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<blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 4518655" data-attributes="member: 812"><p><strong>What A Woman's Got To Do: 12</strong></p><p></p><p>The great city of Luc'Davarionne rose above the headlands like an great mountain of buildings, hanging in mid-air without any sign of support.</p><p></p><p>It was the most outrageous thing Elena had ever seen.</p><p></p><p>A cone miles across at its base, rising hundreds of feet into the air, composed of nothing but thousands of buildings, from great palaces to rickety tenements, connected by rope bridges, cables, ladders and in some place stone arches, all of it forming an immense web of overwhelming size.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Wavereaver</em> was still miles away, but the enormity of the city stunned all aboard. Elena stood at the prow with Isaac and Etienne to gape at the sight. Beneath the fantastic structure they could see the tiny lines of breakers unrolling against the cliffs. The city just hung there, only connected to the land by a thin bridge extending out from its base.</p><p></p><p>"What's holding it up?"</p><p></p><p>Mateo joined them with a chuckle.</p><p></p><p>"The whole thing is built on a huge spiral. It starts right there, where that bridge is, and winds up and up and inwards and inwards until it reaches the top. The whole city is built on or hung off that spiral."</p><p></p><p>"But what holds that spiral up? What is it?"</p><p></p><p>"Nobody knows. I heard that it goes right up the Emperor's palace, and even inside, and that right at the very top sits the Peacock Throne itself."</p><p></p><p>Etienne pointed.</p><p></p><p>"Looks like it's raining underneath."</p><p></p><p>"That's not exactly rain."</p><p></p><p>"Oh. Ew."</p><p></p><p>Arrafin stepped up to the rail beside Isaac and smiled brightly.</p><p></p><p>"Hey guys! Wow, look at that."</p><p></p><p>All three of her companions shouted at the same time.</p><p></p><p>"Arrafin!"</p><p></p><p>Elena recovered first and pushed past Isaac to grab her friend's shoulder.</p><p></p><p>"Where the hell have you been? You've been gone two days, Arrafin. What happened to you?"</p><p></p><p>"Nothing. Nothing much. So, that's Luc'Davarionne, huh? Wow."</p><p></p><p>"Don't give me that, Arrafin. What happened?"</p><p></p><p>The Naridic girl tried to pull away but Elena's grip was far too strong. She struggled angrily.</p><p></p><p>"Let go of me!"</p><p></p><p>"What did she do to you? Where have you been?"</p><p></p><p>"We were-- I was in Kish. They know."</p><p></p><p>Arrafin pointed at Isaac and Etienne. She quailed a little under the concentrated study of all three of her friends.</p><p></p><p>"She had to. She had to get better. She. She killed them. The Kishaks. She's better now."</p><p></p><p>Sudden anger flared up again.</p><p></p><p>"It was just a bunch of Kishak bastards, anyway. What do you care? They're all trying to kill us. Now they're dead. Whatever. I'm fine. It's over. I'm here."</p><p></p><p>Mateo spat over the rail.</p><p></p><p>"Sounds like you folks could use a party."</p><p></p><p>He nodded at the great city rising up in mid-air before them.</p><p></p><p>"The Luc's the best place on Barsoom for a party, let me tell you."</p><p></p><p>Elena sighed.</p><p></p><p>"I could sure use a drink."</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>The <em>Wavereaver</em> swung at anchor, sheltered from the ocean gales by the high cliffs of the harbour at Luc'Davarionne. Nearly directly overhead, the immensity of the bizarre city covered half the sky.</p><p></p><p>Clambering down into the tender that had come to take the passengers ashore, Isaac looked around in sudden surprise.</p><p></p><p>"Anyone seen Nevid? Isn't he coming?"</p><p></p><p>Etienne shrugged.</p><p></p><p>"He said he wasn't feeling well."</p><p></p><p>Isaac settled back into his seat and as the little boat pushed away from their ship, chuckled.</p><p></p><p>"Last time Nevid had a few drinks he still had a ghost for a girlfriend, didn't he?"</p><p></p><p>Elena forced a hearty smile at Arrafin.</p><p></p><p>"Now, Arrafin, I've decided we're going to ditch these guys and have our own kind of fun tonight. Natacha filled me in on all the places in Luc'Davarionne where a couple of girls can have a good time..."</p><p></p><p>"A couple of girls? I mean, uh, great."</p><p></p><p>Arrafin stared at the approaching wharf with a set expression. Her owl huddled in amongst the thick curls spilling over her shoulder.</p><p></p><p>"That sounds great."</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>The door to Arrafin's cabin opened slowly, spreading a lengthening finger of light across the floor.</p><p></p><p>Nevid peered in. He looked carefully around the room without entering. Still standing at the doorway, he turned and scanned the deck of the <em>Wavereaver</em>, empty and lit only by a few lanterns. With a swift motion, he slipped into the narrow cabin and closed the door behind him.</p><p></p><p>Inside, he lit a candle and crossed to the unsteady trestle Arrafin used as a desk. Her massive spellbook sat amidst scattered papers. Nevid sat on the three-legged stool and studied the black-covered volume.</p><p></p><p>It was gorgeously detailed, the leather cover tooled and polished and inlaid with silver traceries. Its manufacture was unfamiliar to the young man, but he assumed it was Lohanese in origin.</p><p></p><p>Opening it, he found assured brushwork in an unfamiliar hand. He ignored the personal declarations and flipped to the meat of the book.</p><p></p><p><em>Grasping Shadow:</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>It is necessary to open one's soul through the practice of meditation in order to take hold of the power that enables sorcery. This practice is known as "grasping Shadow" and it is the first step in learning sorcery. The novice must be extremely cautious as it is dangerous..</em></p><p></p><p>Nevid set the candle carefully on the desk and began reading in earnest.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>"You haven't been drinking at all!"</p><p></p><p>Arrafin protested, indicating the wineglass before her as evidence. Elena was unimpressed.</p><p></p><p>"You're not drunk even a little bit. Not even a little, little bit."</p><p></p><p>Music thundered around them, and the heat and the smell and the noise was making the Naridic girl feel ill. Elena had brought them to the most ridiculous place Arrafin had ever heard of, with dancing boys and outrageous costumes, but she took a healthy swallow of her wine to try and placate her friend.</p><p></p><p>Elena sulked.</p><p></p><p>"I brought you here. This nize place. And you're. You won't have fun. Just sitting there."</p><p></p><p>"Elena..."</p><p></p><p>"Don't! Tell me what's going on with you. I thought we were friends. Everything we've been through. But now you don't tell me anything."</p><p></p><p>"I... It's hard."</p><p></p><p>"Is it her?"</p><p></p><p>"Well."</p><p></p><p>Arrafin reached out and took her friend's hand. Startled, Elena sobered up for a second and lost her pout.</p><p></p><p>"Look, I know I've been... not so friendly. I wish I could explain. Sorcery is scary. It's changing me inside. I can feel it."</p><p></p><p>"Then stop. You don't have to."</p><p></p><p>"Yes, I do. Who else is going to stand up to the Tyrant's Shade? Elena, my brother is dead. My father is dead. I have to do something."</p><p></p><p>"I know, sweetie. I just wish it wasn't like this."</p><p></p><p>"Me, too."</p><p></p><p>The two women stared at each other for long seconds, and then Arrafin snatched up her glass and drained it.</p><p></p><p>"Alright, you win. Get me drunk -- if you think you can, Saijadani."</p><p></p><p>"Was that a challenge?"</p><p></p><p>The waiter heard the shrieks of laughter and headed that way.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>"I don't think I've ever seen a woman do that."</p><p></p><p>Isaac was a quiet drunk, Etienne had realised. That made it his responsibility to ensure a fun night, and he felt he'd done a good job. Isaac was chuckling and watching the dancing girls with more interest than he'd shown in anything since they'd spent an afternoon seeing how much Farouk ibn Zaoud could lift.</p><p></p><p>The bar was noisy and crowded but expensive enough to retain a sense of class. And the girls were beautiful. Etienne had heard Hinsuan woman were lovely, and certainly the Scarlet Belt was doing nothing to refute that rumour.</p><p></p><p>He grinned as a dark-skinned beauty slid into Isaac's lap, much to the Saijadani's startlement.</p><p></p><p>"You're not from around here, are you?"</p><p></p><p>"Huh?"</p><p></p><p>Etienne's grin vanished as a second girl slipped herself onto his lap, reaching up to stroke his cheek.</p><p></p><p>"Uh. Uh."</p><p></p><p><em>Etienne.</em></p><p></p><p>"What now? No, not you. Oh, never mind."</p><p></p><p><em>Is now a bad time?</em></p><p></p><p>Etienne sighed, watching the confused Hinsuan girl sway off through the crowd.</p><p></p><p>"It's fine. What?"</p><p></p><p><em>I've lost contact with the Blood Council Sanctuary in Luc'Davarionne. Sister Morikage was supposed to give you some information about the Blood Mother but I can't get a hold of her. I need you and the others to go to the Sanctuary and find out what's happened.</em></p><p></p><p>Etienne looked over at his drunk friend, who was happily fondling the half-naked woman in his lap.</p><p></p><p>"How about tomorrow?"</p><p></p><p><em>Etienne.</em></p><p></p><p>"I'll see what I can do. But don't expect too much."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="barsoomcore, post: 4518655, member: 812"] [b]What A Woman's Got To Do: 12[/b] The great city of Luc'Davarionne rose above the headlands like an great mountain of buildings, hanging in mid-air without any sign of support. It was the most outrageous thing Elena had ever seen. A cone miles across at its base, rising hundreds of feet into the air, composed of nothing but thousands of buildings, from great palaces to rickety tenements, connected by rope bridges, cables, ladders and in some place stone arches, all of it forming an immense web of overwhelming size. The [i]Wavereaver[/i] was still miles away, but the enormity of the city stunned all aboard. Elena stood at the prow with Isaac and Etienne to gape at the sight. Beneath the fantastic structure they could see the tiny lines of breakers unrolling against the cliffs. The city just hung there, only connected to the land by a thin bridge extending out from its base. "What's holding it up?" Mateo joined them with a chuckle. "The whole thing is built on a huge spiral. It starts right there, where that bridge is, and winds up and up and inwards and inwards until it reaches the top. The whole city is built on or hung off that spiral." "But what holds that spiral up? What is it?" "Nobody knows. I heard that it goes right up the Emperor's palace, and even inside, and that right at the very top sits the Peacock Throne itself." Etienne pointed. "Looks like it's raining underneath." "That's not exactly rain." "Oh. Ew." Arrafin stepped up to the rail beside Isaac and smiled brightly. "Hey guys! Wow, look at that." All three of her companions shouted at the same time. "Arrafin!" Elena recovered first and pushed past Isaac to grab her friend's shoulder. "Where the hell have you been? You've been gone two days, Arrafin. What happened to you?" "Nothing. Nothing much. So, that's Luc'Davarionne, huh? Wow." "Don't give me that, Arrafin. What happened?" The Naridic girl tried to pull away but Elena's grip was far too strong. She struggled angrily. "Let go of me!" "What did she do to you? Where have you been?" "We were-- I was in Kish. They know." Arrafin pointed at Isaac and Etienne. She quailed a little under the concentrated study of all three of her friends. "She had to. She had to get better. She. She killed them. The Kishaks. She's better now." Sudden anger flared up again. "It was just a bunch of Kishak bastards, anyway. What do you care? They're all trying to kill us. Now they're dead. Whatever. I'm fine. It's over. I'm here." Mateo spat over the rail. "Sounds like you folks could use a party." He nodded at the great city rising up in mid-air before them. "The Luc's the best place on Barsoom for a party, let me tell you." Elena sighed. "I could sure use a drink." *** The [i]Wavereaver[/i] swung at anchor, sheltered from the ocean gales by the high cliffs of the harbour at Luc'Davarionne. Nearly directly overhead, the immensity of the bizarre city covered half the sky. Clambering down into the tender that had come to take the passengers ashore, Isaac looked around in sudden surprise. "Anyone seen Nevid? Isn't he coming?" Etienne shrugged. "He said he wasn't feeling well." Isaac settled back into his seat and as the little boat pushed away from their ship, chuckled. "Last time Nevid had a few drinks he still had a ghost for a girlfriend, didn't he?" Elena forced a hearty smile at Arrafin. "Now, Arrafin, I've decided we're going to ditch these guys and have our own kind of fun tonight. Natacha filled me in on all the places in Luc'Davarionne where a couple of girls can have a good time..." "A couple of girls? I mean, uh, great." Arrafin stared at the approaching wharf with a set expression. Her owl huddled in amongst the thick curls spilling over her shoulder. "That sounds great." *** The door to Arrafin's cabin opened slowly, spreading a lengthening finger of light across the floor. Nevid peered in. He looked carefully around the room without entering. Still standing at the doorway, he turned and scanned the deck of the [i]Wavereaver[/i], empty and lit only by a few lanterns. With a swift motion, he slipped into the narrow cabin and closed the door behind him. Inside, he lit a candle and crossed to the unsteady trestle Arrafin used as a desk. Her massive spellbook sat amidst scattered papers. Nevid sat on the three-legged stool and studied the black-covered volume. It was gorgeously detailed, the leather cover tooled and polished and inlaid with silver traceries. Its manufacture was unfamiliar to the young man, but he assumed it was Lohanese in origin. Opening it, he found assured brushwork in an unfamiliar hand. He ignored the personal declarations and flipped to the meat of the book. [i]Grasping Shadow: It is necessary to open one's soul through the practice of meditation in order to take hold of the power that enables sorcery. This practice is known as "grasping Shadow" and it is the first step in learning sorcery. The novice must be extremely cautious as it is dangerous..[/i] Nevid set the candle carefully on the desk and began reading in earnest. *** "You haven't been drinking at all!" Arrafin protested, indicating the wineglass before her as evidence. Elena was unimpressed. "You're not drunk even a little bit. Not even a little, little bit." Music thundered around them, and the heat and the smell and the noise was making the Naridic girl feel ill. Elena had brought them to the most ridiculous place Arrafin had ever heard of, with dancing boys and outrageous costumes, but she took a healthy swallow of her wine to try and placate her friend. Elena sulked. "I brought you here. This nize place. And you're. You won't have fun. Just sitting there." "Elena..." "Don't! Tell me what's going on with you. I thought we were friends. Everything we've been through. But now you don't tell me anything." "I... It's hard." "Is it her?" "Well." Arrafin reached out and took her friend's hand. Startled, Elena sobered up for a second and lost her pout. "Look, I know I've been... not so friendly. I wish I could explain. Sorcery is scary. It's changing me inside. I can feel it." "Then stop. You don't have to." "Yes, I do. Who else is going to stand up to the Tyrant's Shade? Elena, my brother is dead. My father is dead. I have to do something." "I know, sweetie. I just wish it wasn't like this." "Me, too." The two women stared at each other for long seconds, and then Arrafin snatched up her glass and drained it. "Alright, you win. Get me drunk -- if you think you can, Saijadani." "Was that a challenge?" The waiter heard the shrieks of laughter and headed that way. *** "I don't think I've ever seen a woman do that." Isaac was a quiet drunk, Etienne had realised. That made it his responsibility to ensure a fun night, and he felt he'd done a good job. Isaac was chuckling and watching the dancing girls with more interest than he'd shown in anything since they'd spent an afternoon seeing how much Farouk ibn Zaoud could lift. The bar was noisy and crowded but expensive enough to retain a sense of class. And the girls were beautiful. Etienne had heard Hinsuan woman were lovely, and certainly the Scarlet Belt was doing nothing to refute that rumour. He grinned as a dark-skinned beauty slid into Isaac's lap, much to the Saijadani's startlement. "You're not from around here, are you?" "Huh?" Etienne's grin vanished as a second girl slipped herself onto his lap, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "Uh. Uh." [i]Etienne.[/i] "What now? No, not you. Oh, never mind." [i]Is now a bad time?[/i] Etienne sighed, watching the confused Hinsuan girl sway off through the crowd. "It's fine. What?" [i]I've lost contact with the Blood Council Sanctuary in Luc'Davarionne. Sister Morikage was supposed to give you some information about the Blood Mother but I can't get a hold of her. I need you and the others to go to the Sanctuary and find out what's happened.[/i] Etienne looked over at his drunk friend, who was happily fondling the half-naked woman in his lap. "How about tomorrow?" [i]Etienne.[/i] "I'll see what I can do. But don't expect too much." [/QUOTE]
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