This settled it, he had got off easily.

Maalech dabbed his swollen lip with the wet cloth, the bucket had been standing in the shadow of the wall in the inner courtyard, so the water was almost cool. or at least it felt that way. It was a singularly odd feeling, to be pierced by a blade only to have it healed the moment after, no thanks to him. He was not in the habit of allowing damage done to his body, but this life without the Art seemed rife with it.

And yet... he lived. Disaster had been averted for the moment.

But gods above and below this made him feel old. Not in years as in how much time had passed. Such a long time. One would have thought he had learned how to let go by now.

And the ghostly little voice agreed. "You got off easy."

The girl drifted nearer to his side, looking a little timid to approach him. "Well, can't say nobody saw it coming," she said.

"I know I did. But thought and action are a bit further apart when you lack the power to put behind it." He dropped the cloth in the bucket and straightened, looking thoughtfully at her. "Still, I would be worse off if not for Morgan. It is a strange world indeed."

He seemed to be at a lack for words for a moment, just looking at her. Was she the same one that he knew and cared for? Or had she been replaced? Was that the cause for the slight hesitation he could feel, or had that some other cause?

Would he even notice if she was renewed?

He hoped so, but could not be sure.

"How have you been then?"

"I've been in Eurastad. Either starting an insurrection or staving one off. I'm not sure which." She crept in a little closer, eyes shadowed by the frail lighting of the room. "I've been watching you," she said. "I've been worried. Brown's avatar finally made its way into your sphere, so that's one thing; she should be on her way directly. But--" she shook her head, hair rustling across her eyes. "It isn't the same."

"Ah, insurrections. I have read a little about that country, perhaps it would need one. But change never comes easy, or without a price." There was a faint grimace at that as he turned and cleared the books off the bed. The room he had got when he returned was larger, there was a desk, a bookshelf and a bed without making the room feel overly cramped. But still the books found their way to the bed, somehow. He was not sure how really, he suspected he might just be thinking of other things when he put them there.

Distracted.

"And there is no need for worry. I have not been exerting myself, and the headache faded eventually." Perhaps it was a white lie, but... there was no need for her to worry. "What is not the same then? Us?" He offered her a seat if she wanted to, ignoring the faint worry that was curled up in his stomach. It had been some time since he had seen her like this.

Black, however, was possibly the last person in the world who could be bought off by white lies. She frowned. "I meant that trying to look out for your well-being from a distance isn't the same as being here. For either of us. I know I haven't been around in a while. I just didn't want you to think I'd forgotten you."

"Well, thank you for your concern. However, I do realize that I am but a small part of your life. I would not be alarmed if you were elsewhere for some time." Still, he had worried. After the last events he had not been certain how secure her own position was, so perhaps he was more relieved than she was by this visit.

"I have been more busy than you would approve of most likely, but I swear, I am trying to take things more easily. But some things cannot be put off." He reached out, attempting to brush back some of her dark hair from her face.

"Some things are going to get in your face whether you like it or not. Aly's like a hurricane: you can see her coming, you can predict the course she might take, you can make all the preparations you want, but you can't do fuck-all to divert it." She sat down on the very edge of the bed. "Anything I can do?"

Maalech sat down as well, quite conscious of her presence. She felt like a cat on the verge of bolting, he was not quite sure why. Perhaps she was needed elsewhere. Perhaps it was not wise for them to meet anymore. He was not sure.

"In this? No. I thank you, but no. And even if there was I would not ask you to intervene on my behalf, I made this bed an I am quite capable of laying down in it on my own." Only then did he realize what the expression had translated into in common, and could not help but smile a little. "I deserve her hatred, but she is no fool. Once her temper calms perhaps she will see that there are still uses she could make of me. No matter how I like to think myself important, I am not at the center of her hate."

"I'm starting to worry more and more that we are," she replied. "You've been discussing the Tzarg again. That always sets me to thinking."