Letters from Corus, Falik in Persopolis

[Katherine of Blackwater]

Klyn looked around the room as the magic started to faded away, and saw Falik pull Katherine towards him. She started walking towards them, but before she got close to them Mistress Sanaa walked in, and started talking. "You can't stop me from getting to my daughter, I will get her to give me back my papers. There's nothing you can do to stop me." She shouted at Mistress Sanaa.

Katherine watched, until Falik grabed her hand, and started leading her out the door to go get Master Smithson. She slpwed her pace when they got to the bottom of the steps. "Falik wait, please.. "She whispered as tears rolled down her face. She was upset, and angry, and she just couldn't hold it in any longer.

[Falik Al Basiri]

Falik stopped and as Katherine began crying he reached out and pulled her in to a tight hug.

"This is insane!" He muttered. "Does your mother always treat you like this? So much chaos over a few pages, it is not right!"

Falik could not comprehend a parent behaving in such a manner. His family were close and even though he and his sister, Aneela, had bitter arguments, they were soon forgotten. He began to understand why Katherine was so quiet and perhaps why she had come away from home to the palace.

[Katherine of Blackwater]

Katherine stood there and cried on Falik's shoulder. Her tears wouldn't stop, and she was shaking. Her cheek was still red from getting hit by her mother, and her shoulder had started to hurt once again due to her fall.

She pulled back, put still held on to Falik's arm, afraid that if she let go now she would fall. "I'm sorry..." she whispered, "I got your shirt wet..." she looked down. "I guess you saw what my mother is really like...that's why I read so much and why my brother protects me so much. She wasn't like this, when I left for the palace. I guess she's gotten worse over her years of travel."

She looked back up at Falik. "Thank-you, for helping me..." she said as she rested her head back on his shoulder.

[Falik Al Basiri]

"It's okay." Falik replied, "although I might make you wash my shirt!" he added, trying to cheer Katherine up.

He gently let her go and felt for his handkerchief, remembering an instant after that he'd already given it to her. He glanced up to the guest quarter again.

"We'd better go and get help, you can stay here if you're not up to it. Father will be home soon and you could wait in his study?"

He had a sudden idea. "Or perhaps Lady Eleanor, would she help, I mean would your mother respond to her? I hate to say it, but I don't think my mother will let Lady Klyn stay here after this, she doesn't approve of..." he trailed off fishing for the right words, "...conflict in families."

[Katherine of Blackwater]

Katherine smiled at his comment. "I'll only wash it, if I truely have to."

She wiped her face with her sleeve, as she watched him look up. "I can't believe all this is happening. I've never seen mother be so rude. That last time she was this way was when she came back from Carthak." she whispered. " I do believe I still have the scar from that." She shook her head.

"I'll go with you. I'm alright now."

She shook her head in agreement, when she heard Falik's idea. "I think she would respond to Eleanor. She's the only one besides my Aunt who can calm her down. She might be with Master Smithson, helping his in his Infirmary."

"Will I be able to stay here? I really don't want to be around my mother, if she's going to be out of control..." she said placing her hand on her cheek where her mother hit her. "I don't want to be hurt again..." She whispered.

[Falik Al Basiri]

"Of course you can stay here! You are always welcome here. I can guarantee you Mother wouldn't let you stay anywhere else!" He began leading the way to the front of the house.

"Lets head to Master Smithson's house, if she's not there he might know where she is, or at least he'll be able to come back here and help!"

[Katherine of Blackwater]

"Thank you..." She whispered as she followed Falik to the front of the house.

"Alright, let's go. I just hope that she's there, but at least Master Smithson can help us if she's not there while we go find her."

[Falik Al Basiri]

Falik led the way out of the house and through several streets until they arrived at a modest stone house with the healers sign hanging outside. Falik pushed the door open and a small bell jangled to announce their arrival.

Master Smithson's assistant was working at a table mixing and grinding herbs.

"Mistress Shamila, is Master Smithson or Lady Eleanor here? We're in need of some help at home, urgently."

Shamila disappered in to the back room and Master Smithson came out brushing off his hands.

"What can I do for you two?" he asked.

[Katherine of Blackwater]

Katherine followed him down the streets and into the the house. She stood behind his as he talked to the woman. She saw Master Smithson come out and she stepped out from behind him, and stood besides him.

"Master Smithson, my Mother is out of control. She was not resting as she was told. I came in to check on her and she was working on her book. I took what ever she was doing away from her, and..." Katherine placed her hand on her cheek. "She hit me. After that I walked out into the common room and started talking with Falik, but then she came out of her room demanding to have her papers back. I tried to tell her she must rest if she doesn't want to get sick. She told me she wasn't going to listen to me and hit me again. Falik surround her in magic and I went to get Mistress Sanaa. And right now Mistress Sanaa is trying to calm her down. You have to help her Master Smithson!" Katherine said as tears started rolling down her face. "Please..."

[Falik Al Basiri]

Smithson's brow wrinkled out of concern. "Is she acting out of characterbecause of the injury, or...."

Falik jumped in, "Well, I don't believe so, but she IS very agitated, if you could help mother. We just seem to be making it worse. I think she would appreciate it."

He cast a concerned look to Katherine. Master Smithson seemed to understand. "Let me gather a few things and then I'll be there as soon as possible."

Falik thanked the man and led Katherine back out on the the street.

[Katherine of Blackwater]

Katherine stood there not know what else to say. As he and Falik talked she stood there quiet.

She nodded her head lightly as he said he would come and help. "Thank you very much." she said bowing slightly.

She then followed Falik back out onto the street. "Should we wait for him, or check on your Mother?" she asked quiety.

[Falik Al Basiri]

"We'd better get back", Falik replied. He wasn't too concerned about his mother, she could more than handle herself and she had a stronger Gift than Falik.

He led the way back to his house, as he opened the door he could hear his mothers firm, clear voice. "Lady Klyn, I don't know the custom in your part of Tortall but in a Bazhir home it is a very great dishonour to insult your host. Worse still in my books to mistreat a child. I find I have to ask you to leave." Despite the tones and calm demeanour of his mother, this wasn't a polite request.

[Katherine of Blackwater]

Katherine nodded and followed quietly behind Falik, until they reached his house. She followed Falik inside and heard Mistress Sanaa speaking to her mother.

She walked past Falik, and over to the room where her mother was,and walked in and stood by the door. "Mistress Sanaa, Master Smithson is on his way."

Klyn looked to the door. "Where have you hidden them! I must have my work. You'll regret this later Katherine."

Katherine walked over to her mother, and looked her strait in the eye. "You've done enough. You need to stop." she said quietly.

"Don't tell me what to!" She yelled as she hit Katherine.

Katherine walked closer and hugged her mother around the waist. She remembered her grandmother doing the same thing 4 years ago as she sang to her mother to calm her, maybe it would work. She released her mother and stood there holding her mother's hands. She started to sing, her voice as soft and beautiful as her mothers.

"When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride
say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone

I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
WHen the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love
in the light of the stars

Cast your eyes on the ocean..
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me...

Klyn pulled away from her daughter, tears in her eyes. Her mother use to sing it to her, and she to Katherine when she was little. She feel to her knees and cried. "Why...why that song."

Katherine backed up so she stood by Mistress Sanaa. "Because it was the song that you sang to me when I was upset and angry..."Katherine said quietly.

[Falik Al Basiri]

((OOC: awww!)

Sanaa gently rested a hand on Katherine's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

Falik had been watching from the entrance, he slowly exhaled as the tension started to drain from the room.

Master Smithson came in led by Wasim, who bowed and left. He came over to Klyn and began to check her over carefully as Sanaa spoke.

"Lady Klyn, I think for your recouperation it may be better if you stayed elsewhere. We can keep Katherine here to give you a rest."

"If it pleases you Lady Klyn, I would like you to stay with me." added Smithson. As an old friend, he read Sanaa's intentions well. "I'm concerned by this head injury and I insist that you have some recouperation." As he said this the glow of his magic could be seen flowing from his finger tips to Lady Klyn's head. Shakily Katherine's mother agreed and left with Smithson on a promise that her belongings would be sent on. As she passed Katherine she looked as if she wanted to speak, but instead cast her eyes down and left.

Sanaa patted Katherine's shoulder and released her gentle grip. "Katherine, she said, "you are most welcome in our home, always." then looking at Falik she added, "dinner, you have a couple of minutes and then I want you at the table." With that she left for the kitchen.

Falik stayed by the doorway, uncertain of what to do or say.

[Katherine of Blackwater]

Katherine stood and watched her mother leave. She wanted to say something but she just couldn't.

She nodded slightly to Mistress Sanaa when she metioned dinner. But as she listen to Mistress Sanaa leave the room, she fell to her knees. She was tired.

She sat there thinking about what she had done. She didn't think her mother would respond to the song. She closed her eyes, and remembered the rest of the song, singing it to the empty room in front of her.

"Though we share this humble path alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay wings to fly
to touch the face of the stars

Breath life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes
etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares.

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the seas
When the dark nights seem endless
Please remember me

She sighed to herself, and got up. She turned and saw Falik. She felt her face grow crimson. "Falik...I..." she whispered not knowing what to say to him.


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