Alira wiped the corner of her mouth with her thumb as she looked down at the unconscious man and woman sprawled upon her bed. She tilted her head as she studied their shallow breathing and pale skin. She reached down and placed two manicured fingers against their neck, each in turn, and checked their pulse. Slow, but steady. Satisfied of them recovering, she pulled the down comforter up over them and made her way up to her office.
Lilian was there waiting for her with a clipboard, "Feeling better?"
Alira smirked at her, "I 'ave a long way before t'at... those two won't be able t'donate again f''awhile. Please make sure t'ey are carefully attended to as t'ey convalesce. I want t'em well cared for. "
"I always take care of them, " Lilian replied. "Are you going to go hunt?"
"I donnae' 'ave a choice, I burned more yesterday t'an I have in a long time. I had hoped t'at I would only 'ave to maintain the transference for a couple of nights, but it may require a much longer time frame, " Alira said as she walked over to her cushioned office chair and sat down.
"How long is much longer?" Lilian asked.
"I'm nay sure... The final ritual f'them to get this bloody sword will hopefully be soon an' I am hopin' whatever is causing his blood lust will cease after it is complete. " she said as she reached up with one hand and massaged her temples with her fingers. She knew the pain was 'all in her head', literally. She was no longer alive, therefore the normal biological causes of headaches, couldn't exist. Still the constant pounding on her temples was beyond aggravating and felt as if someone was hitting her with a hammer.
"That discipline appears more orientated towards short term use. Long term use may cause you to undergo negative effect or even changes that may be permanent damage.'"
"I'm aware there may be issues." Alira retorted sharply, still rubbing her temples firmly.
"He's a pain in the ass. "
"Aye, at times... exceedingly so."
"If anyone should be keeping him under control, it should be the one who claimed him. "
"This discipline was born o' my blood. She had him bonded is my understanding and t'en this ritual broke it somehow." The hand massaging her temples flattens and she goes to rubbing on her forehead repeatedly, plowing her fingers firmly against her skin, "She was obviously upset when I explained w'at i had t'do ... " Alira threw her other hand up as if in exasperation"... like I enjoy havin' t'handle this. She begged me nay t'kill him... so bein' the kind pancake t'at I am.... I donnae' kill an' instead I put myself at an inconvenience t'keep him from murderin' the next poor sap he sees... "
Lilian stood silently as Alira vented, knowing better than to bring the irritated woman's attention on to herself. "He was going to impale me with a goddamn sword covered in balefire. I've ne'er had a sword covered in balefire stuck inta' me, but I bet it does a bit more t'an sting. Does she even -realize- w'at I had to go through to even get near him? I risked my life... -AM- riskin' my life ... " Alira's dramatic hand flares again as she gestures with irritation..." and t'en... and t'en... Aedon informed me she tried to throw herself in a balefire as I sat in front of Merek bein' interrogated with a psychotic woman who wants to crush my skull like a grape. If w'at Aedon is experiencin' is anythin' akin t'kindred bloodlust, t'en him gettin' upset and emotional is goin' t'make it worse an' guess who had to keep 'im calm as she did so... me. If she had jus' taken it upon herself to control him, I wouldn't be having t'deal with any o' this nonsense. I donnae' even understand how she is able t'have survived this long. She claims she is old, but an elder would 'ave been able to solve this problem... as I am doin'... Ye donnae' live f'a goddamn century an' then cower when **** hits the wall. Ye destroy the one throwin' the **** o' ye at least clean up after it." Alira snarled at the end as she removed her hand rubbing her temples and looked at Lilian.
Lilian smiled, "Perfectly valid complaints and observations. Why are you doing this again?"
"If I start rationalizin' reasons on personal whim why a citizen of Yew is not deserving of my protection or assistance, than it opens the flood gates f'me texpand t'at list inta' a very wide set o' parameters... They -all- will irritate me at some point o' another. I jus' cannae' go around murderin' every damn kine t'at does." she responded.
"So you are protecting Aedon because he's a citizen of Yew?"
"Yes." Alira said flatly,
"So where is the line drawn where being a citizen of Yew is no longer enough? Would you protect one of the Hand as you do Aedon? They are technically citizens too in the eyes of the kine government" Lilian asked.
Alira's brow furrowed at the question as if in serious contemplation.
"You say it yourself, everything changes based on perspective. There is no good or evil. Some who feel they are doing something noble are doing evil in the eyes of another." Lilian pressed.
"Indeed."
"So who draws the line... whose perspective is it based on?" Lilian inquired.
Alira met her eyes and lifted her chin slightly as she regards Lilian with her cold blue eyes, "Mine."
Lilian was there waiting for her with a clipboard, "Feeling better?"
Alira smirked at her, "I 'ave a long way before t'at... those two won't be able t'donate again f''awhile. Please make sure t'ey are carefully attended to as t'ey convalesce. I want t'em well cared for. "
"I always take care of them, " Lilian replied. "Are you going to go hunt?"
"I donnae' 'ave a choice, I burned more yesterday t'an I have in a long time. I had hoped t'at I would only 'ave to maintain the transference for a couple of nights, but it may require a much longer time frame, " Alira said as she walked over to her cushioned office chair and sat down.
"How long is much longer?" Lilian asked.
"I'm nay sure... The final ritual f'them to get this bloody sword will hopefully be soon an' I am hopin' whatever is causing his blood lust will cease after it is complete. " she said as she reached up with one hand and massaged her temples with her fingers. She knew the pain was 'all in her head', literally. She was no longer alive, therefore the normal biological causes of headaches, couldn't exist. Still the constant pounding on her temples was beyond aggravating and felt as if someone was hitting her with a hammer.
"That discipline appears more orientated towards short term use. Long term use may cause you to undergo negative effect or even changes that may be permanent damage.'"
"I'm aware there may be issues." Alira retorted sharply, still rubbing her temples firmly.
"He's a pain in the ass. "
"Aye, at times... exceedingly so."
"If anyone should be keeping him under control, it should be the one who claimed him. "
"This discipline was born o' my blood. She had him bonded is my understanding and t'en this ritual broke it somehow." The hand massaging her temples flattens and she goes to rubbing on her forehead repeatedly, plowing her fingers firmly against her skin, "She was obviously upset when I explained w'at i had t'do ... " Alira threw her other hand up as if in exasperation"... like I enjoy havin' t'handle this. She begged me nay t'kill him... so bein' the kind pancake t'at I am.... I donnae' kill an' instead I put myself at an inconvenience t'keep him from murderin' the next poor sap he sees... "
Lilian stood silently as Alira vented, knowing better than to bring the irritated woman's attention on to herself. "He was going to impale me with a goddamn sword covered in balefire. I've ne'er had a sword covered in balefire stuck inta' me, but I bet it does a bit more t'an sting. Does she even -realize- w'at I had to go through to even get near him? I risked my life... -AM- riskin' my life ... " Alira's dramatic hand flares again as she gestures with irritation..." and t'en... and t'en... Aedon informed me she tried to throw herself in a balefire as I sat in front of Merek bein' interrogated with a psychotic woman who wants to crush my skull like a grape. If w'at Aedon is experiencin' is anythin' akin t'kindred bloodlust, t'en him gettin' upset and emotional is goin' t'make it worse an' guess who had to keep 'im calm as she did so... me. If she had jus' taken it upon herself to control him, I wouldn't be having t'deal with any o' this nonsense. I donnae' even understand how she is able t'have survived this long. She claims she is old, but an elder would 'ave been able to solve this problem... as I am doin'... Ye donnae' live f'a goddamn century an' then cower when **** hits the wall. Ye destroy the one throwin' the **** o' ye at least clean up after it." Alira snarled at the end as she removed her hand rubbing her temples and looked at Lilian.
Lilian smiled, "Perfectly valid complaints and observations. Why are you doing this again?"
"If I start rationalizin' reasons on personal whim why a citizen of Yew is not deserving of my protection or assistance, than it opens the flood gates f'me texpand t'at list inta' a very wide set o' parameters... They -all- will irritate me at some point o' another. I jus' cannae' go around murderin' every damn kine t'at does." she responded.
"So you are protecting Aedon because he's a citizen of Yew?"
"Yes." Alira said flatly,
"So where is the line drawn where being a citizen of Yew is no longer enough? Would you protect one of the Hand as you do Aedon? They are technically citizens too in the eyes of the kine government" Lilian asked.
Alira's brow furrowed at the question as if in serious contemplation.
"You say it yourself, everything changes based on perspective. There is no good or evil. Some who feel they are doing something noble are doing evil in the eyes of another." Lilian pressed.
"Indeed."
"So who draws the line... whose perspective is it based on?" Lilian inquired.
Alira met her eyes and lifted her chin slightly as she regards Lilian with her cold blue eyes, "Mine."