Fellowship of the Golden Night
The Ambassadors
Volumn XV "The means and The End" Chapter 1

*Mekari watched the sleeping forms beneath the sheets with patience. Killing Tyr was one thing, but Ruse being there complicated matters. She deliberated which of her powers to use on which of the pair, in order to ensure minimal chance of interuption. The easiest way would be to use them against one another she determined. If Tyr was made aware that by harming Mekari, Ruse would suffer, it would quell any effort on Tyr's part to act on the offensive.

It had been a long day for Mekari, watching and waiting for the time when Uxor and Varro left the Kalashtar and the female Bard alone. When the opportunity had arisen, Mekari had walked the walls, teleported, and slipped inside with ease.

Ruse and Tyr had entered Varro's new home, intending to wait for Varro and Uxor to 'take care of' things. Better wording could not have been used, in Mekari's opinion.

Mekari came within range to enact the power upon her target, but as she felt the spell take hold, she had a vivid awareness. This was not Ruse... or even Tyr. Her consciousness had barely wrapped round the presence when her eyes were graced by confirmation, as a figure - pale in the moonlight that streamed in from the window - swept a blade out towards her. A whirl of sand came up into Mekari's face, and she felt her footing give away to the force of the impact. Before her sight was gone from her, as sand worked into her eyes to blind her, she took satisfaction in seeing her attacker, Uxor, washed over in a wave of flame. At least that precautionary power had served to drive back her enemy. She spoke aloud, despite being upon the ground and blind* Despite my best surveilence of you, I suspected you might try and prevent my work. Good to see my choice of protection was fire, just for you.

*She heard no reply from Uxor, but there was a voice... Varro's* Tell me why you hired him. I have the how; the what; the who; even perhaps where. But I still don't have why. Now I could tell you my guess... that you needed me to see Tyr as a threat to my way of life, so I would give you the go ahead to kill her. But that's too simple for you. So I want you to tell me why you sent that forged after us.

Mekari: Very clever blinding me and knocking me down. Surprised you didn't just try and sing to m...

Varro: *he interjected* Ruse is a bard. You would have prepaired for anything she or Tyr either one could dish out to you. Had to go for something you wouldn't expect.

Mekari: How did you know I would come to your home, and not simply go to Tyr's?

Varro: I didn't. See I learned it's very much useless trying to second guess you, what with your madness and all...even picking the least sane of choices would still leave me arguing with myself. So I flipped a coin. Now since I know it is in fact pointless to second guess anything you do, or the reasoning behind it, that is why I'm asking you now. Why?

Mekari: And if I don't answer you, you will torture me?

Varro: No. I just thought it would be polite to offer you a chance at explaination. Whether you answer me or not, I am going to kill you. *footsteps approached her, and she felt his hands lift her up to her feet*

Mekari: Seems a poor method for convincing me to cooperate, and give you that satisfaction; ill-advised too. The threat of death will not bring you your answers.

*consuming pain rolled through her, as Mekari felt the burn of a solid rod passing through her chest... the strike of a rapier if she had to guess... only this sent waves of agony into her very being at the mere touch of the thing. Reflexively, her hands went to grasp it, but were driven back as the sensations compounded with further contact with the weapon. Her sight was coming back, and she stood facing her son, who held the other end of the weapon.*

Varro: ...then die.

*She concentrated to bring herself past the situation at hand, and permit her the ability to focus. All her focus fell upon Uxor, who was doubled over upon the floor, grasping her chest.*

Mekari: *healing herself some, but not bothering to remove the blade* What you are able to do to me, I will mend past...but will she? Try and kill me then... you know my ways, and you must by now be aware, my darling, that your new bride and I are bonded. That which I suffer, she too suffers of.

*Varro looked to Uxor, who clasped at her chest, but staggered to her feet, determined and calm. This was short lived, as Varro heard - rather more felt than anything - a distinctive and abrupt disturbance of the room, as a mild shock wave rippled through. Mekari was doing something to her again, and back to her knees she dropped with a crash.*

Mekari: I will kill her before you can kill me. Stop now, and I will let her live.

*Before he could reply, he heard Uxor's voice in his mind, having been communicating with her a time earlier. He felt a sense that she was meditating past the pain in order to speak with him*

Uxor: <I will never be your source of pain again Varro. Don't let others use me to get to you, to twist you to what they want. I am not afraid to die for you. If she kills me, I knew no greater joy in life than being yours at last. I will find my end with more than acceptance of my karma, I will find it with a smile.>

*Varro listened to the two battle for attention in his mind. The death of Mekari. The death of Uxor. The end of both. But the end of games. The end of maddened manipulation. As Mekari proceeded to describe the manner by which she would bring about Uxor's death before his eyes, Uxor's words cut through all despair like a lighthouse beacon to a ship struggling through stormy waters. It was not the words she used now however, it was the words she had spoken to him once before...*

"You told me once Mekari was a liar...to trust nothing that she said..."

Mekari was a liar.*