[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/YWqLekM.png[/img][/center] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/A0ETWbS.png[/img][/center] [sub]banner credit to [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/hellis]Hellis[/url][/sub] [center] [h1]The Heist - Epilogue[/h1][/center] [center]---[/center] [b]Time: ??? Location: ???[/b] A quiet evening in Lost Haven, a phenomenon growing rarer and rarer if recent events were anything to judge by. A gentle late summer rain drizzled on the empty streets outside his apartment window as Lekh took in a cold breath of air. There wasn’t much of a view to look at, but it was one decidedly American. Bright lights, restaurants open at all hours, everything so big and vibrant, gaudy even. For all the trouble this place had got him into, he found he wasn’t surprised to realise he was going to miss it. With a rare melancholic sigh, he turned from the sill. Fingers deftly typed out a message to the closest thing he had to a friend in Lost Haven. [b] Miss F, If it is not too inconvenient, do you think you could meet me at the docks in LH, wharf five, early tomorrow morning? Say, six o’clock? Bring the medicine if you could. Thank you. -L [/b] Lekh walked through an empty apartment, stripped of any sign of his presence, only the bed remained untouched as he slumped into it, waiting patiently for a reply. The reply came a little over five minutes later, as per usual with old styled emoticons throughout the message. [b] -`ღ´- Good timing~! -`ღ´- The medicine is ready for you. ☀ See you in LH bright and early ☼ ~*~<3~*~ [/b] In bed early for the night for once, upon her return to Paris she had plenty of work to catch up on. Fey were waiting on her while the Syndicate was in need of her specialized transport. It was good to be home but it seemed like she was being pulled in every direction. Odette had barely heard her phone’s text tone, she had long ago set a special tone for Lekh, even dredged from sleep she was able to reply. She had been wondering when he would be calling to see the fruits of their labour from Las Vegas. She squinted at the screen, rubbing the heel of her hand against her eye. The docks? Discreet and no one would be around that early but was he planning a trip? Tossing the smartphone back onto her nightstand after setting an alarm she rolled back over. She would find out in the morning. --- The Next Morning --- Bright and early might have been a tad optimistic. Overcast and dreary was a little more fitting a description of the day, Lekh thought. He walked outside of his apartment, raising a hand to flag down a cab as he dragged a small suitcase full of his belongings behind him. Unceremoniously dumping the suitcase in the boot of the taxi he sat in the front and nodded to the driver. [color=bc8dbf]“The docks, please.”[/color] “Whatever you want bud.” A short while later Lekh stepped out onto the docks. He glanced at his old-fashioned watch, checking he was still on time. It was just six o’clock now, so he had made it on time to meet the Ambassador, among other things. He looked around for her at the entrance to the wharf itself, where a large transport vessel sat slowly warming up as its crew bustled about making final checks. A couple storeys above The Ambassador had made her perch having arrived ten minutes prior, her outfit was on the more [url=https://www.collegefashion.net/.image/c_fit,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTI4ODM2NzUwNTc0NTkwNDMw/degas-ballet-outfit-3.jpg]subdued side[/url]. Her sleeveless dress was dark grey-brown with a thin black leather belt just above her waist, on her shoulders she wore a long black shawl, accessorising with a vintage necklace and few rings. Never without her small clutch purse slung around her shoulder. She had seen Lekh arrive and hopped down from the rooftop when the cab pulled away. The only activity was seemingly on the ship. She had decided again, despite of the last instance she went without Bach’s presence, to meet him alone. “[color=thistle][i]Bon matin, Monsieur.[/i] Right on time, as usual.[/color]” She greeted him, wearing a smile. Lekh acknowledged her with a curt nod and a tight smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. His apparel was far less stylish than her own, comfortable clothes, the sort one might wear if they planned to travel. He lifted a hand and stopped in front of her, drawing his little suitcase to a stop behind his feet. [color=bc8dbf]“Bonsoir, Madame, there is never an excuse for tardiness.”[/color] He laughed at the pointless platitude. [color=bc8dbf]“You look well, Odette, better than me at any rate.”[/color] He spoke the truth, there was still a greyish pallor to his already far too pale skin, a gunshot wound tended to lend itself to fever and illness for a good while, and Lekh was far from fully recovered even now. “[color=thistle]Thank you, it doesn’t take much time for me to recover from a rough fight. A good night sleep and a good meal then I’m back to normal. Yet you still insist on recovering of your own merit than relying on the salve.[/color]” She commented, gesturing to his abdomen. “[color=thistle]I understand why, but it still is a strange choice to me. I suppose you and I will never really see eye to eye on that.[/color]” It was silly to opt out of using a healing salve, in spite of not trusting it. Odette knew she wouldn’t use something when she didn’t know the exact consequences of it. Magic often came at a high price. She chewed at the inside of her cheek. [color=bc8dbf]“I trusted your magic once and it burned me, lessons learned harshly are not soon forgotten.”[/color] Lekh shrugged. Admitting to being a hypocrite wasn’t what they were here for today, anyway. She looked over her shoulder at the ship then asked the obvious question, “[color=thistle]So, you’re taking a trip? Will you be coming back to Lost Haven anytime soon?[/color]” [color=bc8dbf]“You could say that. I am returning home. Speaking of which, do you have the medicine?”[/color] She nodded, “[color=thistle]I suppose you were waiting on this before heading out. Probably for the best you left the city. I heard the gang wars have become rather disruptive.[/color]” She kept her eyes on her purse, thinking of Titania’s prophecy. She couldn’t bring herself to kill an ally, especially one she actually liked. As she had promised to Mandate there’s always a way out of a prophecy. Digging into her purse she pulled a clear glass corked bottle with a pink ribbon tied in a bow around the neck. The contents inside the bottle were sparkling blue. Proudly she held it up and smiled, “[color=thistle]I know you’re not one for more technical aspects of magic but this potion is truly a work of art.[/color]” “[color=thistle]I brought the unicorn horns and golden fleece to the best potion master I know, he owed me a favour and was happy to help me make this. The unicorn horn has powerful healing properties but alone it can only heal while it is in a person’s system, as soon as it passes the healing aspects go with it.[/color]” She said continuing her explanation, “[color=thistle]The golden fleece however is what gives the drinker incredible vitality [i]while[/i] keeping the effects of the horn actively healing until the body is fully restored. It took some experimentation to be sure it truly did heal the terminally sick. It replaced blood cells, reversed cancer cells, and restored damaged brain tissue and neurons.[/color]” “[color=thistle]It’s absolutely incredible. We created our very own Panacea.[/color]” She held up the potion for him to take. “[color=thistle]The colour of the potion is purely aesthetic. Eric, the potion master, had mentioned it was good luck to add something from your own garden. I added vervain from my garden to give it that blue hue.[/color]” “[color=thistle]I hope this will be worth all the trouble we went to.[/color]” She chewed at the inside of her cheek once again, still unable to read his expression. “[color=thistle]What I can’t seem to understand about you Lekh, is that you say there is no trust in my magic... but here we are. I only assume modern medicine has failed you where magic is now your last resort.[/color]” She commented curiously, she gazed at him then quietly asked, “[color=thistle]What are you trying to cure?[/color]” [color=bc8dbf]“Desperation must sometimes supersede one’s principles, Odette, but you are quite correct. I have spent all these months in Lost Haven siphoning a not unsubstantial amount of money into research, to no avail.”[/color] He took the bottle, holding it gently in one hand and opening his suitcase. He crouched down to place it in a sealed pocket with a small padlock, giving it one last glance before he hid it away for the long journey back to Europe. [color=bc8dbf]“As for what I am trying to cure?”[/color] He stood up and released his control over his aura for a moment, letting it flood the area around him before sealing it back up. [color=bc8dbf]“You know what I can do, imagine experiencing that affect day in and day out without a moment of respite. My family all have a gift of some kind or another, but there is something wrong with my sister’s power. She can hardly move, hardly breathe. I am not a good man, Odette, but I would do anything for my family.”[/color] She felt the affects of his aura momentarily, mild compared to what she had felt before. A reminder really. It took no small stretch of the imagination to figure how such a power turning inward could deteriorate the mind. It answered a few more questions she had been wondering since she had met him, his powers were hereditary. It was a true shame for his sister, a condition that could only have a hope at healing with a miracle. He carried on before she could comment, it was nice to have a peek behind his veil. [color=bc8dbf]“We are different in many ways Odette, I think you can be unnecessarily cruel, I think that your associations with the Fey have changed you more than you may realise, though I have only known you as you are now. I say this because there is a part of you I have fallen in love with, yet when I look into your eyes I see terrors no man should see, and you make those terrors your servant.”[/color] He shrugged, in no way embarrassed by his little speech. It was not his way to be otherwise. [color=bc8dbf]“I do not think I shall come back to Lost Haven, there is a fire raging here that threatens to consume all in its path. I hope that you are spared the flames, Odette. If you ever need me please make it known that you are a friend of Lekh Antol anywhere in central Warsaw, around Market Square, I will find you. If this potion saves my sister, I will owe you everything.”[/color] Her composure dropped, the often carefully neutral expression she wore disappeared. Colour touched in her cheeks. Odette caught the crook of his arm before he walked away, “[color=thistle]Wait![/color]” Staring down at the pavement, the moment stretched as her mind raced. So rarely did someone say something that threw her off base. How was it [i]possible[/i]? Since they first met she had shown him the worst. How could he [i]still[/i] feel that way after everything they had done. He even said so himself. “[color=thistle]It is cruel.[/color]” She took a deep breath in through her nose trying to find that composure again and failing. “[color=thistle]You could have said no dozens of times. You still responded, still met with me and decided to work with me… You even stood up to me! Anyone else-[/color]” She stopped herself then finished quietly. “[color=thistle]I don’t- I don’t [i]understand[/i]. You have everything you could want from me.[/color]” Odette shut her eyes pressing the heel of her hand to her forehead, her other hand held his arm. “[color=thistle]It’s cruel, the one person who has seen my worst is leaving.[/color]” She felt exposed. How could she simply convey how important that was? There was no time to properly articulate it, no second to think. He was leaving now and there wasn't anything she could do to stop him. Nobody, had such a hard look at her and decided they liked her much less love after the fact. Silence turned as she grabbed his arm, looking into her face as her iron-clad composure faltered for just a moment, his own eyes softened. [color=bc8dbf]“As I said, Odette, I am not a good man.”[/color] He held her wrist and pulled her hand away, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek before brushing her other hand away from his arm. [color=bc8dbf]“Au Revoir, Madame.”[/color] Odette felt a flood of emotions, when she went home today she would struggle still to understand what she was feeling. It would have been easier to let him go. To pull back on the reigns as she had done so for so long. A quiet part of her asked what Bach would think seeing her like this. Losing control. Her expression was pained. She found herself not caring, at least for the moment. Gently she cupped his cheek, without waiting another second she pressed her lips to his. Kissing him, she felt the tension drain out of her. Her shoulders relaxed and her grip tightened around his shirt. Silence had been about to turn away, when suddenly Odette kissed him and his eyes jumped open in surprise. [i]This… is a mistake.[/i] He thought, but like Odette he too found himself hardly caring as he kissed her back, his hand resting on her hip as he fought the urge to take her in his arms. For a moment, his grip wavered on the suitcase behind him and it seemed he would let it fall to the ground. It was the sounds of the ship’s crew shouting last call that brought him to his senses, or who knew what he might have done. He broke away from Odette finally, his expression confused. [color=bc8dbf]“You could not let me leave cleanly, could you? You always surprise me Odette, I will not forget you, but I must go now, you understand?”[/color] There was no snappy exit for him, only a lingering glance as if pleading with her to let him go. If she were to say otherwise… She held her breath hesitating, tempted to pay out his ticket for a little more time. Steal another moment. With incredible exertion of will she stepped away, out of reach. Letting the nearly iron grip she had on his shirt go. It really was for the best, to separate. “[color=thistle]Au revoir, Monsieur Antol. Likewise, if you need me I am in Paris. Whether you need help or just… want to see me. Just-[/color]” She pursed her lips, “[color=thistle]Don’t forget to wear the cufflinks.[/color]” She said her smile was small, unmistakably soft. One she never practiced or tricked with. [color=thistle][i]I will miss you.[/i][/color] Lekh returned her smile with one of his own, rarely genuine, though still marked with a little confusion. It was rare for him to be so out of his element, yet here they were. He turned, walking towards that big ship and an uncertain future, hope for his sister rolling along behind him and melancholy settling in his chest all the same. [color=bc8dbf]“Good Bye Odette.”[/color]