Nadir-Natesse
Proprietor of Thy Lady and Lord
Natesse trudged sluggishly to her room, her legs feeling like lead, her head pounding. She hadn't wanted to in front of Alice, but now alone in the hallway, she began to sob silently. Just two days ago she was enjoying her life as a escort, bedding the men she'd always wanted, spending time with people she liked, and just living how she wanted: free and independent. Now she was tangled up in an adventure she simply was not ready for; there were two lives in her hands now and if either of them were to die, Natesse would have to live with that for the rest of her life.
She sniffled and turned the knob to her room door and entered. She paused in the doorway when she realized Dreven was there; she had forgotten she sent him. She didn't want him to see her crying but she didn't have any time to turn away or wipe her eyes before he turned to her. He was once again in her potions box, and when he sensed her presence, he turned, holding a pink vial, a wide grin on his face.
"Hey beautiful. What say we clear out your supply of-"
He stopped short when he saw her face and a look of concerned seriousness passed over his features. He put the vial back and approached his companion.
"Natesse...? What's wrong? What happened?"
She gave him a teary-eyed glare, trying her best to look tough and composed.
"Dreven, I told you to stay...stay...out of theeeereee...."
She broke down as her last word became a heartbreaking sob and Dreven dashed ot her side and held her before her weak knees dropped her to the floor. She clung to his warm body and tears cascaded down her face and on to his ash gray skin. He held her tightly and led her to the bed where they sat and Natesse wept into his embrace for a long while. When she finally quieted down into sniffles and hiccups, he spoke.
"By the gods, Natesse...what did that girl do to you?"
His voice was forceful and angry, his temper ignited by the thought that Alice had hurt Natesse. She hiccuped a few times, then spoke in a shaky, weak voice.
"Nothing! Really...I'm just...so scared, Dreven. This...everything has happened so fast! First, I am dropping off sheets for Julius to wash and the next I am involved with babysitting a grown woman whose father is now in mortal peril. I can't just turn my back on her, I have to help! Then last night, some vampire comes to me and he knows everything of our plan...I don't know who he is or what his allegiance is but the fact that someone other than you and I know about this...It scares me! What if Alice gets hurt or dies? Or her father? Or you? I don't think I could live with that!"
She began sobbing again and Dreven hugged her tight and gently shushed her.
"Vampire? What... You never mind him. If he makes trouble for us, I assure you he will regret it... Beyond that...we will all be fine, I promise. Alice has you, and you have me. I have the Brotherhood. We are all covered... I-...holy darkness, Natesse! You're burning up!"
He had placed a hand on her forehead to brush her hair back, but instead felt a unnaturally high level of heat radiating from her skin. He immediately got up and laid her down. This was a fever and was not something a healing spell could fix. She needed medication, a potion of some sort. He rummaged through her potions box for at the very least, a stamina fortifying potion. Being what she was, Natesse should have one, if not for herself, for her lover. He finally found one and returned to her side. He made her take it then tucked her under the blankets and sat down so that her head could rest on his lap.
"You've worried yourself sick, baby. You need to stop. Maybe I should just do this. I can't lose you. You're a...a great woman."
She hiccuped some more and although she shouldn't have, she wrapped herself in the blankets, never minding that she should be preparing for Alice's arrival.
"I can't let you do that...Alice is my...responsibility... I have to do this."
She sniffled and turned the knob to her room door and entered. She paused in the doorway when she realized Dreven was there; she had forgotten she sent him. She didn't want him to see her crying but she didn't have any time to turn away or wipe her eyes before he turned to her. He was once again in her potions box, and when he sensed her presence, he turned, holding a pink vial, a wide grin on his face.
"Hey beautiful. What say we clear out your supply of-"
He stopped short when he saw her face and a look of concerned seriousness passed over his features. He put the vial back and approached his companion.
"Natesse...? What's wrong? What happened?"
She gave him a teary-eyed glare, trying her best to look tough and composed.
"Dreven, I told you to stay...stay...out of theeeereee...."
She broke down as her last word became a heartbreaking sob and Dreven dashed ot her side and held her before her weak knees dropped her to the floor. She clung to his warm body and tears cascaded down her face and on to his ash gray skin. He held her tightly and led her to the bed where they sat and Natesse wept into his embrace for a long while. When she finally quieted down into sniffles and hiccups, he spoke.
"By the gods, Natesse...what did that girl do to you?"
His voice was forceful and angry, his temper ignited by the thought that Alice had hurt Natesse. She hiccuped a few times, then spoke in a shaky, weak voice.
"Nothing! Really...I'm just...so scared, Dreven. This...everything has happened so fast! First, I am dropping off sheets for Julius to wash and the next I am involved with babysitting a grown woman whose father is now in mortal peril. I can't just turn my back on her, I have to help! Then last night, some vampire comes to me and he knows everything of our plan...I don't know who he is or what his allegiance is but the fact that someone other than you and I know about this...It scares me! What if Alice gets hurt or dies? Or her father? Or you? I don't think I could live with that!"
She began sobbing again and Dreven hugged her tight and gently shushed her.
"Vampire? What... You never mind him. If he makes trouble for us, I assure you he will regret it... Beyond that...we will all be fine, I promise. Alice has you, and you have me. I have the Brotherhood. We are all covered... I-...holy darkness, Natesse! You're burning up!"
He had placed a hand on her forehead to brush her hair back, but instead felt a unnaturally high level of heat radiating from her skin. He immediately got up and laid her down. This was a fever and was not something a healing spell could fix. She needed medication, a potion of some sort. He rummaged through her potions box for at the very least, a stamina fortifying potion. Being what she was, Natesse should have one, if not for herself, for her lover. He finally found one and returned to her side. He made her take it then tucked her under the blankets and sat down so that her head could rest on his lap.
"You've worried yourself sick, baby. You need to stop. Maybe I should just do this. I can't lose you. You're a...a great woman."
She hiccuped some more and although she shouldn't have, she wrapped herself in the blankets, never minding that she should be preparing for Alice's arrival.
"I can't let you do that...Alice is my...responsibility... I have to do this."