[Mature] Joining the Family [Completed]

[The Unreliable Narrator]

"I'm honored," he said, shaking his head with a small smile. "And, I've finished for the day, so it's no trouble." The butcher watched her carefully, his expression neutral as she offered reasons and asked forgiveness. When she finally wound down, he simply nodded to her. "You're not the first Katarya. I'll owe you a drink if I'm only so lucky that you're the last to arrive and make a mess of everything. You should be careful going around offering anything here, though. Some folks will take you up on it simply for the fun," he said, shaking his head at the thought.

"You'll get the hang of it well enough. Listen to Artemis when he gives advice. Ignore him when he flirts, you'll figure out the difference eventually," he gave her a knowing smile. "Beyond that, I can maybe teach you a few simple things, I'm surprised you've never had instruction, but my focus lies in the afterlife, not here and now." Finally, he shrugged and reached into his pouch. He placed a small vial of golden liquid onto the table. "This is a simple stamina potion. Give it to him when he wakes up again. It should set him back to rights well enough that he won't need anything further. Feel free to check it yourself."

Robert rolled his neck, "I'll be sure to get my repayment from you someday, for now though did you need anything, or can I go miss my lover in peace?" he asked as a satisfying pop resounded from his shoulders.

[Katarya Frost]

She took the vial with a nod of thanks, listening to his advice and trying not to sag with gratitude at his apparent forgiveness of her. "He'll take his medicine. That I can assure you." She said.

When he mentioned teaching her, she hesitated. "A witch may stand in both worlds; my grandmother told me of witches who made potions with the flesh of babies, or those who drew prophecies from those long dead," She shook her head. "Those are not paths I would follow, though I don't judge anyone for their magic; I could quite easily have become a healer; not a girl who manipulates the hearts and minds of weak men," she glanced at him. "But I would like to learn more. If, when you have time, I'd be grateful for anything you could teach me."

Kat rose from her seat. "I won't be so bold as to reassure you that we'll get Marcy back ... but we have information, and that can be powerful." She wouldn't say more. She herself hated false hope, and she wouldn't offend him by offering it. "Thank you, Robert. This talk has meant a great deal to me. Now, though, I must seek our Ksenia; I fear she may not be taking all of this," she said, glancing around the place, though referring of course, to everything that had happened. "In her stride. Good day, Robert."

After accosting another swain, Katarya made her way upstairs and to the room she had been directed to. She stood outside, taking a moment. She wasn't sure what she was going to say; she was hardly a 'heart-to-heart' kind of girl ... but Ksenia seemed kind ... and fragile.

Kat knocked on the door. "Ksenia? It's Kat ... may I come in?" She asked, holding her breath and listening quietly.

[Ksenia]

Ksenia had been taking slow sips from her tea, both hands wrapped around the mug. She’d just about gotten her breathing back to normal when Katarya knocked on the door. Despite her tone, Ksenia felt her shoulders hunch. She wiped her face carefully and set the mug next to her bedroll before pasting a smile on her face and squaring her shoulders. Time to put on a performance, she thought ruefully.

“Hello, Katarya. How is Artemis?” A good offense is a good defense. “Shouldn’t you be with him?”

In response to the usual queries of if she was okay, Ksenia smiled, a bit tiredly. “Yes, that all took me off guard in Cook’s office, and I was a little shaken up. But I’m fine now. I do hope everything will be okay?” Good. No information offered, nothing that seemed to be objectionable... or foolish.

Kat was still standing there! Ksenia tried to keep her face in a vaguely puzzled smile when she wanted to scowl and slam the door. “Was there something you or Cook needed?” When Katarya didn’t ask for anything, Ksenia decided to end this. “Well, I need to get back to work, I’ve wasted so much time today. I’ll see you later.”

[Katarya Frost]

Katarya answered the young woman's questions as efficiently and as short as they were asked.

'Does she not like me?' She wondered. Maybe she didn't. What reason had Kat given anyone but Artemis ti like her (and even he had been put through the mill!)? She nodded when the girl bid her farewell, and closed the door. The young witch stood for a moment, and considered knocking again, to question Ksenia outfight ... but then; wasn't that just the kind of thing that people didn't like about her? Her impatience and impulsiveness? With a sigh, she left and made her way back to her room.

***

"Artemis .." She gentle shook the sleeping man, as she knelt by the bed. "Wake up; it's time for your medicine, and I'm under strict orders that you take it."

She had let him sleep another two hours before awakening him, taking her time to sit and read through the Book. As always, it had ended up with her snapping it closed out of frustration, and then feeling guilty for treating it so; it contained magical knowledge from generations of Frosts, but so much of it made little sense to her. The writers all seemed to have put down words with the assumption the reader would know what they meant! She lamented her Grandmother's death of course, and for many reasons. One of which being how little she had learned. Lilian had refused to teach Katarya how to use her powers actively until she was 17; before then, it was all about hiding and control; never revealing herself to anyone.

No wonder people thought her uptight!

As Artemis came round, Kat produced the vial of golden liquid. "You're to drink this; no arguments. It'll be my head on the butcher's table and not yours ... so drink up." She commanded, taking off the stopper and handing it to him.

[Artemis Black]

Artemis could hear a soft voice, chanting, singing to him. He opened his eyes and saw a vast grey nothingness. In the distance, there was a silvery light gently pulsing with each breath he took. It called to him, promising rest and peace. As he drifted towards the light, the singing grew stronger.

Just as he made to reach out, ghostly chains sprang into being. They clinked loudly, drowning out his thoughts as they encircled his arms and legs. Then they drug him back, away from the light and into darkness.

"Buh- what?" he groaned as he snapped awake, his hands reaching for knives he didn't have. He blinked rapidly, taking in the room and bed, then resting his eyes on Katarya. "You are a lovely face to wake up to, but I do wish it was at a slightly more pleasant pace," he said to her, reaching out to stroke her cheek.

Then she offered him a vial, and his eyebrow raised. "Either there's been a mistake, unlikely, you're slyer than I take you for, possible, or someone has set you up," he said to her, gently swishing the liquid in the vial. "Doctor's orders." He shrugged and downed the entire vial in one gulp.

He shivered as the potion warmed his chest. "One of these days, I'm going to harass them into making a fortifying tonic that doesn't taste like wet boots." He could feel the potion spreading to his limbs and the tingling sensation of heightened senses. "I'm guessing it was one of the girls. They told you it was a stamina potion, help me get back on my feet or some such. You didn't taste it, and now you've ordered me to down an entire vial of Night Girls Friend," he mused to himself, only turning to smile broadly at her as he finished. He felt the blush rising in his cheeks and the subtle itch of his clothes. "Which does give stamina. And also greatly enhances sensation, feral drive, and recovery." He set the vial down on the bedside. "That was about... four, maybe five hours worth, but you are the healer. I await further treatment," he said and smiled wickedly at her.

[Katarya Frost]

Katarya blinked at the realisation. She had been eager to make everyone here like her (she didn't exactly want it, but felt she needed it to get what she wanted), that she had taken the vial and given to Artemis without even bothering to check it. Some healer!

When he revealed it's nature, she scowled. "Thrice damn that lot! They're playing with me!" Her words were full of indignation, but it evaporated when she looked back to Artemis. His jokes and teasing meant he was getting better, which warmed her heart, and at the husk in his voice and colour in his cheeks ... well, it was warming in other parts of her body, too.

"Well," she said, reaching pack and pulling the pin from her hair. "I suppose if we're to follow through with effective treatment ..." She began to undo the buttons of her blouse. "I think it wise to follow it through to an acceptable conclusion." Then she smiled, leaning in to kiss him. "Though you're still a little weak, so ..."

"Kat ... shut up." He said, pulling her into bed.

They kissed deeply, almost urgently, as if this was their first time once again. They both fumbled at her clothes, and when she slid out of her underclothes, she stopped the kiss with a finger to his lips. "That's the last time you ever get to tell me to 'shut up'." Then she moved her kisses down his chin, leading a trail to his stomach, chest, and eventually much lower ...

***

As she lay, breathing heavily, his hands were not so idle. She looked at him with a pink glow to her face and an amused smile on her lips. "Again?!" Then laughed as he growled and pulled her back towards him.

***

Despite the pleasure (she was even wondering if they had been heard by everyone in the Goose, if not everyone in Fellsguard), she was somewhat relieved when the hours had passed and the effects of the potion were waning. She probably should have had a sip herself, just to keep up with him! She might have cursed Robert, but now ... she would be very interested in the ingredients of such a potion.

They lay, entangled with one another. His head lay on her breasts, not uncomfortably so, and she played with his hair. "How are you feeling? she asked, then laughed when he squeezed her breast. "I mean how are you feeling about all that has happened? I can't imagine what the knowledge of what happened to you must have felt like. I'm just sorry I wasn't so bloody stupid in blurting everything out, like that. She rested her chin on the top of her head. "For that, I am sorry."

[Ksenia]

Of the things Robert expected to see upon entering the kitchen the next morning, it wasn’t Ksenia with a rather murderous expression on her face crouching near the fire. She came up to him. “Good morning Robert. I suppose that is, if you were able to get any sleep, because I sure as fuck didn’t.” She scowled and set her mug of tea (which looked as if it had seen many refills in the last evening) down on the prep table.
“I want to make a deal. I will make for you any article of clothing that is small to medium in size if you’ll put something in Artemis and Kat’s food that will ensure that neither of them is interested in rutting like animals for at least three days,” she growled. She stared Robert directly in the eyes, not breaking his gaze. “Deal?” She stuck out her small hand.
Robert tried hard not to smile. “Deal.”
“Now what on Ahm’Kela’s forsaken earth is for breakfast?” Ksenia crossed her arms over her chest.
“Sausages and eggs.”
“Bhelest’s balls, Robert.”
The mage snickered and went to the butchers’ room to grab a few links of sausage.

Robert was at least kind enough to wait until he heard Ksenia stomp upstairs before he gave in to laughter.

***

Ksenia had stabbed her finger for the third time that hour when she heard voices. Their voices. Her eye twitched and she suppressed the urge to growl. She finished off the last few stitches, clipped the thread, and flung the finished bag into the crate that held her finished works. If they dared to show their faces in here today, she vowed, I'll tell them where they can go - straight to Nilbein!

[Artemis Black]

Artemis awoke, feeling more rested than he could ever remember. He squeezed his bedmate and snuggled closer to her for a pleasant moment. Then he stretched, shaking the tightness out of muscles to start the day. Fully awake, he loomed over Katarya and whispered in her ear, "Time to greet the dawn, sweet cheeks." He then bit into her neck, changed to a kiss, and hopped off the bed.

He didn't have any of his actual clothes still, he'd need to do some actual shopping soon he imagined. He dressed up in a new set of guest swains and spared a lustful glance for Katarya. "We should probably get with Ksenia and sell some goods. If my understanding of time is mostly right, we're a few days late to deliver the first set of finished product." Artemis shuffled around at the dresser for a moment before pulling out a belt with a sheathed dagger. "Feels good to not be completely naked anymore. Not that I didn't appreciate the attention," he added over his shoulder.

"I wonder what's for breakfast. We should probably get some before we walk all the way over to her workroom," he said as he watched her getting ready.

[Katarya Frost]

Kat pulled herself out of bed with a longing look back it. She was worn out, despite a heavy sleep. Their tryst the night before had left her aching, and she rolled her shoulders as she pulled on her clothes. She began the task of braiding her hair, as Artemis spoke. She turned to him with a slight frown. "I have to admit to some ... trepidation, to seeing Ksenia. The girl did not look at all pleased to see me, yesterday." She said, completing her braid and patting it to make sure it was good and tight.

She rose and stretched. "How you're so chipper this morning, I'll not know! I ache in places I didn't know one could ache!" Despite this, she gave him a kiss on the cheek, and in a low voice said: "And for future reference ...'sweet cheeks' will ensure that I'll not be aching in those places ever again."

She stepped to the door, giving him a big smile. "Shall we?"

As they stepped out, Kat stopped, and glanced over her shoulder with wide eyes and a pale face. "Oh, Ny'tha!" She whispered, motioning to the door which would lead right into Knesia's room ... the room which connected to their own. "If she didn't hate me before last night, she'll certainly hate me now!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him away quickly, as if Ksenia might come out at any moment and give them a (well deserved, after the noise they must have made) telling off!

***

Kat ate her breakfast as quickly as her manners allowed. She was ravenous, and the food was excellent. "I think you had best do all the talking. Be charming ... be flirtatious, if you have to." She rubbed her brow as she pushed her plate away. "What she must think of me ... She swatted Artemis' arm as he chuckled. "Come on."

***

Knocking on the door, then immediately moving to stand a little back from the door and Artemis, Kat knotted her fingers. She hoped she'd find the mild-mannered young woman she had first met, but if the situations had been reversed ...

[Ksenia]

Ksenia heard shuffling feet and a knock outside her door. She composed her face into a reasonable resemblance to a smile, in case Deb or Cook was outside. Opening the door, she was greeted by Artemis’s face and Katarya standing behind him.

Ksenia shut the door firmly with an audible slam. Just to drive the point home, she locked the door slowly so that the sound of the tumblers falling into place would be heard.



One of them knocked again. She opened the door just enough to peer out. “What do you want? Congratulations on your vocal performance last night? Gotta say, the soprano screams at about three in the morning knocked me right off my bedroll. And the fortissimo groaning set it off so nicely, I hardly have room to mention that really lovely aria that seemed to consist of Artemis’s name - and every idol and eidolon, ever.”

She pulled the door in a bit. “Or did you need something from me? I’m extremely behind schedule due to yesterday’s meeting and not getting a wink of sleep last night.”


She glared out at them. Neither said anything at first. “You’ve interrupted my workday. Now. What. Did. You. Want.”