=/\= T'Shen monastery, Shi'Al province =/\=
7th Day in the month of T'lakht, YS 9022
"Loud?" hands firmly planted on her hips, the Lady Lhorexa stared incredulously after the retreating Marine and then decided his irritation had to be directed towards the Vulcans. Well, not that the poor dears weren't annoying, and of course a lively Betazoid would be loud in comparison. But really, thinking in such plain terms about the pointy eared darlings … they would be moping terribly if they knew. Ah, well. Let the males talk and be useless. She had a grandbaby to find.
'Olixinna! Stop scaring the wildlife! We need to organize search parties. And has anyone seen that big fluffy bear-thing that is always following her around?'
Sejet eyed his lilies, assessing the recent damage while Brent Warren approached like a stalking predator, radiating belligerence. Not that the old monk blamed him, having entrusted his beloved to the care of the healers and then having to assume they failed in their duty. Under the circumstances, he was in fact quite polite.
"Taken, Brent Warren?" steepled hands hidden in the long, flowing sleeves of his robe, Sejet looked up at the blue eyes shining with barely contained anger and pointed his chin at the flock of Betazoids spreading out to search the forest, several monks trailing behind them to prevent any of the outworlders from becoming an impromptu snack for the local wildlife "You believe they would be prepared to search the mountains if their kinswoman were simply under the care of other healers? Not that I believe they will find her here, or find her at all if she does not wish to be found."
Of course trying to tell this to determined Betazoids was a futile endeavor.
Well, with one notable exception. Unperturbed by all the commotion, Rel Tyrax had tended to the disturbed flowers as best he could and retreated to the pergola overgrown with hardy mountain vines. Seated on a low couch he was peeling one of the Globefruits laid out there in a hammered copper bowl, a deeply thoughtful mien about him. If ever Sejet had wondered about the origin of the almost disturbing silence the young T'sai was capable of … he need no more.
No help here. He sighed and nodded. "Thank you for the information. How rather unfortunate that she did not tell me that she was going to break out of here. I would have offered to help. I've done it once before. No big thing," he said bowing his head to the monk before he turned on his heels and walked away from the abbot. So very annoying. Why wouldn't she have told him about this before hand. He was not very happy about this. He was about to consider breaking something, even as small as a branch when he noticed that the man from before was all alone, and without the company of those exceedingly annoying women.
Deciding that now was as good a time as any Brent walked over to the man, sitting down next to him looking at the plants for a moment before he turned to the man. "You must be Sakarra's father, Rel, yes?" he asked just to make sure that Brent had the right man and had the correct man. "My name is Brent, Brent Warren. I think she mentioned that she might have sent you a letter?" he said not really sure. It still seemed like ages ago. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine, Brent." Seemingly ignoring the young man who towered over the already tall Betazoid like a tiger over a greyhound, Rel meticulously cut the juicy fruit into slices before at long last night black eyes settled on the face that spelled what the empath already knew.
"And yes on both counts. I take it this is the first time you're having to deal with my little one being unpredictable?"
Nowhere near the powerful empath his mother was, the Betazoid still had finely honed enough senses to pick up even subtle emotions at such close range. And the young Marine made no effort to hide any. Not waiting for an answer, Rel arranged some of the fruit on a platter and placed it in the human's hand with the same calm as if he were having a friend over for tea and let the irritation, the worry, all the familiar turmoil wash over him until it became a steady current of white noise.
"My mother means well. As do the monks, for that matter." Gentle humor shone in the dark eyes, so much like his daughter's in shape and colour, even the subtle shift in his face when a warm smile lit his face was almost the same "Of course they're also less than helpful. But I can hardly be angry with them when what they do is out of love."
Even Sejet, for all his serene, stoic demeanor held an echo of worry, though he shielded it well. No, he would not search for his wayward patient, knowing the fierce pride of her kind. Knowing he would do more harm than good. But in a silent corner of his heart, locked and sealed, he was worse than a mother Fogcat pacing after her favorite cub had gone astray.
It took a Betazoid with near Vulcan sensitivity to know it, and Rel would keep the old abbot's secret, just as he would not comment upon the fact this young human seemed ready to ... smash things.
Best to let him calm … Rel sensed the young Vulcan before he saw her and gave a polite nod of greeting when the lovely healer approached Brent, radiating … ah, interesting.
"Brent Warren." Doing her best to appear serene and unfazed, V'Ley still seemed unable to stop her eartips from flushing a light shade of emerald when she held out a small piece of parchment. "Your T'sai asked if I would … deliver this to you."
Well, now. This was new. And gave Rel the confirmation he had not actually needed.
"She's been unpredictable many many times before," he said frowning. "But like I said, this is really unusual for her. I would have helped bust her out of here no questions asked. I might have tried to argue with her about it saying that she needs a bit more time to heal. But in the end she knows that I would have helped her leave." He smirked ever so slightly and took some of the fruit from the platter, having a bite as he listened to the man try to talk up his mother. Brent would simply have another bite of the fruit, before nodding his head. He imagined that the old woman did mean the best for her granddaughter. Running around making an excessive amount of noise in a house of healing, however, was pretty much the exact opposite of helping out in his mind.
He was about to comment on how he knew that the monks meant their best when he was interrupted by the healer. V'Ley. He looked up at her and immediately reached out and snatched the parchment away from her, smiling at her and nodding his head. "Sorry. Thank you so much for this. I really appreciate it," he said before his eyes were glued to the parchment, reading it over once, and then twice. An apology for leaving him like this, and that she feels that she must seek solitude before she hurts someone. The words seemed jumbled and extremely out of place. She has just seemed so fine only a moment ago. What had happened. He grunted, trying to make sense of it all, before something fell down into his hand. A small gem of some sorts. When it hit his hand though, a brief image flashed to life. Brent was so startled by it that he dropped the gem to the floor, before staring at it curiously. He had caught a glimpse of it and pieced together exactly what it was in only a few minutes. "I knew I should have given her more credit..."
New indeed. Though after getting a better impression of the young man Rel was not too surprised. "She's not asking you to, Brent. But you, and you alone are allowed."
He nodded a polite thank you to the little healer who blushed furiously – for a Vulcan at least – and was still young enough for the Betazoid to clearly pick up how terribly romantic she found this entire matter. And of course that she had a severe crush but he wisely failed to give any impression he had noticed. As V'Ley retreated with a most un-Vulcan spring in her step, Rel poured two glasses of the fresh citrus juice and looked out at the tall trees, smiling faintly.
"Yes, I believe she knows, Brent. But when they are afraid, really afraid, they think about as clearly as a rainstorm over Vathax. Now I don't know what happened out there, though Sejet hinted that we owe you twice over for saving her, and words aren't enough to tell you how grateful I am."
=/\= To be continued … =/\=
Lt Cmdr Sakarra Tyrax
Executive Officer
Brevet 1st Lieutenant Brent Warren
Marine Commander
USS Charon
Guest-starring:
A smattering of the Twelfth House of Betazed
