Electra

[Zana]

73rd Ymiden, 717

The preparation for the new business was going well. Theo had an appointment at the bank in a few trials to sign off everything and then, finally, it would be theirs. The place was really taking shape and it was looking good. It was, in fairness, looking more than good and Zana knew that Theo was as pleased with it as she was.

However, that morning, Zana didn't notice it.

Usually, Zana was punctual in the extreme. She had a good sense of time and was very aware of time being money. Very much so. This morning, however, she was late. More than a break late, in fact. She tapped on Theo's office door and walked in when he called, moving in and sitting on the chair opposite his. She looked wide eyed, although not negatively so but her expression was one he hadn't seen on her face before. She was slightly out of breath, having run here and her hair even looked vaguely disheveled.

She didn't speak, didn't apologize for being late but instead just reached forward and put a single blue feather down on the desk. It was beautiful, vibrant in colour and her hand was trembling slightly as she placed it down.

"I had a dream last night," Zana said, finally proving that she hadn't lost the use of her voice. "I dreamed that I was flying with a flock of birds. They were all bright blue, just like that." She looked down at the feather and her hand moved back to it, as though to check that it was still there, still real. "They sang, it was beautiful. Then they landed, all of them, in a tree and turned to look at me. One of them, a particularly beautiful one with a crest on his head, he held out a wing and a feather fell. I bent to pick it up and I couldn't reach it. I woke up." She lifted her eyes to look at him and she was as filled with emotion as she had been the night he saved her life, as she had looked at one of the men who hurt her in a mirror. This time, though, that emotion was entirely positive.

"When I woke up, this was on the pillow next to me."

Looking at Theo she smiled. "It was dawn, and I knew what I had to do. I got ready and went down to the docks. I made a shrine to my father. A mirror for vanity, a wind chime, a bird feeder and a place to leave offerings." Vanity, wind, birds and greed. Those were her father's domains.

"I was praying to him, and I felt arms wrap around me. It was him." She looked at once delighted and lost. She'd never seen him before, after all and yet her life had revolved around being his daughter. "It was my father, Theo," emotion threatened to overwhelm her at those words. "He knew who I am. He told me that I'm beautiful, like my mother. He asked about the job, told me to make him proud."

Breathing out, she looked up at the window that was a door into the garden and smiled as a medium-sized bird (bright blue and with a crest on his head) flew in and landed on the hand she raised for it. "This is Jay. He's part of my father's blessing. His mark." The bird hopped off her hand and landed on the back of her chair.

"Theo, it was my father," she whispered.

[Theo Nji'Ryn]

It annoyed him when Zana was late. She never was, never had been. But it only took this once for Theo to realize that he didn't care for it. It had been just over a break, not nearly enough time to begin worrying about her. But plenty of time for several of the girls to start peeking round the partially open door of his office, interrupting his train of thought and wanting his input on any number of things. Things that Theo maintained were not within his realm of expertise, but Zana's instead. Finally, it was when Brandi dropped in and wanted some sort of input on whether she ought to wear her curls this way or that on opening night, that Theo finally felt vindicated for his choice of office location. Those twin doors behind him were the perfect escape after all.

He was close to ducking out in fact when Zana finally turned up. He was half out of his chair and lowered himself again when she walked through the door, and looked over her with a frowning, critical expression. She didn't look her usual self. In fact she looked a world away from it. He'd have asked, except something told him that she'd explain in her own time. The feather caught his eye before she did. It was bright, unusual. Theo couldn't recall having ever seen a bird with that color of plumage. Except maybe for a peacock spied in passing, on a lawn surrounding a wealthy estate.

A dream? He glanced back at the feather when she referenced the birds, and frowned curiously, reclined back in his chair, a smoldering cigarillo forgotten but held loosely between his fingers. Some dreams had meaning, he knew. And some, Theo believed, were just dreams. But the one Zana was describing seemed to fall into the first category. Thus the feather on her pillow. Then again, Theo was usually a bit of a skeptic. But he'd never seen her quite so unsettled as she seemed now. So when she talked about slipping out at dawn, he leaned forward in his chair, tapped a loose ash into the tray and rested his elbows on the desk in front of him.

"He came to you?" He sounded a little surprised, but not at all shocked. After all, Delroth was her father. If the Immortal had a reason to show himself to anyone, then why not her? He was going to say more, but a bright blue bird fluttered in behind and past him, and landed on the back of her chair. "The one from your dream?" he asked. "This blessing. What does it mean?"

[Zana]

"Yes, Jay was the bird in my dreams." She glanced at the bird and smiled, "he and I are connected, mentally, emotionally. He doesn't need to eat or sleep and we can communicate." Leaning her head to the side, the bird did the same and they touched heads together. "Thoughts and feelings. But not all the time. In flashes, I suppose." It was hard to explain what she didn't understand but Jay's knowledge helped and she knew that he understood her and that she was telling it right.

She stood then and without thought or concern (not that she had any on any other trial, in fairness) Zana took off her blouse and turned her back to him, lifting her hair. "I can't see it clearly, but I used the mirrors back home." On the backs of her arms were marks which looked like feathers, delicate and beautiful and enhancing her natural milky skin. Handing him her blouse, she twisted to try and see. "What can you see, Theo?" Zana was shocked and emotional but she was still fundamentally herself. "Tell me it's not ugly."

Turning, once he'd answered, she took her blouse back and put it back on. "He... he stood behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist and looked at me in the mirror." She gave him an ironic grin as she struggled to button up her shirt with hands which still trembled. "Told me I'm beautiful like my mother. I said, like my father too and he said, good answer, my daughter. Then he asked me if I would make him proud."

Her hand reached for Theo's, as much because of her need for physical touch to calm her. "He asked me what I enjoy most. The feeling of a man inside me or the feeling of my knife in them. I said that they were both just acts, that I want to make him proud. He kissed my cheek and told me that he hates to be disappointed. Especially by family." Her emotions were calming, as always a physical touch helped with that. "He was gone. I only saw him in the mirror, but I felt his hands on me, his breath on my ear and he kissed me."

Once she had her blouse back on, Zana glanced at Jay and nodded. "I can do this, now, too. I need to concentrate, but I won't always. Once I get used to it, I think." She frowned slightly and then, her arms were completely covered in steel feathers. "They're sharp. Don't touch them. It's armour and I can do this," Pulling one, she showed him. "I can wield it." Lifting her arm, she had the flexibility to do so because of the nature of the feathers, but she looked at him and frowned, "It's heavy. I'm going to need to practice." Carefully, showing him where the edges were and probably being over cautious, Zana handed over one of the feathers for him to look at. "Later, I think I'll be able to throw them, but not yet."

Concentrating again, the steel feathers disappeared and Zana looked at Theo with an expression that was unusual for her. She looked concerned. "I just keep getting weirder," apparently, whilst emotional she was rubbish at jokes. "When it got too weird for Jaq he dropped me like a hot stone. I was in love with him. If it's getting too weird, I need you to talk to me, Theo." Perhaps tellingly, she didn't touch him as she spoke about that, just stood and looked in his eyes. "Because if I please my father, then maybe I grow more of these powers and my mortalborn abilities just keep developing, I think. If we're getting to that point, it's fine, but talk to me first?"

[Theo Nji'Ryn]

"So it's a little like empathy?" Theo asked when Zana explained the connection between herself and her new feathered friend. He looked the bird over curiously again and and smiled, shrugged. "Hello then Jay. Welcome to the madhouse." This place, all of it he meant. At least this morning when the girls upstairs had taken Zana's absence to be all the more reason to get under his skin. But then when she disrobed and turned her bared back to him, he stood up and came round the desk for a better look. With her top in one hand, he laid the other on her shoulder first while he looked. "Be still."

If the series of feathers could be at all compared with an elaborate tattoo, they would have been the best work he'd ever seen. But that would be doing them an injustice. Lowering his hand from her shoulder, he brushed his fingers over her back, gently tracing the markers as he went. "Ugly? Far from it," he told her. "They're beautiful. Really, very beautiful." And her father was right, Theo added. She was beautiful. But he could see very clearly the impact the exchange between her and her father had made on her.

But inside a man or the feel of a knife in him? Oddly, though almost anyone would be, Theo wasn't shocked by the imagery and implications. Not that it wasn't a little jarring. It was. But then he knew enough about her already, and some about the nature of her father, that at least he wasn't surprised. It was just...blunt, was all. The feathered armor on the other hand was a wonder, and completely unexpected. He grinned, watching the transformation and taking one of the feathers when she handed it to him. Now that could be useful. "How long will it hold?" he asked, examining the cold steel feather in his hand. "As long as you wish it to?"

He grinned then afterwards and took up his smoke from it's tray again. "You are getting awfully weird," he dryly teased. But it was a fair question. Some men would turn and walk away, those that hadn't already before now. Maybe it was arrogance, ego, but Theo considered himself different than those men. Stronger, smarter, more of a visionary than a practical thinker. Some of the latter might call him a fool. But nonetheless he shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere Zana. Nothing has changed in that regard. If it did, then yes, I'd talk to you. But I'm here, and plan to be in the future," he vowed.

[Zana]

Be still, he told her and Zana smiled and complied. It was what she needed to be right now and his hand on her shoulder, then tracing down her back was reassuring. Physical contact, always physical contact for her. The bird, too, seemed to relax with her, fluttering its wings slightly before perching more comfortable. Like empathy, indeed.

"Oh, good. I thought they would be and I know I am." Zana smiled at him, turning to face him and wrapping her arms around him as she kissed him. "Thank you for saying it though," her hands played with his hair as she remained in his arms for a few moments. His face at her father's words showed his... what was that expression, she wondered? He didn't seem shocked, per se, but equally it wasn't a positive opinion. "I've always talked to him," Zana admitted with a smile. "Told him about who I am, what I do. Once we're set up here, I'd like to set up a shrine to him at home. Just a mirror, the bird ornament. I've never been ashamed of who I am and what I do." Was she defending him? Yes, she would have to admit that she was. "I suppose he was talking to me like I've always talked to him."

Once she'd put her top back on, she showed him the metal feathers and his face showed a very positive expression. Zana smiled and nodded. "Yes, as long as I like, but it's heavy, Theo. I'm going to need to practice. It's only my arms, too," she glanced at the bird and nodded, "for now." But it was protection, defense and attack and it was always right there. It was good, she knew. Had the two men who had beaten her so badly at the beginning of the season tried to do that now, they'd have died within trill. "Help me train with them? Build up my strength in my arms, I think. My legs are strong because of the dance, but I suppose I'll have to do exercises and things." Zana sounded morose at the mere thought of it. "It's really not my preferred method for getting sweaty."

She was getting awfully weird? Zana raised an eyebrow and looked at him. Really? Now was the time for teasing? She rolled her eyes in despair and then could not help but smile as he spoke more seriously. She and Jaq had been together for eleven arcs and he had been the handler that no other had ever lived up to. Yet, Theo had done everything he had said he would, kept every promise and dealt with every situation. Already, there'd been more than a few of them. His actions after the attack had been, she knew, more than Jaq would have done.

Which made him a dangerous man, she knew.

Because either he was very good at this game, better than her and he was playing her, or he was genuine. She was not entirely sure which was more dangerous in those two examples, but there it was. As the thoughts went through her mind, the bird hopped over to the chair next to him, examining the person Zana was thinking about. Her gaze turned to the bird and she smiled. "Jay doesn't sleep, so he can be at home while we sleep and warn us of any danger, or he can be here when we're not," assuming, that was that his shifts and hers would be the same as they had been in the Lap. It made sense in terms of handlers and girls, as far as she saw. "Thank you," she added. It was weird, there was no doubt about it, but at the end of the trial, there was a lot to be gained, for them both. So thinking, she placed her hand in his and made a promise of her own. "You won't regret it. Neither of us will."

[Theo Nji'Ryn]

"I'm only telling you what you already know," Theo reminded her as Zana turned round and mussed up his hair. Still, he smiled a little and shrugged. "You don't have to defend your father to me, or your way of honoring him and the relationship," he told her. "My own is certainly not an Immortal and I've never met him. Never wanted to, to be honest. But your situation is much different." Obviously and strikingly so, in fact. But if she wanted to set up a shrine somewhere in the bungalow? Then he had no objections at all.

But, "Of course." He'd help her train, be better physically able to manage what amounted to armor. Weaponry and armor, he guessed. As for weaponry, he wouldn't mind picking up a knack for throwing knives. They might learn that together. But strength, there was sword practice that could help, in addition to a handful of exercises that they could set up and do at home. "We stay fairly fit already," Theo reminded her and grinned. Of course their way of doing that had nothing to do with lifting weights or utilizing pull up bars. And in truth, their way was a hell of a lot more fun.

Was Theo dangerous however? If she'd wondered aloud, he'd have to admit though not necessarily say it, that he liked to think he was. Or at least was a good hand at convincing others who needed convincing, of that very truth. Pushovers and the like wouldn't last long in a business like the one they were planning. He watched the bird, just as the bird watched him. It was a strange arrangement, at least for Theo who had no connection to an Immortal or anything of the like. That too would be an adjustment, though life with Zana he expected would never be ordinary. She was welcome, he told her, but she didn't need to thank him. Strange as all of this might seem to anyone else, this newest development seemed to Theo to be full of promise rather than something to worry about.

[Zana]

She didn't need to defend her father? Zana nodded and smiled back at him. "I know. It's just. I've never heard his voice before, or felt his touch." It was bordering on overwhelming and Zana smiled up at Theo, then ruffled his hair. "Careful. I'll have an emotion and then where will we be?" She kissed him gently, mussed his hair one more time and then pulled at her shirt to get it back in place.

When he said they kept fit, though, Zana let out a chuckle. "We do at that. Maybe we could strategically place a bar... no, I'll never build muscles that way." Her expression was wicked and she could only concur that their particular brand of exercise was a lot more fun than what she would have to do to build real strength. "Throwing knives, yes. Hand held, I'm not bad at but could improve. I think, since I can guarantee to always have these, then I'll focus on those two things." She wouldn't stop having a crossbow strapped to her thigh, she assured him. All the better to have a weapon to be divested of if there was a problem; it looked less suspicious.

"Plus," her smile was wicked, "I like variety. Spice of life, so they say."

The bird regarded him and Zana's eyes flicked over to the avian with blue plumage and she smiled, "it's strange, sharing my head with someone. Very strange." Rolling her shoulders, she breathed out and then glanced out of the window. "I'm ridiculously late to work, aren't I?" Zana realized, suddenly, that yes she was supposed to be here maybe two breaks ago and she gave a rueful grin. "Were the girls pests? Oh, tell me, has Brandi decided what she's going to do with her hair yet? I swear, Theo, I'm going to suggest she shave it all off soon."

They'd agreed that this morning, they'd meet and she would use her 'Trinket of Desire' ability, in order to ensure that Theo understood it, felt it and they could work with it together. There was still a lot of the morning left, they were unusually early but then that had been the agreement, too. "I'm sorry you got pestered," she looked at him contritely because of course he'd been pestered. They couldn't help themselves, those girls were full time work.

But then, with a wicked grin she added, "Maybe you'll appreciate me more now? Undervalued is what I am. And here I am, all humble and accepting. Did you bring the ring?" Holding out her hand, she took it and looked at the small item. His mother had slender fingers, she thought and glanced at his, though she knew them well. "Well, that explains your feather light touches," she mumbled and grinned, "they're my favourite. Work. Alright, the way this works is... no, never mind. Have a seat, I need to concentrate to do this."

There was no point to tell him how it worked. He knew the basics, that was all he needed to know. She sat, cross legged, on his desk and held the ring in her open palm which was nestled on her lap. The bird watched with interest, also staring at the ring and Zana remained in that position, not moving nor speaking for a full three or four bits. Then, she breathed in and smiled at him. "All done."

Then, she handed him the ring and explained, "For this to work, you need to keep it with you. I'm going to go work now." Standing, she stepped forward, kissed him as she always would and then moved to the door. "I'll switch it off the trill you tell me to," she sounded almost sad but she walked out and made her way to go about her job.

Starting with Brandi's hair.

[Theo Nji'Ryn]

"No, we can't have that," Theo agreed, and he grinned. Though it was true enough. Emotions were tricky things in most cases, in his experience. At best they were a distraction, even if sometimes, they weren't unpleasant. In her case? Even too much of a good thing could be all the trickier still if unchecked. Still, the comment was made in jest and he watched her slip back into her top.

Variety was indeed the spice of life, especially when their own lives mixed business and pleasure in a way that very few others could claim to enjoy. But if they spent all their time at pleasure, they'd never get another thing done. It wouldn't hurt him any to learn to throw knives. In fact Theo recognized what a useful skill it might be. He'd have to purchase himself a set of knives, but that was no problem. "You are," he confirmed. Late to work but she already knew it, and the girls had been driving him mad. Brandi in particular. "I consider myself to be a man of many and varied talents. Women's hairstyles, however, don't figure largely in my list of skills." Zana's territory, was what was implied. Very much so.

When she asked for the ring, he pulled it from his pocket, handed it to her and sat down. It was the one thing his mother had left behind, that was worth keeping. It's importance to her, was much different from it's importance to him. But because it mattered to her, the same could be said for Theo. While she did whatever it was she needed to with the thing, he leaned back in his chair, finished off his drink and burned down the rest of the cigarillo before snuffing it out. When she handed the ring back to him and kissed him, he thought no more of it than he usually did, and watched her go. But even before he dropped the ring back into his pocket, Theo realized there'd been something different about that kiss.

She was very good at it, no one could say that the physical contact between them was dull or ordinary. But this time, while it wasn't unusual to be left wanting more in a physical sense, as Theo looked towards the closed door and found himself not just wanting in a physical sense, but yearning instead. A yearning for something more. A compulsion even, and it was all focused on her. How inconvenient, the logical part of him observed. How troublesome. He wanted to see her, touch her, hear her voice, simply be nearby her. He found himself suddenly feeling envious of anyone else who might come close to her. He knew. It was pre-arranged, and yet he couldn't seem to shake the feeling. Had he not had that awareness already, it would have driven him mad.

But because, unlike another who she might use the talent on unknowingly, he was aware, Theo decided that as unsettling as it was, he was content to allow the feelings to linger a bit longer. All the better to judge how other men, or even women might respond. How distracting it might be for them. Turned out, extremely distraction. He'd attempted to turn back to the business of, well, setting up business. But after a break had passed, and after re-reading a line on a ledger half a dozen times, Theo cursed under his breath, pushed his work aside in order to track Zana down. It was a valuable experience, an enlightening one and very informative. But remove it, that's what he wanted.

[Zana]

Zana had, eventually, given up and led Brandi by the shoulders to a dressing table where she sat the young woman down on a stool. "If you move," she said, picking up the curling iron, "I'll be forced to take extreme measures." Zana smiled at the way Brandi's eyebrows waggled suggestively at that and shook her head. "You are incorrigible. Now, stay still." Warming the curling iron in the fire, Zana explained to Brandi, meant that her hair was likely to stay in style for longer. Also, she was going to put ringlets in. Brandi frowned, very uncertain of such a move and Zana smiled. "Trust me. You'll like it."

With an over-acted sigh, Brandi had done just that and when Zana finished the young woman had a sophisticated style with ringlets piled on her head and trailing down her neck. Looking at herself in the mirror, Brandi had to admit, "It looks good. I look...," searching for the word she looked at Zana, who gave a very different kind of smile.

"Seductive. What's nice about this style," she explained, and leaned forward to kiss Brandi's neck, "is that it took me just ten bits, and it leaves your neck exposed." Brandi nodded, turning to Zana, who shook her head. "No time, I'm afraid. I was late this morning and I'm in the dog house with Theo." Brandi grinned and nodded and Zana ushered her out to go show the other girls before changing into a pretty summer dress with delicate straps.

Sitting in front of the mirror, she looked into it and smiled. "I'll make you proud, Father." She sat, then, looking at her reflection and let out her own hair, letting her blonde tresses fall loose and she started to brush. The style, she decided, was a good one for Brandi, but for her she would do something different. The curling iron was still there and so Zana worked, putting a gentle wave in her hair which she braided loosely down one side, so it hung over her shoulder.

For make up, it was easy enough; emphasise the eyes, just a dab of peach gloss on her lips. Using a large brush, she just applied a little powder to her chest and decolletage; it had a light sheen to it so made her skin sparkle just a tiny amount. It was careful, delicate work and between the time that she spent on her hair and then on her make up, Zana had been sitting and gazing at herself, making herself beautiful for nearly a break and a half. "For you, Father," she whispered and was just adjusting the strap on her dress to make sure that the feather markings on her back were clearly visible when she heard a noise.

Zana turned and saw Theo standing in the doorway. She looked at him and a slight, sad smile appeared on her face. "Give me the ring?" Her voice was careful and quiet, "and I'll make it stop." Like each of her abilities, this one came with a cost and Zana believed that the least of that cost was the screaming nightmares, they were over with quickly. "Then, we can talk about it, if you'd like to?" As soon as he gave the ring, she pulled back the energies she had put into it, stopping the power altogether.

"I'm sorry," she said with a glance as she handed the ring back. "I'm sure it's not a pleasant sensation." More than that she did not say, leaving it to him to speak if he wished to.

[Theo Nji'Ryn]

He'd held out as long as he could. But ultimately it got the better of him. He couldn't manage to get a thing done. Obsession, fixation, neither was Theo's style. Distractions were what they were, and there were any number of reasons why enhanced distractions could be dangerous. But then wasn't that point behind this exercise? So that experiencing it himself, he could learn how others treated similarly would respond to it. There was real value in that, for him, and for Zana too.

Still, Theo had work to do and no matter how he tried, no matter that he was aware of what was making him long to be in her company, he couldn't manage to focus long enough to keep his numbers and ledgers in sensible order. And so he'd left his work and headed upstairs to find Zana. He passed Brandi in the hallway and she stopped to show off her new hairstyle. He knew hair fashion like he did the names of the stars and the moons, which wasn't at all. Still, he knew what he liked, and therefore what any number of men like him would appreciate. Therefore, he approved.

He watched Zana in the mirror without speaking for a bit or so. And enjoyed watching more than he should. He shook his head free of it and she looked back at him. Walking into the room, Theo pulled the ring from his pocket and handed it to her. And when he was himself again? He frowned. "It wasn't unpleasant, exactly," he considered. "Or at least wouldn't have been, had I not known the reason already. For me, it was more...unsettling. But I learned enough to know that for someone who didn't know, it would be very, very effective." And wasn't that the purpose behind the experiment? It was, and so far as he was concerned, from it came valuable insight.