• Closed • Dead or Alive

[Vincent D'Ordyn]

Timestamp: 13th of Yimden, 716
Location: Andaris, outside the Arena

Sabine's greeting did little to help his mood. The fact that she was unharmed was a plus, but the pain from the arrow and the cloaks tossed to the ground nearby made even that seem like small consolation. "It was such a beautiful day I'd thought I go for a walk, you know enjoy the weather. Suddenly I had this really nasty itch on the back of my shoulder. Thankfully a guard did me a favor and scratched it, with an arrow." Gray growled the last bit as the pain started to overcome the Enduring Aura he had going.

"We need to get going, the further away from this mess we are the better." Gray said as he began to move down the street they where on, gently grabbing Sabine by the elbow as he passed. He knew she didn't like to be handled in that way normally, and if she attempted to break away from his grip he would not try to stop her in the least.

Setting a brisk pace away from the Arena, a few bits had passed by the time the Taithir's Enduring Aura finally gave out, and the exhaustion and blood loss finally caught up with Gray. With little grace Gray feel into a wall he had been standing near. He could feel it now, the wound was throbbing in searing waves of pain that seemed to wash over him. His breath came in gasps and, through gritted teeth. Tiny crimson rivers of blood flowed from under the shoulder of his leather armor all the way down his arm to again disappear under his glove. Gray cursed himself for the wound, and not taking more time to treat it even a little earlier.

Looking at Sabine, he made a decision. "I need to get to Midtown." He said through clenched teeth, "I know a doctor there.", and with that turned and began pulling himself along the wall in the direction of Midtown, and Kala's home. He had to pray she'd be home, if not...

[Sabine]

“How lucky for me that your sarcasm was left untouched,” Sabine replied dryly.

She teased, but her worried expression gave her away as she took in his appearance. He’d lost his cloak and the broken end of an arrow was sticking out of his leather armour. Still, despite the blood that ran down his arm in rivulets, he seemed to be managing the pain far better than she would have expected.

Maybe it was less awful than it looked.

Her shoulders stiffened, though she didn’t protest as he grabbed her elbow to pull her down the street and away from the incriminating cloaks. He was right, of course. If the guards found them, she had no doubt they would both be stuck through with arrows. 'Shoot first, ask questions later,' as the city’s commoners liked to joke.

He set a quick pace, but made it only several bits before he stumbled and collapsed against a nearby wall.

“Gray.” Sabine’s eyes clouded with concern. His flippant attitude and wealth of discipline had hidden how hurt he truly was. As she studied him, she became newly aware of his clenched jaw, the pallor of his skin, and the sheen of sweat that lined his brow.

“Forget the guards,” she said. “We have to head to the Infirmary.”

But he had his own ideas.

She opened her mouth, ready to argue - What’s wrong with the Infirmary? What if your doctor isn’t home? Why are you always so damn secretive? - until he started dragging himself along the wall in a sad attempt to keep moving.

“Hey, hey.” Sabine gently ducked under his good shoulder and placed an arm around his waist for support. She slowly guided him away from the wall. “Easy there. Let me help you.”

Stubborn man…

She bit back a grimace under his weight. At this point, she just needed to get him help before both their legs gave out. “Okay,” she relented. “I’ll get you to your doctor’s place. Just tell me where we’re going.”

Sabine kept a close eye on him as they pressed on with his guidance. His breathing was laboured, and he seemed to be growing paler by the trill. If he passed out, there was no way she would be able to drag him to either the doctor's or the Infirmary on her own.

“Did I ever tell you the story of how Bram and I met?” she asked suddenly. Her voice was filled with forced cheer. “We both got caught in this terrible thunderstorm. Well, I should say I got caught in the thunderstorm. He was smart enough to avoid it. But then the bastard fell asleep in a cave and scared the living daylights out me…”

She continued to chatter inanely as they gained ground, hoping to distract Gray from the pain and keep him conscious. The bits passed slowly, and Sabine worked to contain the panic that was beginning to form in the pit of her stomach.

How far away is this damn doctor’s house?

She swallowed her worry and tried to keep her tone light. “So I have this colleague, Fern Llewellyn. Yeah, I swear that’s her name. She’s the Gazette’s gossip columnist. Nicest woman you’ll ever meet in your life, but she will believe literally anything.” She glanced at Gray's face and nudged his side softly to keep him from fading. “And I mean anything. One time, someone managed to convince her that everyone from House Venora was a spy for the royal family. The Venoras. Honestly…”

Her relief was palpable when Gray indicated that they’d finally reached their destination. It was a modest stone house that vaguely reminded Sabine of her family’s old home, back when her father was free and she was happy.

Memories for another time.

Sabine helped Gray closer and began knocking loudly and repeatedly on the front door. She would continue to knock until either the door opened or Gray put a stop to it. “For the love of Ilaren, please be home.” Her voice cracked with stress, and what remained of her composure evaporated.

[Kala]

As far as Kala was concerned, her day was drawing to an end. Work done, tired beyond measure and ready to settle down in her small, quiet, stress free home for the evening, she sat curled neatly on her bed, Sage the house cat at her elbow and her journal in hand as she waited for her tea to boil. Her quaint little home was something of a sanctuary for Kala, and it was a part of her daily ritual to relax and record any thoughts or ideas that had occurred to her during the day, an activity that calmed her before preparing for an early sleep so that she may wake early again the next morning.

Unlike most other days, however, it seemed her relaxation was not to be allowed, her attention being drawn to a scuffle at the door, and a moment later, loud, persistent knocking. "Noooo." The young woman groaned, her body sagging to the side so she could bury her face in the pillow and attempt to ignore the knocking. After a few moments it was clear that her visitor was rather persistent in their task, so Kala pushed herself up and off the bed, dropping her journal on her little wooden table as she passed it. Sage followed, springing up into the wooden chair closest to the door to watch with his big amber eyes.

Kala yanked the door open, pinning the two visitors on her doorstep with a fierce glare. A woman, stress clear on her face, and all but hanging off of her, a clearly unwell man. Oh, don't tell me patients are starting to seek me out on my time off! Kala thought to herself in irritation, stepping forward to get a better look at the man, glare softening somewhat. But no, that face was familiar, and was that blood? The broken shaft of an arrow? A shocked, silent moment passed before understanding struck Kala, and she rushed forward a step to assist the woman in getting the injured man inside.

All it took was that closer glimpse at his face and Kala was yanking her hands back, snapping back a step. Her jaw dropped as her mind, never stilling, raced through possible explanations. Ghost? No. Doppelganger? Doubtful. Dead? Apparently not.

"Vincent?"

[Vincent D'Ordyn]

As Sabine help Gray through the city, the arrow an ever present pain in his shoulder, Gray couldn't help but smile at the irony of the situation. The way they had first met, her help in his investigation, and now her help getting to Kala's place. It seemed Gray had become more a burden to the woman than helped her. Soon Gray was pulled from his inner thoughts by her voice, she was going on and on telling him about the people she knew and how she had met them. Gray new what she was doing, he had done it on more than on occasion back when he was still with the Moseke Knights. She was trying to keep him conscious, keep him awake and aware.

As the pain in Gray's shoulder started to edge from throbbing ache, to stapping pain, Gray closed his eyes as the walked and began focusing on the pain. Taking in the sensation, letting it feel him, and then all at once compressing it and pushing it from his mind. Opening his eyes he found Sabine eyeing him worriedly. "Fern, huh? And I thought Sabine was a strange name." Gray teased trying to ease her worry some.

Finally the pair made it to the familiar house. Unchanged since he had last been there about an arc before to pick up some supplies for his mother. As Sabine pounded on the door, Gray's focus was on keeping himself standing. Between the pain, the loss of blood, and the hike to Midtown Gray was exhausted and on the edge of falling out.

Finally the door swung open, and there as he remember her, glare and all, stood Kala. A few trills passed as her eyes ran over Gray and then finally latched onto the arrow sticking out of his back. With that she began to move forward to help, but then her eyes feel on his and recognition flood into them. "Vincent?" he heard her say, and any other time he may have tried to play off the name. Somewhere between the pain of the wound he was still surpressing, the fatigue from the days events, and his general joy at getting to see a friend again, he forgot that Vincent D'Ordyn was suppose to be dead.

"It's good to see you well Kala." Gray replied with a wan smile. "May we come in?" He finished, drawing in a sharp breath as the pain he had been surpressing got away from him and washed through his body.

[Sabine]

“Vincent?” Sabine repeated.

Who the hell was Vincent?

She stared at the pretty brunette for a trill before breaking her gaze and sending a apologetic look to the man leaning heavily on her shoulder. “Gray, I think we’ve got the wrong house-”

She broke off as he cut in with his reply.

…what?

“Uh…” Sabine’s jaw dropped, and her expression mirrored Kala’s almost perfectly. She racked her mind for a response, but instead found herself rationalizing all of the reasons why the brunette had called him ‘Vincent’.

Maybe Gray was a middle name.

A nickname?

But then why did his doctor look as though she’d seen a ghost?

Pain sparked as Sabine’s muscles cramped, and she was reminded of the very real problems she had to deal with before interrogating Gray about the origin of Kala’s shock. She shoved her own surprise to the side and braced herself against the doorway to keep from toppling over. Gray - or Vincent, or whatever the fuck his name was - was tiring and she was weakening and all she really wanted was get the damn arrow out of his shoulder so she could ease the stress that was threatening to suffocate her with its weight.

“Yeaaah, we don’t have time for niceties.” Sabine stepped forward, half-dragging Gray with her, and would attempt to push her way past Kala if the woman didn’t immediately move to help her.

“Listen,” she said. “Sorry to bust in on you like this, but he insisted on coming and he’s probably going to pass out so I’m really going to need a couch or a chair or something.” She spotted a chair inside Kala’s home and jerked her chin towards it. “That’ll do.”

The short walk to the chair was almost more agonizing than the long walk from the Fighting Arena. Once there, she dropped her arm from Gray’s side and helped him sit, watching carefully in case he began to lose consciousness.

She rolled her shoulders to stretch out her cramped muscles and took a shaky breath. “You’re a real doctor, right? He wasn’t making that up?” Sabine glanced at Kala with a mix of hopefulness and skepticism. “Just… tell me what you need me to do. Tell me how I can help.”

[Kala]

"Of course, come in." Kala exclaimed, moving to the side and seizing Vincent's other arm. Once over the threshold with the door closed securely behind her, Kala hurried forward a step to turn the chair around, so that once Vincent sat the back of the chair would be his chest, and Kala could have easy access to his back and the arrow. "What happened?" Kala demanded, the shock leaving her to be replaced with steel and worry. "And where have you been? I thought you were dead!" She shot a hard look in Vincent's direction, bustling around her small home as she pulled her kettle off the fire and retrieved her work kit, dumping it on the little table.

Kala's attention was drawn to Vincent's friend as the woman spoke. Casting an appraising glance over the woman, Kala took in her stiff stance and the strain on her face. "You should sit." She chirped immediately, pulling the second chair around for the woman. "I'm Kala, by the way. It was good of you to help him here." She gestured to Vincent. "I am a doctor, technically." She answered, walking back around Vincent to examine his back.

"But I'm much more familiar with herbs..." Kala admitted, taking a closer look at the wound. "I know a fair amount about such medicine, but its not something I have practical experience in." Taking a deep breath, Kala assessed the situation, studying arrow, it's angle and the entry point carefully. She pressed one palm flat against the mans ribs, and the other on his back, just below the arrow. "A few deep breaths if you would, Vincent." Kala instructed, gazing off into the distance as she focused on the feel of his inhalations and exhalations. Dealing with the arrow was only her concern once she deemed his lung safe and undamaged, as that was something she could do very little to treat.

[Vincent D'Ordyn]

As Sabine carried Gray into the house, Gray let out a little hiss of pain as Kala took up a supporting position under his wounded arm. Even with all of the effort he had made to wall away the pain, some was still finding a way to leak through. Though somewhere in the back of Gray's mind he knew that wasn't a bad thing, he'd be in serious trouble when he stopped feeling the wound.

When the two women finally deposited Gray in the chair, he breathed a huge sigh of relief to finally be off his feet and able to rest. Then the questions started to fly. He had be prepared for them, but the came a bit quicker, and in greater quantity than Gray had been expecting.

He started with Kala's questions first. "I was shot with an arrow." Gray said dryly. "There was an attack on the Arena, I was mistaken for one of the enemy and the guard put an arrow in me for it, the color blind twit." Gray growled the last bit as another pulse of pain washed over his mental walls. "As for where I've been..." Gray glanced quickly at Sabine, than back to Kala. "Can we talk about that later."

Then he turned his attention back to Sabine. "And that is quite rude, and insulting Sabine." Gray stated at her, some strength returning to his voice now that he was able to sit and focus solely on controlling the pain from the wound. "I've never lied to you." Gray finished, then jumped a little when Kala placed her hands on his back.

"Still have those icicles you call hands I see." Gray teased his old friend, letting himself slip into the warmer tone he use to speak in back when he'd been Vincent. Then Gray did as she asked and deeply inhaled, he could feel for himself that his lungs where fine, as both inflated as he breathed. He'd gotten lucky on that.

[Sabine]

“Didn’t have much choice, I’m afraid,” she replied, and half-smiled at Kala. “I’m Sabine.” She gripped the back of the chair that had been offered, but remained standing. Much as she wanted to accept the invitation to sit, she didn’t feel she could relax until Gray’s injury had been treated.
 
It was a kind gesture, nonetheless.
 
A housecat padded over to Sabine and rubbed brazenly against her legs. She gently shooed it away with her foot and turned her attention to the exchange between Kala and Gray. Her eyes followed them with mild interest, taking in the familiarity that accompanied their gestures and words. They seemed to have more than just a doctor-patient relationship. Theirs looked to be an actual friendship, complete with an intimacy and warmth that Sabine was surprised Gray was capable of feeling.

She pushed down a twinge of annoyance and tried to keep a neutral expression when he postponed the explanation of his supposed death. Any fool could see he had a complicated past, but if he didn’t trust her enough to share it then she couldn’t force him. Besides, Kala had provided more than enough information for Sabine to search out the answers on her own.

But when Gray began berating her for questioning Kala’s qualifications as a doctor, Sabine forgot her neutrality and flinched as if she’d been slapped. In just a few words, he’d managed to make her feel like nothing more than an impertinent child. Her face reddened, and hurt flashed in her eyes before being quickly hidden by anger.
 
She had helped him to Kala’s house… for what? To be reprimanded for actually giving a shit? For caring if he was properly treated? The doctor herself had admitted to her lack of practical expertise, so if he expected her to apologize then he had another thing coming.
 
And then for him to insist he’s never lied…
 
Sabine crossed her arms tightly against her chest and glared at the fire. If she looked at Gray, she knew she’d lose what little control she’d managed to maintain over her emotions. “Right. Sure. You’ve never lied to me.” Her words were laced with sarcasm. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Vincent."
 
She’d thought she and Gray had brokered a peace, or at least an understanding of each other, but it was becoming quite apparent that they understood nothing. Gray clearly expected the worst from her, unable to see that she spoke from a place of worry rather than malice.
 
And Sabine didn’t even know who he was.

She waited just long enough for Kala to confirm that Gray’s breathing was normal before stepping around the woman’s cat and stalking towards the front door.
 
“I need some air.”
 
Sabine slammed the door behind her and dropped onto the doorstep, burying her head in her hands. Her cheeks were hot and her fingers trembled, and angry tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. The mounting stress from the day’s events - Elyna, the Arena deaths, the Blue Cloaks, the arrow in Gray’s shoulder - had finally reached a tipping point with Gray’s rebuke.

She wiped roughly at her eyes, drew her knees to her chest, and stared out at the darkening street.

Get your shit together, woman.

None of it should have been surprising - not Gray’s obliviousness, not his unwillingness to trust, and especially not his insistence on secrecy. And yet, as always, he’d managed to get to her and push buttons she hadn’t even realized existed.
 
For someone who knew next to nothing about Sabine, he certainly excelled at figuring out exactly how to piss her off.

[Kala]

"Good to see being dead hasn't impacted you sarcastic nature." Kala muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes at Vincent's snarky reply. Part of her wanted to give the arrow a little flick, simply to let the man know, yes, she had indeed noticed the projectile sticking out of his back. Instead, she stood, satisfied that his lungs were whole and undamaged. The rest of his answer's had raised more questions than it had answered, and Kala pursed her lips in frustration.

"You know what they say; cold hands, warm heart." Kala joked after a few calming breaths, finally cracking a small smile. Her mood changed completely as Vincent turned his attention to address Sabine. Kala moving around the table to pull a small selection of bowls from her little kitchen cupboard. She set them down on table, pausing to watch Vincent and Sabine's exchange. Glancing between her two visitors, worrying her lip between her teeth as she took in the awkwardness of the situation. Of course Sabine was frustrated, and it was only natural for her to feel betrayed and lied too - Kala herself was feeling something similar. Kala winced slightly as Sabine slammed the door behind her, and turned a stern look to Vincent.

"I wasn't insulted, really." Kala murmured, undoing her kit and spreading it open across the table. It was fairly clear to her that the woman was worried, though she didn't mention it to Vincent; She didn't know this woman nearly well enough to give opinion on her motives, and if she was honest with herself, she didn't really know Vincent all that well anymore either. "Don't you trust her? She brought you here, and she said that she's willing to help with this." Kala gestured around the table, picking up the now cooling kettle to pour water into one of the bowls she had set out. Carefully, Kala began to collect the items she would shortly need, starting by setting a pile of gauze and cloth next to her bowl of hot water.

She had formulated a plan for dealing with the arrow, but it was the effect that her method of removal would have on Vincent that worried her. No doubt any little movement or touch would be excruciating, and Kala was going to be manipulating the arrow and the wound itself a fair bit. Sighing, Kala stood again, walking around Vincent's side to rustle through her kit. "This isn't going to be fun Vincent. I have a tea that will dull the pain, but it will also dull your senses, kind of put you into a sleepy stupor." She paused to look him in the eye, attempting to convey her seriousness. "If you want it, or think you'll need it, you need to tell me now. It takes about ten to fifteen bits to kick in, and once I begin removing the arrow, I won't be able to stop and wait for the tea to take effect." Kala paused for his reply, and once she had it, Kala turned and made her way to the front door to get Sabine.

Kala sighed when she saw Sabine, perched on her doorstep, staring off into the distance. She made a mental note to give Vincent a good bashing once he was fit enough, for being such an insensitive ass. Crouching beside the other woman, Kala hesitantly reached out to rest her hand on Sabine's shoulder, unsure if the touch would be welcome, but wanting to comfort her all the same. "Don't listen to Vincent, or Gray, or whatever you want to call him." Kala started, wondering which name she should even be using for him now. Was he even Vincent anymore? He certainly had changed from when Kala had last known him, and perhaps it was more fitting for her to refer to him with this new name. "He doesn't know what he's on about, I wasn't offended and you weren't rude at all, and he's just being a grumpy, pained prick."

"Come back inside." Kala continued, smiling gently at the other woman. "We'll get Vinc-- or, uh, Gray, taken care of, and then I'll make a pot of tea." Standing, Kala opened the door, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Sabine was following. "I'll need a bit of a hand, nothing too drastic, but it will be easier and quicker with you helping me out."

[Vincent D'Ordyn]

Gray could see the hurt in Sabine's eyes after he spoke, and couldn't bring himself to look at her face again after that. Than as Sabine left the house Gray let out a frustrated breath, and cursed himself mentally. Sabine was one of the few people he found he could trust, and that was the reason he had to keep her at arms length.

As Kala begun to set up her supplies and tools, she asked Gray if he wanted a tea to numb the pain. That sounded nice, but at the same time, she mentioned it would effect his mind. Looking Kala in the eye, Gray spoke softly and surely "No drugs, nothing that screws with my head."

After that Gray had to look away from Kala too. He didn't like what he saw in them. It was like she was looking at him like a stranger, and in a way Gray was. Kala had known Vincent, the Moseke Knight, now Gray sat before her. Gray, the ghost of a man, the person who couldn't have friends. After a few more bits Kala had finish setting up her supplies, and headed for the front door to get Sabine.

"Of course I trust her, I even kinda like her, that's why I have to keep her at a distance." Though his words were only heard by the walls, and furniture as both the women were outside. After that Gray undid his leather belt and pulled it off. Undoing the straps on the blades and placing them on the floor beside his seat, than wrapped the leather belt around his right hand and waited for Kala, and maybe Sabine to return.