Sephiris: The Price of Peace - OOC

Sephalia > Oliphey > Church of Zephiris on Dove street ~ afternoon of DAY 8

Darta, the singer, had been assigned to accompany the crew to replenish the water barrels at the lake while the rest of the caravan’s crew set about their own tasks. The job of refilling the barrels went swiftly with the help of 5 others and she had lingered at the edges of the beautiful lake in the half-light of the overcast sky after they had returned to Oliphey.
The strong breeze from the lake lifted her pale hair and brought a refreshing scent to her sensitive nose. The smells from the close quarters of the caravan was washed away for the first time in months. The slender Elven girl plucked a reed as she wandered the shore, her heart heavy with the feeling of isolation and loneliness. Her song started softly; a haunting song of memory and regret. Darta’s voice lifted as she poured her heart into the words. Had anyone been listening it might have broken theirs. [something about all of a sudden hearing a song start and walking along the beach toward the sound]

[description of the song and the singer, so that the following pronoun refers to Titanya and not to Darta] And then someone called her name. “Titanya.” She knew the voice, knew it as well as her own heartbeat. [description of Áirhath and a hint of whatever connection we can settle on] And she bolted out of pure instinct. She raced back to the city gates. How had he found her? What was he doing here? Once inside the gates of Oliphey, she went in search of her friend, Katerina, only to be told she had gone to seek a priest. Darta knew the church Kate visited regularly whenever they came to Oliphey, and her light footsteps found her Captain just yards from the small church she always frequented when the caravan passed through the city.

“Katerina. Please wait. I must speak with you.” She was slightly breathless from her run, but calmed her heartbeat with an act of will.
The heels of Kate’s riding boots clicked loudly on the oddly deserted cobbled streets as she wound her way toward a particular church she’d visited each time she came to Oliphey. The silence of the normally bustling street of the market town was unnerving, causing the hairs on the back of Kate’s neck to stand on end. She found herself glancing over her shoulder reflexively as she walked through the valleys created by the tightly packed buildings. Rounding one last corner, Katerina Forbes approached the familiar small church she’d been visiting for years. It was a humble stone building in comparison to some of the more richly appointed churches that could be found in every corner of the land.
Before she could enter and hopefully find the answer that might end the nightmares she had suffered through each night, however, she was hailed by an unusually breathless Darta. Kate paused to wait for the singer with a quizzical expression. “What is it, Darta?”

“Captain…Katerina. I…” Darta started in Human. She then paused and switched to Elvish as she knew Kate could understand her. “There is someone here. Someone from my past. I…”

Kate’s eyes sharpened, “Is this person a danger to you?” She interrupted suddenly.

Taken aback slightly, Darta shook her head, “No! No, it is only that…”

Once again, Kate interrupted Darta with a tone sharper than she normally intended. “Then it can wait.” She pressed her hand against the door of the church. “We can talk about this later.” She then added softly, “I promise.”

Leaving a shocked Darta on the street, Kate knocked on the door before entering the darkened interior. She swept her flamboyantly feathered hat from her head and raked her fingers through her thick locks as she let her eyes adjust to the dimly lit sanctuary. Fishing the small goddess figurine that hung about her neck from the inside of her shirt, Kate pressed it to her lips before venturing deeper into the calming atmosphere of the humble house of worship. Kate slipped between the aisles of wooden benches that lined the sanctuary toward the rear of the church. She knew the priest, Semric, had rooms in the back where he studied and prayed.

When she arrived at the rough-hewn oak door, Kate paused, suddenly unsure. The dreams she’d suffered through had terrified her. She feared learning their meaning almost as much as not knowing. She finally drew in a strong, calming breath and lifted her hand to rap gently on the door. “Semric? Are you there? It’s Kate…I need to speak with you.”