Tanis studied the mark on her hand, contemplating its meaning for a moment as the crowd was filtering out of the temple. For someone so skilled at crafting illusions and knowledgeable about the realm of dreams, she had to admit interpreting visions from the Occult was a far more difficult task.The human mind could be read like an open book while the will of the world itself read far more like a painting - a jumble of colours and hidden meaning that would only make sense to the person who painted it, and have a different importance to those viewing it.

She picked up her blade at the door, inspecting it to ensure the temple guards hadn't mishandled her weapon. It was a family heirloom and designed differently from the rest of the blades used by the D'Cerf army - anyone who even left a scratch on the scabbard would pay dearly. She left through the temple doors, and that's when she heard it. The temple guards whispering among themselves. Obviously they thought the temple had been emptied by now, or they would never discuss temple affairs so brazenly. "The traitors tried to abduct the priestess, you say?"

"She's unconscious, some kind of spell. The seven idiots are being brought before the nobles now. I don't envy their position."

Tanis didn't stay for the rest of the conversation. Someone had hurt Sini? The warrior knew the temple guards would have taken her to her chambers while the physicians arrived to inspect her. Tanis was having none of that. Sini was a dear friend, and she would get to the truth of this herself. The fact that the head physician had been apprehended as well meant she could easily bully her way to the priestess, and chase the other physicians out. While no noble, her family's longstanding history of service afforded her a little influence. One she rarely exercised except in circumstances like this.

The temple guards posted outside Sini's room barely even tried to get in her way. One raised his hand to stop her but the look in her eye and the fury emanating from her was enough to dissuade them from blocking her path. They had seen enough of her around the temple to know that crossing blades with "Ser Tanis" was the dumbest decision they could make. Sini and Tanis had been friends since childhood and while the temple frowned on the frequency of her visiting the priestess, they had long since realized the futility of trying to separate the two.

Of course, that was aided by the fact that the two of them hadn't really been doing anything that the temple frowned upon. It wasn't as if they were illicit lovers - they were simply friends who enjoyed sharing literature with each other. Sini had the time to find the best books in the library while Tanis had tales of her travels, and plenty of time to read while she camped on her patrols. The only thing the temple actually disliked about Tanis' frequent presence was her serving as a distraction for both Sini and the other priestesses. It seemed her reputation was known even among the isolated initiates and ladies pledged to the temple. Well, she was certain Sini had a hand in that. The warrior wasn't quite so foolish as to flout the temple's rules. Even her family name would not be able to wash away transgressions like that. It was tempting though, to flirt with them a little and turn their mentors a shade of purple.

Though if they could see her now, these priestesses would no doubt realize Tanis' reputation was about fear, not respect. She kicked the door to Sini's room wide open without hesitation and caused the physicians to jump and back away. "Get out." She growled, and they hastened to obey. It wasn't that the physicians didn't have the authority to kick her out instead - they were simply to afraid to do so. There were rumours that Tanis used her abilities for petty revenge, and she did nothing to quell them. It was nice to have people think she wasn't above haunting their footsteps to get what she wanted.

Tanis settled down beside Sini and ran a hand through her friend's hair. "I'll find whoever did this." She promised, and checked her friend for any signs of foul play, any evidence at all that would give her a trail to follow. It didn't take her long to find it - a mark on the back of the priestess' neck. It was no tattoo or body paint, and Tanis knew her attacker must have placed it upon her to knock her out. They were obviously counting on her long hair to hide the fact, and that the physicians often dared not touch the priestess they were inspecting.

She pulled a blanket over Sini, after ensuring her friend was only knocked out and in no actual danger. She walked out the room and waved the physicians back in before heading straight for the throne room. "If anyone harms even a hair on her head..." She hissed in passing to one of the guards, without breaking her pace.

It didn't take her long to arrive at the throne room. The doors were barred by the guards. They were her fellow soldiers and unfortunately, dislike her enough to make her entry difficult. "I have news about the attack for Lady Viola." She announced her intent, though the guards didn't budge.

"Just because you're favoured by the Lady for your skill..."

"If I am favoured, it is because I bring her results the rest of her men are woefully inept at doing." Tanis snapped. "I could wait until Lady Viola is done in the throne room, in which case I hope the seven in there aren't executed, because it would be a pity for me to have to tell Lady Viola someone else might be involved and we just wrongly executed our own... and the only reason why that happened was because a couple of idiots wouldn't do their job as doorkeepers properly."

She was blunt, and she had no time for their nonsense. The guards glared at her but admitted her to the room, however begrudgingly. No doubt she would be paying for it with hushed whispers and juvenile pranks in the next few days, but she never accused her fellow soldiers of being the embodiment of reason. "My Lady, I apologize for the interruption, but a mark was found on the priestess' neck."