Back to the cave (Part 1)

Artimus arrived at the cave, jumping off Azure and not bothering to secure the horse. He knew Azure wouldn't try and run away. Damn, he loved that horse. And he trusted it too. Trusted it more than his daughter or wife it seemed.
Azure would be the final piece in this quest, a vital piece that if he hadn't had the horse he would have been more scared doing this. Of course he hadn't told Indy what he was planning, nor Jade. It wasn't that he didn't trust them, it was just that he knew Indis would talk him out of it, and Jade was too much like himself and want to help him.
But he couldn't let her. He had to do this on his own. It was more than he deserved.

Inside the cave he placed a few items down in the very back, in the dark where someone would only find them if they were looking for them. One of the items was the small vial of blood. He wanted to try it out, he desired to try it. But not right now. It would last a few days, she had said. He needed a clear head for tomorrow, and no extra surprises.
He removed his shirt, the blue wouldn't help camoflauge him against the forest, so he went bare chested with his hunting equipment and set several traps. He needed a small supply of rabbits. He wasn't sure how long it would take after tomorrow, so he needed to be ready for a long stay. Once the traps were set he headed for the lake and removed his trousers and boots, picking up his harpoon and wading out until the water was waist height.
He stood motionless and after a while he watched the fish swimming around him. Then with a single swipe, he plunged the point of the harpoon down and speared a mackrel. Not much, but it would do. He threw it to the shore and returned to hisprevious pose.
Just how long he could hold a single pose had never been timed, but he was that way for over an hour, watching and waiting. He was aware of the sounds of the forest, and knew if anyone - or anything - would approach.
The fish returned once again, swimming around him, but he waited longer. He could feel the sun moving around as noon became afternoon and then into evening. Soon the larger fish came. This was what he wanted.
His muscles didn't ache from being held in one position, it was one of his many skills. A large fish swam past and he speared it. Perfect.
he had heard most of the traps being sprung, so he walked out of the water, picked up the mackrel and walked naked to the traps.
Yes, they had all caught rabbits, which he took back to the cave mouth and sat on a large rock in the last of the days sun and started skinning and descaling.
Once his fresh kills were prepared he wrapped the fish in paper and hung the rabbit bodies in the cave. Then he opened the sack of fabric he had obtained. He rolled the material into rolls, to make them easier to use later. Then he picked up his axe and headed out to the forest, cutting down a few old but sturdy branches.
He tested the strength of the wood, finding them hard to break, which was perfect, then whittled them into small straight sticks with his knife.
As the sun started to fade he picked up a lantern, gathered magic and produced a small spark of fire between his thumb and forefinger, using it to light the candle. He continued to craft his small sticks, four about the length of his arms, and two longer ones.

Once it was done he extinguished the lantern and went inside to get a good nights sleep. It may well be his last for a long while.

As the sun arose, it's bright beams caught his closed eyes waking him up. He ate some breakfast, washed in the lake then dressed. He left his sword belt behind, and found Azure.
The horse had found a nice pile of nettles to eat, and was a bit upset to be dragged away so early in the morning. He mounted and headed off on the road to Cape Salarain, and his date with destiny.

[OOC note: This post takes place after Art's run in at Salarain: here ]

Azure picked his way through the forest taking care not dislodge his passanger. And a passenger was all Artimus was at the moment. He'd passed out somewhere on the road from the Cape.
The horse stopped outside the cave entrance and lay down, then started to neigh. Artimus slowly regained consciousness and moved off the horse slowly. He'd never been happier to see a cave!

He staggered inside and pulled his shirt off. It was useless now and he couldn't remove it normally due to his arm. He cut it off with a knife and wrapped it around the worst of the bleeding, then picked up one of the rolls fo fabric he had made earlier and carefully wrapped it around and around, putting pressure on the wound.
Then he picked up two of the sticks he had made and laid one on top of his arm, forcing the arm straight. The pain was great as the bone moved back to where it should be, then he wrapped another roll of fabric around the stick and his arm. He repeated with another stick on the other side of his arm and when finished he wasn't able to bend his arm. That should help it heal.

He wasn't sure what to do about the rib or his jaw, but he cleaned them up as best he could. He had prepared for several days of lying low. His only fear now was that Jade would come looking for him. How could he explain these injuries to her?

~she stood at the edge of camp bottle still hand. as she saw azure. she slowly walked over to him and sat near him. and took the apples out of her pocket and fed them to him setting the bottle down next to her petting azure.~

"Well if you are here means dad is hiding somewhere." ~she looked around alittle still petting azure. as he finished both apples. she picked up the bottle and walked around the camp seeing if he was hiding. she stubbled and sat on the ground laughing loudly.~


"Hey Dad you around here somewhere?" she was half laughing and yelling. she stood up bottle still in hand and decided to check in the cave. maybe he was sleeping.

"Dad?" ~she looked inside.~

He had huddled inside his cave, his eyes were hurting from the sun on them. he was fairly sure they were fine, they just felt a little puffy; or maybe that was his hands.
He had a large pile of firewood just outside the cave, and he planned to start a fire soon to cook some meat. He needed to start his natural healing process.

Then suddenly he heard someone outside. It was Jade!

He heard her coming into the cave, knew she would see him any moment.

Hade he tried to sya her name. He couldn't. Dammit. He didn't want her to see him like this. Weak, vunerable. How was this going to look?

~she walked in and saw him~

"What hell dad...did you get hit by an ogre or troll or something?" she came over by him and sat next to him looking him over. she opened the bottle and put it in his good hand.

"Here this should help its pretty strong stuff." ~she looked over his bandages.~


~she smiled softly at him.~

"Well at least you can take a beating pretty good. Let me make you something to eat." ~she saw the rabbits and took one out and went outside and started a fire and started to prepare to cook the rabbit. As it was cooking she came back in with a bowl of water and she noticed some of the torn pieces of cloth. As she looked over his face. she noticed the jaw out of alignment and took her hands and got it back in place. she winced as she did. then tied a piece of cloth around his head to hold it in place.


"That should help some." ~she smiled alittle then went back outside she stayed out there for a while as she made a stew then mashed it up not sure as to how much he would be able to open his mouth. After a time she came back in with a bowl.~

He looked down as she put the bottle of whiskey in his hand, his anger and... shame?..towards her dying slightly. Dammit, she really was her father daughter. He glanced at the label and nodded in approval. Nice vintage. This was one of the ones they held in the tavern in Grorr. Artimus was an expert on the whiskeys of the taverns of Aegis.

As she set his jaw he winced, and gave yet another small scream - three in one day was unheard of for him. It did feel better though. He pulled the top off the whiskey with his teeth, spitting it out onto the floor and took a long swig of it, savouring that hot feeling as it slipped down his neck.
Oh yes, this would do him fine.

He waited while she went back outside to cook the rabbit, still feeling stupid that she found him like this. He was meant to protect and guard her, not the other way round. Well, not till he was too old to look after himself, which he promised himself he would kill himself before it reached that stage.

He moved over towards the entrance, to sit near her. He tried to speak.

Hade. Mi ad yoww muffa aw geddid maddid.

Ahh Indis. How glad he was that she couldn't see him like this. At least Jade can appear to keep herself together. He loved Indis, but she didn't half fuss over him.

~she raised an eyebrow at his speech boy they did mess him up. She handed him the mashed up stew. she sat a moment and figured out what he had said... boy that was going to take some getting use to.~

"Really?" ~she smiled. then lost in thought of what he looked like.~

"Am not going to ask who or what did this to you. you will tell me if you want to. I have a feeling if mom was here she would kick your ass for getting you ass kicked." ~she chuckled.~

"Now let me make sure you got things set right and if need be put back together. Am guessing a healer is out of the question?" ~she looks at her father.~

Damn right he wasn't going to tell her what happened. Well not the truth anyway.
He nodded his head at her comment, knowing she knew what he had said. Well, he hoped she did.

Yee, No mahes. I dod twus mahes. Ad affa whaa hahhahad da offa dah I no fing I be welcum dere.

He shook his head. She probably didn't understand half what he was saying. It didn't matter. He hadn't told her about the young mage incident anyway...

He placed the stew on the floor and started to spoon it up. He felt stupid having his left arm useless at his side. He kept trying to move it.

He finally finished the stew. Fanks
He was finding it hard to speak.

He pushed the empty bowl to her and tried to smile. It hurt. He leaned back, leaning against the wall and shouted in pain. He leaned forward, not sure what was wrong with his back.
Then he remembered when he had rolled on the floor and his back had hurt. What the hell had happened?

Hade! Waa is on ma bac? he moved around to show her his back.

~she slowly processed what he was saying~

"Ok no healer so you are going to do this the old fashion way then." ~she watched him and let him do most of the things himself. She didn't want to mother him too much. but she could tell when he really needed help.~


"Your welcome dad. And you know even tho you are in rough shape it had to be something to actually stay alive..." ~she drifted off for a moment not wanting to think about him not being here now.~

~she leaned behind him and looked at his back.~

"Looks like a burn.. one sec I got something for that in my bag." ~she ran outside the cave and came back with a container of salve. she took a wet cloth and then dabbed the wound.~

"Ok this might sting alittle but it will make it heal faster." ~ she softly applied it to his back and then she checked over the other bandages. She changed a few of them that were all bloody. She took those and put them on the fire. Old habit from when she would have to do it to her own not wanting anyone to have access to the blood. Then she noticed his wrists. She put alittle of the salve on them and bandaged them up.~

"Geez dad into the kinky stuff being all tied up?" ~ she grinned alittle and just went back to checking.~

"Well you should be set now." she sat back against the wall.

He smiled very slightly as she repeated what he had said. Sort of. She got the idea of it. He kept quiet as she applied the salve to his back, understanding what must have happened.

I waa tiea to a chaaa ann sea maseff on faww to escap. I fink I buww maseff. Ann no kinkaa staa, ownee wiaa ya muffa.

He tried to lean back, but thought better of it. He was starting to feel better now. The whiskey was probably helping. He took another large swig of it and looked at Jade, offering the bottle to her.
Dammit, had it come to this? Getting drunk with his daughter?
Was she old enough to drink?

He put his hand on the pendant around his neck. Oh Indis, why?

~she had been sitting in the library looking at her ring when she was called...a mist formed in the cave as she came back into focus. Her back was facing them~

"It worked!" ~she spun around to see them both. and she saw him. she crossed her arms~

"What the hell happened to you?"

~she had taken the bottle and was taking a drink when she heard her mother speak and she spit out the whiskey~

"Ok how did that happened... and um Hi mom." ~she looked over to her father.~

he sat there quietly and then blinked as Indis appeared.
"Oh great.. I'm delirious now" he thought to himself as she berated him just as he imagined she would do. Then Jade spat out the whiskey and reacted his his hallucination. What the nine hells was happening.

Hade? Yaa see ha huu? He watched her reaction.
Hunna? Innis? Waa yaa doo ia heea?

~she moved over to art and touched the pendant and locket.~

" A spell was put on this..but I couldn't tell you or it wouldn't work. it need you to touch it and think about me to call me to it." ~ she smiled alittle and then looked him over.~

"My god what trouble you must have been in." ~she looked over to jade~

"Well since your father is having issues talking tell me what you know. But knowing you father he didn't tell you the whole thing anyway. " ~she gave a thought glance at him. and then turned back to Jade. as she ran a hand over arts head and kissed his forehead. then moved to sit between them she ran her finger over her new ring absent mindedly loving it on her hand as she listened to her daughter.~

~she nodded and couldn't believe she was sitting in the cave with them.~

"Well I was in grorr at the tavern. sat down with a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass and finished it off then noticed my horse was stolen.... well i even checked the stables cause I couldn't exactly remember.. anyway..I had grabbed another bottle and decided to come check on dad. I was outside with azure feeding him the apples I had picked up and started looking for dad cause you know azure wouldn't be too far from him. And I came into the cave and found him a mess. He also seems to have burned his way out from being tied up. ~she pointed out the bandages as she went.~ But I have no idea who would have done this. ~she looked over to her father for a moment and a thought hit her.~

"You didn't go after the guys who poisoned me did you?" ~she blurted it out before she realized it. oh crap she thought...

~she nodded and looked over the wounds and then looked at her daughter when she blurted out about the poison~

"What poison? You were poisoned...You didn't visit any friends your father brought you to draco to get healed...so it was more then a sailors fist that you ran into. Tell me what happened in the cape. Am assuming that is where you two were if you had a mix up with sailors. Jade Marie Morningstar you tell me what happened!"

~gave her daughter a look~

~she sighed and gave in there was no need to hide it now..~


"Ok.. Well we decided to go see the cape a few days back we had a talk with Kharne and I wanted to see the cape since that is where you had been moving to at the time of everything..So dad had gone a different way into the cape. So I thought he might be testing me to see if I could find him. So i blended in with a group of girls. He didn't even see me." ~she was proud of that part~

"But that group of girls moved to the docks and I turned to see if I saw dad and I ran into this huge guy and he picked me up but I got a few good hits in before he called his group over. and even tho the guy was bend over in pain from the kicks to the jewels four guys got me cornered in a alley and decided to use me as a punching bag my eye was all purple and blue and puffed up so bad I could see thru it. Dad came to save the day. You should have seen him he was amazing tho the adrenline kept me up on my feet after he took care of them I ran over to him and collasped in his arms and after that things are fuzzy. I think he made me put meat on my face and then we went to some shop in the back part of the cape. Thought she was a healer.. but as we traveled from there it started to get worst again so dad thought it be best if we had the mages in draco have a look at me. And he wanted to see you too. So i made my way to a healer and they took me to the area where they treat people and I remember laying down and then my face being cut open and I think I stone fisted some one in the eye. then next thing I remember is being in magical restrains and inside a force field. And overhearing something about being poisoned. and dad was there they didn't look too happy about him. they said for me to stay the night so then dad went back to you and I stayed there until morning and they gave me the ok to leave. I never did find out what type of poison it was or anything. I just know that it is out of my system." ~ took a drink of the whiskey and then handed it back to her father.~

~she sat there listening to her daughter spill the story.~

~she looked to her husband~

~she took in all his wounds and she knew he hated being seen this way cause herself was the same way.~

"Well sounds like trouble is still following you both. Am guessing we will never know what really happened to your father here either." ~she gave him a look and then smiled softly.~

~she sighed~ "These are the moments I wish i wasn't a ghost. At least I could mindlink to you my love. But alass a down fall to being a ghost."

"Am glad it worked I really hope it did. it was why I was always touching it and then telling you am always with you." ~she partly smiled.~

He sat in silence as they spoke, wishing he could speak more clearly, and hearing the story retold. It certainly sounded as if Jade idolized him.
Then Indis mentioned mindlinking... Why hadn't he thought of that! He looked at Jade and concentrated.

"Nicely recapped, daughter. Now, tell your mother I love her very much but didn't want her to see me like this. I knew I would be be beaten up which is why i said I'd be away for a while.

"As for my reasons for doing this. The healer's brother had a grudge against me, which is why she poisoned you. Something went wrong because the poison was meant to make you worse the next day so that I'd take you back there. And the brother would then be waiting for me.

"I volunteered to return, alone, because I hope word would get out that if anyone wanted to take a pop at me, they can come directly to me and not go through an innocent person. Hopefully word has got out now that i am not to be messed with."

His face went very stern.

"Now listen, I'm going to tell you this one, and once only. These are VERY dangerous people. I was lucky today. VERY lucky. Do NOT go back there looking to avenge me. I know you don't listen to half what i tell you, but I mean this."

He slumped slightly, clearly this was a drain on him.

"You know most of the rest. I was captured and tied to a chair. I had to set myself on fire to escape, and managed to take most of them with me."

He turned to Indis and raised his good arm, moving to stroke the side of her face. He couldn't smile, not any more the pain was too great. But he had to know if she could still be solid away from the library.

"And tell her it IS good to see her."

And with that he slumped forward and started snoring.

~she chuckled to herself as her father rattled all that off to her in a ml.~

"Ok dad geez... ok mom dad says, "He loves you very much but didn't want you to see him like this. But he is glad to see you."



~ml~ "Geez dad after all that this is the one time I will not go against you...thought you know I want to badly. I will keep the whole story to myself for now. I will let mom tend to you for a bit and I will keep watch outside the cave."


"Ok am going to give you alone time with him mom. I will be doing some patrols and watching things outside. Yell if you need anything."

~she walked out of the cave and pet azure for a bit then moved to check around the camp make sure there wasn't anything hiding. She also set up a few traps to make noise if anyone got close.~

~she smiles at him as he reaches for her face.~

" I love you to hon." ~she can tell something is stressing him~


"Captain stop over doing it." ~as he fell asleep.~

~she shakes her head alittle~

"Ok Jade honey becareful. am not sure my range from the locket. something we will test once your father is better."

~once Jade left indis looked around the cave as art slept some. She wondered where he had put that vial of blood she gave him. Just a tiny bit would help with the healing process. not enough to get him the abilities. Just to help with the healing. She started looking around the back of the cave. She smiled having found it. with as out of it as he was he would never know...she slowly placed a small amount into the injector. She place the shot in the bad part of his arm. that should do it she thought to herself. and she carefully placed it back to where he had hid it. While he slept she checked the bandages jade did them very well. She saw the canister with the salve in it. She slowly roll art knowing he probably had a cracked rib. and applied more of the salve and rebandaged him up. She watched him sleep then glanced down to the ring he had given her. she smiled at it. God she wished she was flesh and blood again. The only way she knew how to do that was to costly. She pushed the thought from her head. At least the locket worked. She could actually be out of the library now. She moved closer to art and laid next to him watching him sleep. God she had missed him so much and now here he is next to her. Still wanting her and wanting to with her forever.. to be his wife like he had before he left...she flicker alittle and then got it under control. She just enjoy the freedom from the library and being with everyone she loved so dear.~

He slept in a deep sleep, muscles twitching as he laythere unaware he was in the arms of the woman he loved. Asleep, in that little slice of death, nothing hurt.
He had no idea how long he slept for, not what he dreamt - he could rarely remember his dreams - but as he started to return to the waking world, he felt something pinning his arm. Not his injured arm, his good arm. Panic seized him as he thought he had been captured once again, and he pulled with mighty force to remove whatever it was.

His eyes opened and he started into... Indis?

No, that had been part of his dream, hadn't it? He glanzed around, puzzlement on his face. he was in the cave. How could she be there?
Then he remembered what she had said about the pendant.

He relaxed and let her sink back into the comfort of his body.

Goo Mornin he managed. His jaw felt better already, his words taking better shape as he could move it a bit more. Maybe by tomorrow he could be annoying people again.

Wa I oua fa lonn? he glanced down his body, seeing he still had his leather trousers on. An did ya hel yaasel to anyfin whil I waa out?

He still couldn't quite manage a grin, but he winked instead, then started wondering if he could start a new trademark with a cocky wink...

~she smiled at him and sat up.~

"Morning my love how are you feeling?" ~she checked him over.~

"You were just out for the night tho I might have helped the process alittle of your healing. But I rather enjoying just been here with you and watching you sleep. Jade popped in to check on you once in awhile. She watched the camp last night." ~called to Jade~

"Jade hon bring me some fresh water so I can change the bandages."

~she smiles back at her husband~

~Jade hearing her mothers request brings in some water and alittle more stew.~

"Here water and something for him to eat." ~she smiled seeing him awake.~

"Good Morning Dad. I am going to the lake so if you need anything I will be back." ~she steps out of the cave heads to the lake~

He started trying to move, but Indis kept him pinned down. He resigned himself to the fact the two most important women in his life were going nurse him back to health whether he wanted them to or not.

Haaa Hade been oop all niaa? He tried to say, hoping she could understand him.

He moved his legs a little, glad to find they were working fine. Probably about the only part of him that wasn't injured.

Actually, despite his shame on them finding him like this, he was actually glad they were here. He would have struggled changing the dressing on his own.

Fanns Iniee He leaned towards her for a kiss while he waited for Jade to appear.

Jade arrived a moment later, and was gone as quickly as she entered.
He closed his eyes and concentrated, wondering why the mindlink was taking so much out of him all of a sudden.

"Jade, did you tell your mother what i told you last night? Oh, and for it's worth, thank you."