In Which Ashe Shelves the Complications

August 4, 1181

"Oh, for the love of whatever silly human deity you happen to worship!" Deian stared down through the narrowed slits of his cloudy eyes, nostrils like caverns from his exaggerated height. Such annoyance could not have been merited from a creature that hadn't been there one blink prior, but Ashe was in no state to be fretting about details. "You're not crying, are you? I used to find tears delicious, but they've become such a frequent sight that the very thought is cringe-inducing. I should only hope that the various artists of the next millennium won't do the same with zombies and vampires."

"I'm not crying..." A sniffle tried to argue, but Ashe managed to mute it with his sleeve. As if he needed another distraction from the rest of Deian's bizarre speech.

"Of course you are. You're still just a little girl at heart, aren't you?" Silver fingers snapped around his forearm and yanked it away from his face. The twin hand caught him by the chin and pushed it upward. "Don't take that as an insult. I'll have you know I find all human sexes equally pathetic. Now, what do you want?"

The hands released, and not in the gentlest of fashions, but stumbling backward was nothing. Not today. "It's Rona. She... she's really sick. One of your poison roses..."

"My sons are still growing those damn things?" Was that all he had to say for himself? "I can't imagine why. They're a pain in the ass to cultivate. More trouble than they're worth, if you ask me."

"I don't care if they're more trouble than they're worth! I just want you to do something about it!" There had to have been something. Deian had once handled those roses himself, back in the old days. He might have been immune, that didn't seem all that likely, not when he was technically mortal--at least, so far as Ashe had heard. Surely he must have had some sort of precaution in place... "Please. You have to help her."

"Do I?" The creature half-yawned. It would have been infuriating had the terror and woe over the thought of losing Rona left room for any other emotion. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to be under the impression that there's nothing you can do to me if I don't?"

"Just do the right thing for once!" Ashe dropped to his knees, half out of desperation and half of exhaustion. It wasn't negotiable. Rona could not die, as sure as the sun could not stop rising. If Rona died, it was the end of everything. Even Deian could not dismiss that. "Please!"

The creature sniffed. "You're vexingly persistent, you know that? Why are you on your knees, anyway? Do you suppose sucking my cock might convince me?"

"It's Rona! I'd do anything to convince you!"

"Of course you would. And given how frigid Ylwa has been lately, perhaps I should take you up on that." But he only grabbed Ashe by the arm again and pulled him to his feet. "But I can't imagine you're any good at that, so I'll let it slide. I will help you."

Ashe blinked, a last tear trapped in the corner of his eye. That hadn't been easy, but it still seemed... simple. Too simple. "You will?"

"Why shouldn't I? It gets me out of having to help clean the house." Deian swatted back a lock of hair in distaste. "I have an antidote. It will be a few days before she's back on her feet again, but she'll only need one dose, and I have plenty to spare. Though given your particular situation, I should warn you that there is a catch."

Ashe shook his head. "As long as she's alive and well and still herself, I don't care."

"Are you sure about that?" The creature's eyes sparked in near-glee, a sinister smile creeping beneath. "The truth is that it's a unique remedy for a powerful illness. In order to more efficiently purge the body of the toxin, the antidote will repress the mind into the depths of the subconscious."

"Not permanently, though?"

"No." Thank God. "Just until the poison is gone, just to keep the victim immobile and unoccupied so as to minimize interference with the healing process. But bear in mind that anything her conscious mind encounters in her subconscious won't be forgotten upon her awakening. You might find yourself inconvenienced by certain things she doesn't yet know she knows." The smirk widened. "Or things she doesn't yet know she thinks she knows."

"But she'll live." Ashe caught sight of Deian nodding before glancing down at his boots. Rona would live. That was all that mattered. Any complications could be dealt with later. "Just do it."

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