A Meeting Of Those Who Know

Larina glanced up towards him and she sniggered gently, but it caused her to shift and more blood came from her lips. She shuddered gently, looking visibly ill and paler than normal. "Of course he is," she muttered, leaning a hand to her mouth to stop any more blood coming from her mouth, but it was hard to keep swallowing it. She glanced towards the door as he kicked it, nuzzling her head into his chest as she sighed quietly.

Amelia smiled sweetly, before looking to Vivane curiously. She'd sure she'd seen the girl in Essentia before... But... she was sure she'd seen her dancing... She shook it from her mind. Vivane smirked a little at Quiad and hopped down the stairs happily. "Nice to meet you Amelia. I'm Vivane Mansel," she said softly, before listening about assassins.

"What trouble makers they are," she tutted under her breath, before looking to the door. She looked back to Quiad, winked at him once more, before moved over towards the door and pulled it open. She blinked in shock and stepped out of the way for Cairo and the bleeding bundle in his arms.

Cairo brushed past Viv as he carried Larina. "Just the woman I wanted to see." he said to her over his shoulder. "She's been wounded. Badly." he said not taking notice of Quiad or Amelia. "A Tenebrae assassin tried to take her out." he snarled through gritted teeth before he laid her down gently onto one of the benches.

He smiled to her lightly. He brushed the hair from her face. "You're going to be all right. If not. I'll kill you myself." he said with a light laugh. Quiad looked to them both, wrapping an arm around Amelia's shoulders. "A terrible thing, assassin's, they always target the powerful. I've had a number of them come after me.." he said with a slight nod.

Cairo ignored him, his eyes trained on Larina.

Vivane looked over her shoulder as they came in, and Amelias eyebrows shot up in horror, holding her arms over her naked torso. "O-Oh!" she exclaimed in shock, whereas Vivane was as calm as ever.

"Tenebrae eh?" she sighed, before kneeling infront of Larina, she swung her bag off her shoulder and opened it up. Immediately she dug her fingers into Larinas dress and ripped the front of it open so she could have a look at her wounds. Larina winced in pain as Vivane swabbed the blood away with a cloth and water already.

Larina turned her eyes towards Amelia, her eyes narrowing. "What is she still doing here?" she asked, and Amelia knew from that second it was Larina and Cairos voices she had heard. Viv told Larina to keep herself quiet, or she'll get too stressed out.

Amelia tremoured a little by Quiad's side, keeping her arms infront of her naked torso horrified.

Cairo kept himself crouched at Larina's side, stroking her forehead lightly. "Some idiot by the name of Mr.Smith." he said through gritted teeth. "Of course he was no match for Larina, I mean look who trained her." he said with a simple shrug. Quiad kept his arm around Amelia as she covered herself up, getting a peak out of the corner of his eye behind her arms.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of my girl. The human form is perfectly natural." he said with a nod. "Will you shut up Quiad!" Cairo snapped, not taking his eyes away from Larina. As Quiad heard Larina speak he clapped a hand to his forehead. "Well done." he said taking his arm from around her.

"I try so hard to conceal things. But then you idiots have to go fuck things up." he said as he walked over to them. Cairo glared slightly, he kissed Larina's forehead before moving over towards Quiad. He lifted him up from the ground by his throat. "If you EVER, disrespect my daughter again. We'll be looking for a new head redemptar. Do you understand?" he said through gritted teeth.

Quiad clutched at his hand before nodding. Cairo dropped him on the floor before moving back to Larina's side once more. He knelt himself behind her as he smiled to her.

"As if there could ever be a more false name," Vivane sighed and opened her bag for a needle and thread. She noticed the wound was all the way through and she frowned. Larina hissed a little in pain as she twisted herself a little to look up to the rest of them. Vivane hushed her and began to stitch the front of her stomach close before she'd move onto the one on her chest, then her leg.

Amelia looked between the arguing and looked absolutely terrified. Vivane glanced over her shoulder to Amelia. "Oh she's an outsider?" she questioned, before looking back to Larina stitching up her wounds. Amelia was simply froze in confusion looking amongst them all.

"Fuck you you phony priest," Larina spat through the pain, she was too angry. In her eyes, she'd lost the fight and wasn't happy. Amelia spun to look at Quiad bewildered, then to Larina, Cairo and Vivane. Who exactly was she stood in a room with here?!

"W-Whats going on?" Amelia questioned terrified, her eyes wide and still hiding her body away from them all. Larina bit her tongue lightly as she looked to Cairo drop Quiad and rejoin her, Vivane still stitching up Larina carefully, her eyes focused.

"Quiad, darling," Vivane said teasingly. "Why don't you explain to the guest?" she sighed. Before she then added. "I'm Vivane, Redemptor of Essentia. Here on business of course," she smiled as she watched Larinas fists tightened as she drew her ripped open skin together.

Amelias jaw dropped open. That those two elegant, beautiful women were assassin and redemptor, and that Cairo and Quiad were too.

Quiad stood himself up slowly, regaining his composure. He then threw of the priest robes, revealing normal clothing beneath it. "Don't patronise me!" he snapped, Cairo turned his head to him. "Sorry." Quiad said before clearing his throat. Cairo turned his attention back to his daughter.

"You see love." he said as he stepped closer to Amelia. He placed the priest robes over her shoulder lightly. "Cairo and Larina are in the Umbra brotherhood of assassn's. Cairo Being a Dux and Larina a master." he said gesturing to them. "The man that attacked them tonight was a member of the Tenebrae brotherhood. The difference between the two being Umbra are elite. Using the shadows and darkness effectively. Where as Tenebrae think it's a good idea to attack strong enemies head on, even if it means losing." he said with a tilt of his head.

"I, myself, am the redemptor of Benedictus and head of the redemptor's across the five kingdom's." he said rather proudly. "Any questions?"

Amelia blinked in surprise at them all, her jaw dropping open. Vivane then added amused as she began to stitch up Larinas chest. "The only reason Quiad here was awarded head Redemptor, was because his Father was," she smiled amused, causing Larina to chuckle, but Vivane urged her to be still but to her displeasure. Larina tilted her head to Amelia as she shifted on the priest robes to hide her body with a fearful expression.

"What are we going to do with her?" Larina asked quietly, looking to her own body being repaired, every now and again causing her to wince or tense in pain. Amelia looked between them and was suddenly very ready to run away in case. She didn't know what to think about any of them.

"W-What happens now?" she asked quietly. Amelia looked between them all. Larina however added on quietly.

"You took too much interested in Cairo and came after us. I knew you were watching us and I tried to put you off us for your own sake," she said simply, but bit down on her lip when Viv pulled the strings tighter.

Quiad glared to Viv. "I'll have you know. I'm here on pure skill and talent! Unlike some who's only talent is-" he began but trailed off as he caught sight of Cairo. He cleared his throat slightly. "What can we do with her?" Quiad pondered allowed. He looked to her as she spoke then.

"We could just kill her." he said off hand. Cairo looked to Larina with a tilt of his head. Cairo stood up slowly. "We're not going to kill her." he said simply as he turned to look at them. His eyes moved to her slowly as he walked over.

"I apologize for bringing you into this. But I did say I would be back, not for you to follow me." he said with raised eyebrows. Quiad opened his mouth to speak before Cairo held his hand up to silence him.

"If we were to let you walk out of here, what would you do?" Cairo asked curiously.

Vivane looked over her shoulder and her green eyes flashed dangerously. "Who's only talent is what, Quiad?" she snapped, but soon went back to healing Cairos daughter. Amelia froze lightly as she looked up to Cairo moving over towards her.

"I-I got worried," she whispered, her voice shaking as she looked up toward the man. She looked between them all, and Larina was looking at her curiously, Vivane engorged in her work, healing the woman faster than any other person could.

"I don't want to just forget what's happened here," she whispered quietly, causing Vivane to even look up in surprise, curiousity in her expression. "I can't forget," she blinked, looking amongst them all.

"B-But of course I won't tell anyone!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. It pissed Larina off, who banged her hand on the bench she was on, causing Vivane to push her back down and Amelia to jump.

"What the fuck do you think this is? You think being an assassin is a glamorous lifestyle? That living a double life when you're in threat every day is appealing?!" she snapped, causing Amelias eyes to water. "God," Larina sighed, dropping her head back down.

Amelia looked back up towards Cairo nervously.

Quiad's jaw dropped open slightly. He stammered slightly before sighing as she went back to work on Larina. Cairo looked down to her, his eyebrows drawn together. "About me?" he questioned. "You expect us to believe that you'd just gladly walk out of here and not tell everyone that you know?" he said with a shake of his head.

He span on his heals to look at Larina. "I wont tell you again." he said as his eyebrows rose as he spoke. He then turned slowly back to look at Amelia. "You'll have to remain here." he said before walking back over to Larina.

"Here!?" Quiad pipped up. "What do you expect me to do with her here!?" he asked Cairo didn't look at him. "If you were half the redemptor that your father was, you'd have resolved this situation already." he then turned to face him. "In fact, this situation wouldn't have happened in the first place. 3 years we've had to tolerate you as the head redemptor Quiad. Show some gratitude and us your fucking brain." he stated coldly.

"That's what I thought," Vivane said sweetly, cutting the thread off from Larinas stitching, but beginning to bandage her body, sitting her up very tenderly so not to reopen the wound that was just closed up. She glanced over her shoulder as they spoke to Amelia who seemed still quite terrified, she kept her arms by her chest nervously.

"Y-yes I wont tell anyone!" she blinked, looking between them. Larina looked to Cairo and pouted slightly, sighing as she was lay back down by Vivane for a moment to administer some pain killer through needle that would help her cope with the pain she'd feel for a while.

Amelias jaw dropped as she heard about staying here. Vivane laughed under her breath. "You're losing your reputation as head redemptor amongst the redemptors themselves too, Quiad," Vivane said calmly as she helped Larina get to her feet, though she limped a little and winced. "People are beginning to discuss whether one of us should take your place," she said pointedly, but grinned at him anyway.

Larina walked a few steps, back and forth, managing her weight on her injured bandaged leg and how to keep her body straight. Viv let her lean on her side whilst she stood up still and stretched and circulated her body.

Amelia stood like the subject of a test in the middle of them all worriedly.

Quiad's eyes moved over Cairo, his jaw tensed. "No-one will replace me!" he snapped at them. "I am the head redemptor. I took over from my father. I will decide who succeeds me!" he said almost stamping his feet. "I don't care what any of your think, assassin or redemptor. I'm the boss here. You may not like that, but you WILL do as I say." he said as he glared between them all.

"It was your fault anyway, that my father died!" he said pointing a finger at Cairo. "If you want to lose that finger Quiad, I suggest you keep pointing it." he said in a bitter tone. Quiad slowly lowered his hand.

"You will care what we say." he said as he watched Larina lightly. A smile moved over his face to see that his daughter had been patched back up. "How do you feel?" he asked her with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Vivane stood up gently, wiping her hands free of blood on a cloth she had. "My my Quiad, you're like a child. Stamping your feet when you cannot get your own way, eh?" she laughed, her eyes bright amused, leaning back against a pillar in the church as her eyes glimmered gently. "In fact, myself and Faylinn are the next favourites if you die," she said bemused, before waving her hand side to side.

"But fr now, you're the boss, you're the boss," she grinned, laughing once more but she softened when she watched him point at Cairo. Larina narrowed her eyes, before cocking her head to the side.

"And the way your mouth is running Quiad, it'll be my fault you die," she snapped idly, massaging the bandaging on her stomach. "You have to mind what the assassins and other redemptors think of you," she shrugged a shoulder, before looking up to Cairo herself, she laughed.

"I feel like I've just come back to life. Vivane is an amazing healer," she commented, Vivane already lighting up a roll of tobacco. She blinked, waved and grinned. She knew she shouldn't smoke them, but sometimes with her job she needed it.

Amelia still stood in the middle of the room, absolutely dazed and confused.

Quiad glared at her. "Everything is my way, I am the boss!" he snapped. "Well you'll be waiting a damn long time because I wont be dead any time soon." he said with a firm nod. His eyes moved to Larina. Cairo smiled at Larina lightly. "Indeed she is" he said as he looked across to her. "Thank you. he said with a smile.

"She's patched me up more than once when I've been at deaths door." he said with a wink. "Nothing I've told you about. You worry too much." he said with a light laugh. Quiad then stood atop on of the benches.

"As I said. I'm in charge here. I decide what's going to happen with this girl. She'll be staying here.. with me." he said with a dark smirk over his face as his eyes moved to her. "Anyone have a problem with that!?" before anyone could answer the large doors to the church swung open.

A figure masked in the darkness before he stepped forwards, slamming the doors shut behind him. "I do." cam a voice that they knew all to well. "This is my church. My organisation. I'm the one that's in charge lad." he said as he came into the light. He was a tall, broad man with blonde hair and a beard.

"Get down lad." he said to Quiad. Quiad looked at him horror struck "D..dad?" he asked with wide eyes. Birtle smirked slightly before looking around at the others. "So. What have I missed?"

Larina rose an eyebrow plainly as she watched Quiad. Vivane leant her back against the wall of the church and blew the smoke out of her lips before her eyes shifted across to Cairo. She grinned idly in his direction. "You're welcome," Viv smiled idly, before her eyes went back to Quiad.

"You're acting incredibly childish Quiad," Vivane snapped in his direction. No wonder the assassins were encouraging her to speak up to take his place. However Vivane wasn't interested in it, she was happy being the Healing Gypsy who so happened to be a Redemptor.

Amelia clutched the priest robes around her bare chest and shivered a little, still being slightly cold considering she was wearing very little. She was about to ask why she'd have to stay here and for how long, until the doors opened and banged shut behind. She spun around, instantly fearful and ducked near Cairos side as if he could help.

Larina winced as she tried to turn around, blade in her hand ready already. Vivane was more concealed in the darkness of the room, but she felt herself smile a little at Quiads stutter and the look of utter horror on the mans face. Larina blinked at the other man lightly confused however.

Cairo felt Amelia duck behind him, his eyes however fixed on Birtle. A slight smile moving over his lips. Birtle looked between each of them, his eyebrows coming together. "It's more quiet in here than the last contract I sent Larina and Cairo on, to clear that village.." he said folding his arms over his chest.

He moved slowly down the isle of the church, closer to them all. Quiad was still awe struck as he stepped down from the bench. "How did.." he began before only air escaped his mouth. "Give me time to walk in son." he said with a shake of his head.

His eyes moved to Larina, his eyebrows raising. "What happened to you?" he asked before looking to Cairo. "I thought you trained her better than that." he said. Cairo's expression was plain. He walked over to Birtle slowly, his eyes fixed on his.

Birtle's face changed to match Cairo's. Cairo stood right infront of him. "You're back then?" he said simply. "Aye." Birtle said. A smile then cracked over Cairo's face. "It's good to see you." Birtle smirked lightly ''Of course it is.''

Larina shifted her weight a little to get a better look at Birtle before looking lightly surprised. She smiled a touch however, before cocking her head to the side. "I got a blade through my stomach," she pointed out, before shrugging. "But I took out his eye," she sighed, leaning her weight onto a large wooden set of banisters. Amelia shivered a little but stood near Larina this time, feeling a weird, insecure sense of safety near the woman.

Vivane rose an eyebrow. "Not even a hello from you, Birtle?" she asked, her voice cutting clean through the rest of them as she stood at the back near the shadowy area, but a bright smile was on her face. "Not nice of you," she mused.

Larina calculated. The last time she saw Birtle she was an immature, under developed 16 year old. Now however, that had completely changed. She glanced to her side at Amelia, sighing under her breath, before her eyes found Quiads. She smirked at him a touch.

Birtle looked to Larina with a raised eyebrow. He tutted slightly. "An eye for a stomach..'' he mused before smirking lightly. ''Seems fair.'' he laughed, Cairo moved over to the wall, leaning himself against it. Birtle spun around to the voice, a grin moving over his face this time. ''Oh, I'll give more than a hello to you, Viv.'' he said as he moved over to her slowly.

Quiad looked to his father before to Larina. He snarled at her under his breath slightly. ''But I..'' Birtle kept his eyes on Viv. "Are fired." Birtle said, finishing Quiad's sentence. ''You're back to being my assistant. That's not a problem, is it?'' he said looking over his shoulder to his son.

''Of course not..'' Quiad said quietly. ''Good.'' Birtle said as he turned back to Viv. ''Now then, about that hello..''

Larina smiled idly and shrugged her shoulder softly, before looking over towards her Father. She moved over towards him with a slight childish grin of pride on her face, leaving Amelia completely on her own in the middle looking distraught on what to do and where to stand. She hovered nervously, looking to Cairo, then to Quiad, then away again.

Vivane looked over towards Birtle lightly, hearing that Quiad was fired, her eyebrows shot up. "My my, Birtle. Won't you have to let people know you're still alive? Redemptors that go missing after months are replaced," she shrugged, amusement in her eyes. She'd been a redemptor for some time, and knew what she was talking about. She watched him go over towards her but kept where she was stood.

Larina blinked in honest surprise hearing Quiad was fired. She glanced over towards him over her shoulder, bit her tongue so not to laugh, before curiously questioning. "What is it you do, as a Redemptors assisstant, Priest Quiad?" she teased.

Cairo rose an eyebrow lightly to Larina. ''What are you grinning at?'' he asked with a laugh. Birtle looked to Vivane with a raised eyebrow. ''They'll know soon enough.'' he said with a smirk. ''I've been replaced by my predecessor. It clearly states that the previous head can replace him if it is found that he capable of doing so, physically and mentally.'' he said with a nod. He'd been head redemptor for over 30 years.

''We'll have to see about my mental capabilities. But you can always test out my physical.'' He said with her with a smirk, doing his trademark eyebrow wiggle. Quiad glared across to Larina. ''Non of your business!'' he hissed at her.

Birtle tutted under his breath. ''Quiad, play nice.'' he said with a grin, before looking over to Larina. ''What ever the hell I tell him to do.'' he said with a wink.

Larina's head instantly turned up towards Cairo when he spoke and she couldn't help herself but laugh. "Forgive me, but I'm finding this hilarious," she commented, before feeling her stomach skin stretch a little. Vivane glanced in her direction warningly, before her eyes shifted back towards Birtle, she sighed idly, and rolled her eyes.

"Yes yes I know," she smiled before her eyes shifted to Quiad. "Bad luck honey," she frowned, before hearing what Birtle had to say, she looked him in the eyes once more and her eyebrows rose casually. "I doubt that," she laughed, blowing the smoke of her tabacco in his direction, flicking some of the ash to the side but brushing it away.

Larina's misty grey blue eyes shot in Quiads direction as he snapped at her, and was about to do so back, but knew she wasn't in the health to. Instead, she settled for a beaming grin when Birtle told him to 'play nicely'. She looked in Birtles direction and wink and grinned a touch, leaning into Cairos side for support.

Cairo tutted under his breath. He shook his head lightly. "Larina, it's not nice to laugh at other people's misfortune. Unless it's Quiad." he grinned to her. Birtle tilted his head to Vivane with a smile. "Oh ho ho, I don't.'' he said with a wink. ''You know you've missed me Viv.'' he grinned before he cracked his back.

He casually strolled into the centre of the church, looking up to the rafters. ''God, I've missed this place.'' he said before taking a deep breath. ''..No pun intended.'' he said with a laugh. Quiad looked to Larina with a scowl. Cairo wrapped an arm around her lightly as she leaned into him. "You should get some rest really..'' he commented.

Quiad's eyes then moved to Amelia, as did Birtle's. ''And who is this?'' Birtle asked as he walked over to her. ''My son's latest squeeze?'' he asked before looking over to Quiad. ''Nah, impossible.''

Larina blinked lightly, looking up towards him and her eyebrows came together but she couldn't help smile regardless. She let her eyes shift back to Quiad and smiled at him lightly, watching what was going on as she leant her side into her Father lazily and so she'd keep balanced and her injuries didnt stretch and tear.

Vivane watched Birtle lightly, wafting the smoke away and she sighed lightly. "Don't get ahead of yourself when you've just showed up, Birtle," she smiled, The Vixen certainly was not an easy woman to cage. She really was like a fox in that sense. She finally finished her roll of tobacco and snapped it in half, folding it away.

She watched Birtle move around. Meanwhile, Larina felt the arm around her and her eyes shifted to her Father slightly and she rose an eyebrow. "I have a few more poisons to make tonight before I even dream of sleeping. Plus, I must make the announcement that I'm alive to those in the manor," she murmured, but planned that later.

Amelia blinked in surprise, seeing both pairs of eyes on her, then Vivane and Larinas too. She froze slightly bewildered, looking between them all. "E-Eh?" she frowned, her long blonde hair still damp from being out in the pouring rain, and the Priest cloak being what covered her.

Birtle smirked lightly. "Don't you worry Viv love, I wont get ahead of anything.'' he said to her with a wink. Cairo looked down to his daughter with a shake of his head. "You're going no-where tonight." he said finally. "You're going up stairs to bed." he said simply. "Don't argue." he said in a stern tone.

Quiad looked to his father before hanging his head. Birtle looked back to Amelia. ''Birtle Binot." he said with a slight bow of his head as he held his hand out to take hers. His head rose as he looked to her attire. "Viv love, would you be a babe and sort her some clothes out.. pervy here didn't think of that." he said gesturing his head to Quiad.

Quiad sank himself down onto a bench. His head went into his hands as he shook it slowly side to side.

"Wise not to, I lash out when people get too close," she warned teasingly, before her eyes shifted. Larina looked up towards Cairo and her eyes narrowed stubbornly.

"But I have things to do!" she exclaimed. "Plus. I'm 19 annos. You can't keep treating me in the sense I'm 8," she smiled, waving her hand to the side idly. "Don't argue," she grinned regardless of his stern tone with her. Her head turned to look at Quiad and her eyebrows rose lightly.

Amelia blinked lightly, looking to Quiad she frowned softly. "That isn't a v-very nice thing to comment your son on," she murmured quietly, before holding her own hand out when he did. "Amelia Lee," she said lightly, but had second thoughts on keeping her maiden name. Seeing as she had absolutely no idea where her husband was.

Vivane sighed and waved her hand idly, crossing past Quiad, she paused and crouched to his front. She placed a finger on his chin and lifted his face up to hers and hers inches from his. "Cheer up. You're not dead," she smiled, always the optimist.

She stood up slowly, before turning back around to fetch Amelia some dry clothes of her own seeing as she took it upon herself to stay over night.