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Message: <blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 3950262" data-attributes="member: 812">Frying Pan, Fire: 6Arrafin stared into the flames, her big eyes swimming with tears. Skin and flesh blackened and peeled away from her father's body in the heart of the pyre, rising up into the night sky. Her owl, perched on her thin shoulder, watched along with her.The light from the city was only a glow on the horizon, out here beyond the irrigated orchards, at the edge of the desert. Stars twinkled overhead, unmoved by the funerary bonfire below.She watched in silence as the fire consumed her father. Her thin body swayed with exhaustion and grief, but only once the flames had begun to lower did she turn to face the statuesque figure behind her."The Blood Council are afraid of you.""They should be."Arrafin stared. Madame Yuek stood perfectly still, dressed in a simple black robe and with her long shiny hair hanging down to the ground in a straight black cascade. Even without her usual finery, she was beautiful. She stood in perfect stillness. Arrafin wondered at her refusal to defend herself, or explain anything. Not for the first time, Arrafin felt the desire to ask more, to try and see the woman that existed within the monster. If indeed one did."Teach me. Teach me sorcery."Madame Yuek regarded the young girl seriously."Are you sure you want this, Arrafin? There is no turning back from this path.""Somebody has to fight the people who do this. The Tyrant's Shade. Matai Shang. I don't care. Somebody has to fight them."The tall vampire bowed her head without taking her gaze away from Arrafin's."I will teach you."Arrafin burst into tears then. As she fell to her knees, she barely noticed strong arms coming to support her.*****"You must have missed her, Etienne. Arrafin couldn't have climbed out the window.""I didn't miss her. Nobody came downstairs, I'm telling you. I was on the job. I was right here the whole time."Elena crossed her arms and glowered at the half-Kishak."Well, you explain it then. Where is she?""She's back."Everyone turned at the low, amused voice from within Arrafin's room. They started at the sight of Madame Yuek standing there with Arrafin limp in her arms. Isaac's eyes widened and he pushed forward, nearly drawing his sword.Madame Yuek smiled."She has just cremated her father. She is exhausted."Stunned, the others could only watch as the unearthly vampire turned to set Arrafin on her bed and stopped, noticing the demolished furniture. She tilted her head slightly and the bed re-assembled itself, sheets drawing into perfect arrangements.Arrafin murmured something incomprehensible as Madame Yuek laid her down on the restored mattress.Everyone stared as the vampire knelt beside the bed and pressed her lips to Arrafin's forehead.Isaac found his voice."Get away from her."He managed to remain where he was as Madame Yuek stood to face him. Death rolled off her undead presence. For a second she glared at the Saijadani with unrestrained fury, but her gaze turned to regard Arrafin once more, and she seemed to calm down. She was smiling when she looked back at Isaac."I understand you've spoken to the Blood Council about me. Don't think they aren't pursuing their own agenda. Don't think they aren't trying to use you.""At least they don't eat people.""Yes. Well."Nevid took a breath and stepped up beside Isaac."Madame Yuek. What does Matai Shang want with me? Does it have to do with what you mentioned before? My soul?"The vampire frowned."Shang came after you? Interesting. I advise you to stay close to her."She pointed at Elena."My dear, you wear some item that makes you hard to locate, don't you? Its protection extends to those near you, as well. Although it does not prevent me from finding you, as you see."With a mocking smile, the Lohanese beauty bowed."Good evening to you all."In a swirl of darkness, she was gone.Everyone inhaled. And then looked over to where Arrafin lay curled up on her restored bed. Her little owl sat on a bedpost, watching them all balefully."I don't really love how all this is going."*****Arrafin awoke to sounds of conversation downstairs. For long moments she lay still, recalling the flames that consumed her father's body.Her father.Her brother.The Tyrant's Shade had done this.Arrafin's mouth set in a grim line as she rose from bed and shuffled downstairs. Gral circled over her head.Conversation came to a halt as she entered the front parlour. Her friends sat on assorted pieces of broken furniture, sharing some food Zuleika had brought from the market. Cautious stares watched Arrafin walk forward.Isaac stood up and took the young girl's hand."Arrafin, before anything else, I'm sorry about your father. We all are."She looked up at him, pain erupting within those wide round eyes of hers."I lost my father, too, years ago. I know how you feel."Arrafin managed to nod. She turned to Zuleika."I didn't mean to hurt anyone, Zuleika. It was an accident.""You have to think things through, Arrafin. This isn't a game. People are dying."Arrafin replied in a hollow voice Elena had never heard her friend use before."People die no matter what I do."The ensuing silence was broken by Etienne's cough."Well? It's obvious we should try and get this Farouk spirit-thing. Once we have that, we can... whatever.""Whatever?""Well, whatever we're going to do next."Another silence settled over the room as they all looked at each other.Outside, a child called out. Arrafin flinched.At last Elena spoke up."Well, do we want to... fight somebody? Stop somebody? There doesn't seem to be a shortage of bad guys around.""Well, yeah, but..."Isaac looked for the right words."Aren't we a little outmatched? What are we supposed to do against guys like Shang or the Shade or Madame Yuek? They can squish our heads any time."Nevid drew in a breath."I'd like to find out why Shang is after me. And -- "He glanced over at Kaley, who smiled brightly."-- I'd like to know what's going on with her. Why is she here?""I like ye.""I know."Zuleika shrugged."Whatever. Yeah, maybe Farouk ibn Zaoud the legendary warrior of Naridic epics can help you with your girlfriend.""You know, Zuleika, sometimes your attitude could maybe be a little nicer.""Yeah, you're a real ray of sunshine, Elena.""That's enough, you two. Arrafin."Isaac turned to address the Naridic girl."What's going on with Madame Yuek and you?""What do you mean?""What do you mean, what do I mean? You disappear in the middle of the night without a word and then she brings you back and tucks you all into bed like some kind of freaky undead nanny. Don't you remember what the Blood Council told us? She's dangerous. You shouldn't be hanging around with her."Arrafin shot to her feet, eyes blazing."I wasn't hanging around with her. She found my father's body and helped me. She helped me. She's not."She looked around at the others."You all think. Just what that Blood Council bitch said. Maybe SHE'S lying, did you think of that? Why should we trust her?""Well, for one, she's not a vampire."Elena had gotten to her feet as well and she stomped over to Arrafin."Arrafin, you need to think about things. You killed some innocent people yesterday. Now you're, what? Defending a vampire against us? Whose side are you on?""Side? What are you talking about? What sides?"Zuleika sneered from where she sat."For one, there's side of people who don't kill innocents.""F**k you, Zuleika. Who saved your life back in the desert?"Everyone stood and the shouting rose up. Arrafin's owl dive-bombed Zuleika. Etienne tried to grab Elena and got an elbow in the gut. Elena shook Arrafin."Arrafin, get a hold of yourself! This. Look. We're just. Damn it."The Naridic girl was crying. Everyone stared away from everyone else. Elena wiped furiously at tears on her cheeks. She turned to face the group."Let's get this Farouk guy. We can worry about the rest later. Arrafin, will you help?""Of course. Of course I'll help.""Alright. Let's try not to kill anybody."</blockquote>

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