets another look that's tinged with a quiet apology but when the psion steps away to fetch a glass of water, Encara turns back to Khitti, answering her earlier remark while she moves over to the table. "I didn't know surfacers enjoyed such tales. It sounds like something my grandmother would do." Like something her grandmother -has- done, in fact, but Khitti doesn't need to know that. Taking a seat — Meri offered! — across from the redhead, Encara folds one leg over the other, leans back in the chair, and fixes Khitti with a look of curious appraisal. "So you're Lionel O'Connor's sister. I heard you helped save his life after that expedition." Her tone takes on a slightly sharper edge; the wound is still fresh, the anger and regret swirling close to the surface. She should have been there. "For that you have my thanks, though I would expect nothing less of one he calls family." Perhaps this sounds insincere coming from a drow, who are notoriously dysfunctional when it comes to blood bonds; a drow House is not quite the cosy family one might find on the surface. Encara appears to recognise this as she scrunches her nose before continuing hurriedly, "I am Encara Val'thyrion, a ranger of the Alliance. Lionel told me you might know more of the Shadow Plane and could tell me what drow are doing there - supposedly, some were spotted during the expedition." A pause; she has more to say, more to ask, a hundred questions begging to tumble out at last, but does her best to reign it in for the moment.

Khitti could only sigh at this new development as Meri left. What -else- was she hiding from her? Her expression softened a little, knowing what it meant for Meri to suddenly find herself in the Shadow Plane again. Khitti’s demeanor would continue to soften a little more as Lionel was spoken of--and she was even thanked??--but the frown wouldn’t disappear entirely. “I know a lot about the Shadow Plane. A lot more than most--a lot more than Lionel.” Another sigh. “A lot of the drow here follow Vakmathras. There’s quite a few races in the Shadow Plane that do too, as well as a few of the other gods. I’m not sure why they’d be there, besides aligning themselves with Kahran to gain more power from the God of Death, because of someone that Kahran was allied with--a powerful necromancer who’s now dead. Gevurah was interested in the Shadow Plane as well, but as far as I’m aware, it’s long since served its purpose for her considering I’ve seen and heard about her mingling with the mortal races in Craughmoyle lately.” A pause. “Is Lionel positive they were drow? There’s a few races in that plane of existence with the same sort of complexion and body type.”

Meri does not hear the entire conversation between Khitti and Encara during the time that she has stepped away to fetch that glass of water. When she does return, it is just in time to hear Khitti speak of Gevurah. Meri's expression darkens at the mention of that drow in particular, the blonde has never and will never trust that one. She had halfway entertained that thought, as Khitti seemed willing enough to accept her help at one point...but after Craughmoyle. Meri restrains her reaction for Encara's benefit. It was hard to try and extended an olive branch to make up for bad behavior will also displaying open racism for another drow, or so Meri speculated at least. Not that she was over going to become a fan of the race -- just Encara. When Meri returns, it is not just with a glass of water, it is with a fresh coffee for herself and a refill on whatever Khitti was drinking as well. When Meri reclaims her seat, it is after she places waitress and places the drinks in front of the appropriate person. And once she is reseated? She is not quick to speak up again, she was going to assess where they are at in the conversation. Besides, it's not like Meri -liked- to talk about the Shadow Planes.

Encara noticeably frowns at mention of Vakmatharas but holds her tongue and allows Khitti time to speak, keeping her leonine gaze fixed on the woman. Her stare is sharp, maybe unnerving, but it's clear the drow is merely listening intently to everything Khitti has to say and digesting the words with interest. As Meri returns to the table with drinks and settles down beside them, Encara's eyes flick to her - she's going to have to find a way to make this up to the psion and she knows it. All the same, a faint smirk tugs at the corners of her lips when she catches Meri's reaction to Gevurah's name and Encara is not offended, if only because she understands her feelings entirely in this case. It's mutual - Encara has no love for the First Daughter of House D'Artes, but then, she has no love for… well, pretty much everyone. Jerking her head back to Khitti, she lifts her brows in surprise. "Gevurah D'Artes has been… what?" Oh, if only her aunt knew; Encara can imagine Eresandria's gleeful laughter all too clearly, to her disgust. She shakes it off, brushing past the topic of Gevurah as well, though it's information she'll keep in mind for a rainy day. "Lionel didn't see them himself… I believe he was too busy dealing with Kahran at the time. But he mentioned some of his soldiers had spotted people like me— and if not drow, what are they?" She's pushed herself forward now, an elbow leaning on the table while she takes a sip of water.

Khitti gave Meri a small smile when the blonde returned to the table, as if to say ‘I’m not mad’. She wasn’t, really. More concerned than anything. It really wasn’t like Meri to keep secrets--well, from Khitti anyway. The smile shifted into a smirk of her own at Meri and Encara’s reactions concerning Gevurah, to which Khitti would only shrug and moved back to the task at hand. “There’s two, specifically, that stand out amongst the rest. The umbrawisp, who are tall and lanky, but more human-like than elf… and… the greydusk, who are very much elf-like, albeit taller than most. They’re typically the hunter-gatherer sort so I’ve read in a book given to me by one of the denizens of the realm, but… Meri and I and a few others, we just ran into a married couple not long ago. Literally an umbrawisp and a greydusk together. They were sacrificing innocents on an island off the coast of Chartsend, in the name of Vakmathras and Delisha.” This is where Khitti’s the one to feel a little uncomfortable now, as this whole topic was associated with what she’d been discussing with Meri before Encara showed up. “I tried to get them to go back home, but they wouldn’t have it. They were blinded by madness and became hostile. We’d all gone there for a recon mission and it turned into a rescue one. I’m sorry to say that we had to stop them. There were others though. More umbrawisp, more greydusk, mingling perfectly fine with Lithrydelians. And I’m worried that they, or the island itself, might be the cause of a problem that’s arisen in at least one of the byrgs of Venturil.”

Meri returns Khitti's smile easily. They could discuss the fine details of this revelation later, but Meri was relieved that Khitti made it known she was not mad. Who wants to have a redhead mad at them? Pistols, the lot of them. The psion did not fully understand what Encara's interest was with drow in the Shadow Planes. It seemed like a particularly odd line of inquiry, as far as Meri could reason. She and Encara were not yet on a level where Meri would so brazenly inquire. Would they ever be? That remains to be seen. Meri is quite content to let her gaze travel back and forth between Encara and Khitti while they discuss this matter. Her mind was only half on their conversation though, there was something turning on her own mind and she was waiting for the right window to bring the subject up. Meri did not want to cut Encara off with her quest to gain answers, but she did not want either woman to leave without hearing Meri out. The blonde her heads along in confirmation when Khitti begins speaking of their Venturil recon mission, showing her support of what Khitti has explained to Encara. "By the way, not to try and steer the subject off course, but before we call this little meeting adjourn, there is something that I would like to ask the two of you." And that is where she would leave it, until Cara has received as many answers that Khitti can provide. Meri will listen and sip at her coffee, because mmm, coffee.

Encara , for all her family's ties to the Shadow Plane, knows startlingly little about the realm or any of its inhabitants. Until recently it was more of a concept to her — an esoteric entity that had governed and shaped both her life and faith — than a place she could physically reach, though she had always hoped. That hope had been answered, yet when she'd finally found herself within the twisted plane, Encara had barely been given time to explore and only left with more questions. So the drow listens with rapt attention as Khitti describes the umbrawisp and greydusk, the strange natives of a stranger land, then goes on to tell the tale of what recently went down on the island. Ah, public sacrifice; that was bound to be received well. This is why you have private rituals, Encara thinks, but she keeps tight-lipped about it. Absently, she plays idly with the Delishan bracelet wrapped around her right wrist, tracing the angles of each tiny golden charm. "So they more than likely saw greydusk, not my kin…" she murmurs, then pauses. Rarely does Encara divulge the secrets of her House to others, but she forces herself to trust Khitti and Meri enough to continue. "I suppose it makes sense. There is one known portal to the Shadow Plane in the Underdark - it lies in the depths of House Val'thyrion but it collapsed before I was born. Unless Gevurah has constructed her own, I believe that would have been the only way for drow to enter the realm. What they would do there, I don't know, but it concerns me. Still, it doesn't answer much…" Meri speaks then and Encara glances up, having lowered her gaze to stare at her gauntleted hand without being aware of it. Her head tilts faintly to one side in curiosity but she offers only a nod in return, content to wait until whenever Meri sees fit to bring the question up. "Dark magic is devastating when out of control," the drow says as she turns back to Khitti. "If something is spreading to Venturil, I advise you to act quickly. That barren land has enough problems as it is."

Khitti || “Gevurah constructed nothing. -I- created the portal for her and it was closed when her business was finished.” It was something Khitti was still proud of, even if she was now lacking in her necromancer abilities. “And, I intend to take care of it. I’m meeting with several other devout types very soon and I plan to bring it up then--the island and very likely Venturil now too need to be cleansed. If my people from the Warrior’s Guild don’t report back within the next couple of days, I think another recon mission is in order. We’ll need to be less conspicuous this time, I think. You said you were a ranger? I am as well--sort of… I guess. That kind of stealth could come in handy if you wanted to tag along. It’d be far better than sailing up to shore in a big ship that’ll draw attention. Maybe one of the people from the Shadow Plane will know, if we can manage to find them and snag them away from the others.” Khitti shifted her attention then to Meri, a brow raised, “What’s up?”

Meri lifts a brow as she listens in on the two women discuss umbrawisp, greydusk, and portals to the Shadow Planes. Every time either woman makes mention of portals to the Shadow Plane, Meri's furrows her brows and presses her lips together without really realizing. She is silent. The blonde shifts her blue eyes toward Khitti at the mention of another recon mission, this one Meri is not so quick to sign up for. Of course if the redhead wanted Meri to tag along on this endeavor, she would not refuse. Meri lets her gaze transfer back to Encara, as if trying to gauge how much more information that the drow woman was hoping to gain from Khitti. Yet Khitti provided a perfect window for Meri to slip in her inquiry as she brings up the subject of rangers and suggests that Encara lend her stealth to the endeavors to cleanse both the island and Venturil. "Actually ranger things is exactly what I was wanting to talk to the two of you about. I have been thinking that it is high time I start expanding the skills that I do...or do not have. Cal has been teaching me about various plants for, awhile now. I was thinking that it would be good to add archery, tracking, hunting and other more...rangery skills into the mix. Which is where I was hoping the two of you would be willing to assist me, by teaching me." Khitti has always had a wicked shot and while Meri is stealthy, Encara was still able to notice her creeping through the shadows while they were skull hunting in Larket.

Encara 's brows lift sceptically. To be able to open a portal to the Shadow Plane… now -there's- a spell certain members of her family would kill for. It is an unspoken but well-known fact within her House that the only reason their portal remains dormant is because no one knows how to -open- it, or if such a thing is still possible, not even Eresandria herself. Tarhae used to complain incessantly over how much the matron would complain about it to him, annoying everyone else in the barracks. For a moment Encara eyes Khitti and gives the redhead a rather intense once-over before, again, the drow looks to her armoured hand, clenching metal-clad fingers into a tight fist. "And doing that didn't harm you?" She shakes her head, scrunches her nose. Reluctance to reveal her weakness makes her hesitate, and in that time Khitti suggests she be part of the mission to return to the island. "If you have no argument against it, I will join you - I'm suited to reconnaissance and likely more resilient against the darkness that now lies over the island. Depending how far out it is from the mainland, I could easily get us in undetected as well." Her focus moves then to Meri; the drow grins at the request, evidently quite pleased. Encara takes pride in her archery, hunting skills, and ability to move undetected, and it's often said that the easiest way to placate a drow is through flattery of their martial talents. Thus, Meri gets a especially enthusiastic nod. "Few surfacers have the opportunity to learn to hunt as drow do, but I would be happy to show you what I know, Meri."

Khitti’s line of sight slowly slid towards Meri after Encara’s questioning, the redhead hesitant about her own things. “It didn’t harm me when I was a vampire--quite a few things did, but never that. Not unless it was someone else’s dark magic being used against me. That’s an entirely other topic,” she said finally and left it at that, then continued on, “Meri trusts you enough to ask you to train her and Lionel trusts you enough to send you to me, so… that is good enough for me to allow you to go with us. It won’t be the island that we’re going to, however. Aedrebyrg, a small village in between Chartsend and Venturil is it.” She waved her hand though, dismissively; they didn’t need to get into those details right now. Khitti eyed Meri again, red brows raised in surprise, “You want -me- to teach you? Well -us-, I guess. I-I don’t know… I’m rusty, probably. It’s not that I don’t want to, I just… don’t know. Can’t manage to teach anyone anything lately it feels like. I’ve been trying to get Celaeno to learn -something- besides magic, just in case, but it just won’t take with her.” It seemed like more of a lack of confidence on Khitti’s part than anything right now and a whole lot less of whether or not Meri was capable of learning. It wasn’t something that happened a whole lot as of late, but when you lose your magic in the midst of having two students, that really doesn’t help things.

Meri was quite happy with Encara's answer, and it is made apparent by flashing Encara a smile of appreciation. The subject is left at that though, they could make arrangements and hash out the finer details at a later date. One step at a time. There is a moment of silence from Meri, long enough for Khitti to speak her part to both Encara and Meri. The blonde's smile fades when Khitti seems less than confident in giving an answer, she is not mad that she did not get a straight out yes but concerned over the answer that she did get. Meri gives a faint tilt of her head, before smirking lightly and responding with a cheeky, "Well it's too bad you're my best-friend and basically my sister. I know where you live. I will just show up with a bow and arrow one day and make a fool of myself." Meri winks to Khitti. While Meri is semi-serious with this statement, as she is not so sure she should just drop the issue so easily, Khitti should also know well enough by now that the blonde would never force her to do anything.

Encara's return smile to Meri flickers when Khitti mentions her past as a vampire, the redhead managing to catch the drow by surprise with her words. She's quick to hide it, however, offering only a thoughtful, "Hm," as she restrains the urge to ask further questions. Vampirism can be cured? "Aedrebyrg it is. I have business in Venturil so this works out perfectly." What exactly Encara means by 'business' is uncertain and she neglects to say, but judging by the wild look in her eyes, it probably involves killing something. Meanwhile, the gauntlet stays on. Lionel and Meri's own trust may have helped convince Khitti she can trust Encara in turn, at least enough to allow her to accompany them to Venturil, but the drow is a cagey, warier thing herself - to survive in Trist'oth she had to be. Perhaps after some time spent working side by side, she'll feel comfortable enough to show that particular scar. In her eyes Lionel earned the right, but not his sister. Disguising her frustration behind a neutral façade, because neither of the women are the cause of it, Encara keeps silent while they exchange words, leaning an elbow on the table and her chin in an upturned palm. "Practice is a good way to shake off the rust," she comments eventually, mouth quirking at the corners in the ghost of a smile. "Put an arrow through a beast's eye and you will remember why you took to the bow in the first place."

That ‘hm’ was not lost on Khitti. She knew what it meant--she’s heard it before after saying what she did. Everyone always marvelled at the fact that vampirism could be cured, but never asked at what cost. Khitti pretended not to notice though, allowing Encara to think as she would about the subject. She did muster a smile for both the psion and the drow, however. It was quick to make its appearance, almost too quick; Meri would likely feel something off about it, like Khitti was hiding something of her own, but didn’t quite want to talk about it around Encara. “I’m sure I will, Encara.” And then to Meri, “Next time you come to visit Dominic, we’ll start your training then. You might as well tag along on this mission too, if you want. It’d be a good learning experience. We won’t be taking a trip to the Shadow Plane anytime soon, so it’ll be fine.” The smile faded, but the action was covered up by the redhead finishing whatever food and drink she had left. She’d talk about things with Meri later of course, but… just not right now.

Meri had began to think something was a little off with Khitti right around the time that she seemed less than eager to teach the blonde how to shoot thing with her bow and arrow. The blonde has always been under the impression that her archery skills was something that the redhead was proud of. That smile further solidifies the thought that something is off. Meri would not press for now, all of the women present value their privacy to varying extents. This would be a conversation to be had at another time, a different visit, one that Meri was sure needed to be had sooner rather than later. Despite these concerned thoughts, the blonde would muster a smile for both women. "Well it seems like we have made plans aplenty today. I look forward to traveling with the both of you out to Venturil." The woman begins to rise from her seat, "But for now, I think I have loitered around Cenril long enough. I should probably head out. I am supposed to be picking up a few things to stock the kitchen. And here I am, chatting away." Meri smirks, it's not like Cal wouldn't have predicted that his she-devil would have stopped in for a visit with Khitti while also running errands. "Encara, you'll probably have an easier time sending word into Kelay, we can arrange another meeting soon. Cal and I live out of the way these days, where mail is not regularly delivered." In Khitti's case? Well the two already know how to get in touch when they need to, and Meri was already determined to make another visit soon.

Encara is the only one of the three women not to force a smile for the sake of appearances, instead pursing her lips slightly as she considers Meri and Khitti in turn. Perhaps she's been intruding? It hasn't escaped the drow's notice that there are words left unsaid, hanging heavy in the air over the table, and she isn't naïve enough not to recognise that she's the likely reason they're being held back. She takes no offence - honestly, it isn't unexpected. "Yes," murmurs Encara as Meri begins to stand, following suit and slipping out of her chair, "I should get out of your hair. This was… good." Mostly good. Encara still has questions without answers but she feels as if she's taken several steps in the right direction today, and after decades of wondering and futile, frustrated searches, it's satisfying to have gotten something at last. Though she bites back the words at the last moment, the smile she gives Meri conveys the unexpressed sentiment clearly: it was good to see her again. "I'll send word through Kelay soon." A drow scout could potentially track down wherever the psion and this 'Cal' of hers are staying to deliver a message directly… but that could end in bloodshed. Most people wouldn't take kindly to an armed and armoured dark elf arriving unannounced at their property and Encara doesn't hate any of her House's scouts enough to knowingly send them to their deaths. "I have a room at Fort Frostmaw if either of you have need of me - I'll be prepared for the trip to Venturil, whenever we set out. Just let me know." But for the remainder of the day, at least, Encara plans to make the most of Cenril's warm weather before Venturil draws her back into its fog.