Hunting for Jade (Part 2)

~she sat up on the edge of the bed wrapping one of the blankets around her and standing up.~

"I really wish you would get all this bad news out at once... instead of back and forth."

~she moved over to the window and looked out.~

"So are you going to tell me now or wait until jade gets back with it." ~she turned and looked in his direction.~

He knew she had moved, but he kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling. He couldn't look at her.

It started as a small project many years ago, when I was first promoted. You have to understand that I wasn't just Captain of the Royal Guards, I was defender of the Island, and to defend the island I had to be prepared for whatever might appear. I had to be prepared.

His voice sounds soft, almost remorseful.

I started to make notes on people who might try and attack. What should i do if Rensain suddenly decided to try and retake the throne by force? How should I defend myself? So I started a dossier - my Protocols - on certain people. Their fears, weaknesses. Powers, and how to counteract them.
So, I started with the likely threats to the island.

Then, as time went on and I was betrayed by people I thought close to me, I started looking a little closer to home.

He paused at this point, his voice becoming hesitant.

"What if one of the guards was bribed, or turned bad." I asked myself. "How would I take them down." So I expanded my protocols to include other, less likely but still possible targets. Same thing. Their weaknesses, powers, ways to subdue to kill them quickly...

Another pause, he was still staring at the ceiling, hardly breathing now. This was very hard, talking about it like this.

What started off as a personal project many years ago, has become a very detailed dossier on most of the citizens of the island.... Past and present...

~listened to him~

"Am in that book am guessing."

~she flickered in and out changing into clothes and setting the blanket down as she sat on a chair across the room~

He still couldn't look at her. This was why he hadn't told her about it before now. He could feel his life falling apart around him.

Yes was all he could manage.

~she glenched her mouth as her hands went into fists.~

"I TRUSTED YOU WITH MY SECRET. WRITING THAT SECRET DOWN YOU MIGHT AS WELL HERE TAKE THE BLOOD ALL OF IT.... ~She paced~ ITS NOT ONLY MY SECRET... HELL ITS NOT MY SECRET ANYMORE... ITS JADES. YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST KILL HER YOURSELF. ARTIMUS MORNINGSTAR WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE...." ~ She storms out of the room slamming the door and walks out of the tavern across town hoping she be out of range soon.~

He remained lying on the bed for a long time, a single tear rolling down his face.

He hoped she would - could - understand why he had done it. Not immediatly, he knew it would take time, but he had to do it.

He'd been betrayed by his friends. Not just once but twice. First when James had turned on him, then once more when Raziel had unleashed his inner demon - quite literally. He had not wanted to be unprepared again.

But then, that was why he was so protective of his book. Hell, he'd even made a deal with Marianna Mashall to protect it.

Of course the book had been designed so no one individual entry could be removed. That would distrupt the purpose of it, if someon where to find it and remove their entry. No, everything was crossed across other people's. It did mean the whole thing had be read in it's entireity, it wasn't something that could understood by skim reading. Apart from himself of course.

No, what he needed was his journal here, so he could give it to Indis, then maybe she would understand.
He also hoped that by reading some of the other entries she would understand he hadn't just singled her out.

After all, he had placed an entire entry into the the quickest way of killing Preia. At least Indis' entry only detailed ways of slowing her down and incapacitating her, not outright killing.

Of course Jade wasn't listed. He hadn't known abotu jade when he was ogirinally writing them, and once he did he had no need to detail her.

The obvious choice would be to destroy the book, but it contained so much more than his protocols. It contained his thoughts, dreams, memories both good and bad; from many years back.

Perhaps it would be for the best. He could start some new protocols. And a new journal.

Yes, he could. For her.

His hand reached out and stroked the pendant around his neck. Another tear ran down his face, but he didn't seem to notice it. He was too lost in thought about the past.

~she misted into the room~

"Really...*she growled* you make it hard to walk away when you think about me.~ If she could have been crying she would have she still that that very angry face on she went and sat on the edge of the bed. not making eye contact just looking at the floor.~

"I can't believe you did this...once people find out about who jade is they will put what you wrote down out. If they find out the power is in that blood."

~she realized something..~

"Oh God..."

His mind was thinking back to the good times they shared, that tear - or maybe another one - still moving slowly downwards.

He was still staring at the ceiling, although he wasn't looking at it, his hand stroking the pendant.

He was suddenly broken from his thoughts by her voice. Gods, he was dreaming of her shouting at him now.

Then he realised she was in the room. He sat up, bolt upright with surprise on his face, then realised what had happened.

He was just about to offer to send her away if that was what she wanted, when she exclaimed. That didn't sound good...

What? he asked, his voice sounding very concerned.

"You left that vial of blood in the cave didn't you."

~she growled~

"Maybe I trusted you too much cause my heart got in the way."

~she heavily sighed~

"My love for you got in the way...left everthing to come here to be near and with you...then let you in on my secret...then you left me...then i found out about jade...if it didn't have her... I would not be here. I was such a mess after you left with her...Yet my heart told me that you would come back and things would be right...Maybe I was fooling myself..." ~she looked down at her ring and slipped it off. and held it.~

I put the blood next to my journal. If Jade found one, she found the other. And if she didn't find it, then it must be VERY well hidden.

He inwardly sighed as she brought up the fact he'd run off yet again, but showed no outward expression of it. Was she going to keep bringing this up everytime they had a disagreement?
Then she took her ring off, and his breath caught for a moment.

Indis.. Indy.. he started, his mouth dry and the words having trouble coming out. I didn't mean to bring you back to the room just now. I know you need time to.. away from me right now. Just say the word and I can... If you want to... Need to.. i don't want you to go, I want you to stay, but I know I'm annoying you...
The words were tumbling out now, not making much sense.

He stops talking and realises he's sounding stupid. Dammit, this was just as bad as when he was trying to write letters to her. At least he could crumble the paper up and start again when doing that...

If you need to be alone...

Dammit, he wasn't making any sense, and he was just frustrating himself.

~she held the ring in her hand she pushed him down on the bed and she cuddled up next to him laying her head on his chest not saying anything just needing to be there with him. The mad face she had was now replaced by a blank one she was trying to process it all.~

He was pushed back, and stared at the ceiling once again.
Some days he just didn't understand women!

He put his arm around her, almost nervously. He felt like this was their first time being close, which was stupid, but he knew he messed up.

No, he hadn't messed up. One day that information might be critical. What if Jade had met up with Tiberious and he had injured her badly? The journal had a lot of information about him which might be of use to anyone seeking revenge. Not many people knew what his fear was, for example, or the weakest spot on his body. Artimus did, because he did his research.

Just as long as the book remained safe, that was all that mattered.

What he needed was for Indis to read it. properly read it and understand it, the way it was written, the information it contained.

Of course there was that boring bit at the start with his feelings for a certain mage... Oh hells... She wouldn't want to read that, would she?

He was begining to wish he'd never mentioned the damn thing now!

His throat was still feeling dry, and he thought he needed a drink. But was having a whiskey right now the right thing to do?

And just what was keeping Jade?

~she came out of the ground behind the tavern and looked around and then quietly went are she was still in her fathers shirt no boots or anything just the shirt and the bag wrapped around her. she walked up the steps and knocked on the door.~

~ml~ Dad its me and don't freak out..

~she layed there in his arms taking his hand and playing with. She was starting to think maybe she overreacted alittle still..the info could be useful she just wished he didn't write about her in it. She always trusted art from that first day....always. Did what he say really shake that. No...it didn't she always knew he would do what was best...she looked at the ring again and placed back on her finger as she heard the knock.~

He let her play with his hand, his mind was elsewhere so he wasn't aware of her putting the ring back on.

Then came the knock and the mindlink. he almost sat up right away, but Indy was still on his chest so he didn't.

Jade's here. he said to her, knowing she wouldn't have heard the link.

"And what am I not meant to get freaked out about?" he sent back to her.

~she opened the door and walked in still in one of her dads shirts and the bag over her back.~

"Um...Hi.. am back. Got what I could..."

~she sat up and looked at the door as she walked in.~

"Jade dear where are your clothes?"

He blinked as she walked in. She'd left wearing that dress that she's got.. from somewhere.... Although he'd assumed she would have changed once she reached the cave. And if she didn't, why had she only put on one of his shirts?

With the weight of Indy off him, he could finally sit up again.

Cut your hair short, and with that shirt people might mistake you for me.

Yes she didn't have any trousers on, which was the bigger part of the joke. Not that he expected Jade to understand. Indis would, if she could remember the stories she was told. That got him thinking about the holes in her memory, which was what first brought up the whole Journal business.

Did you get everything from the cave? He tried to keep his voice light, but he realised after he said it that he was sounding anxious.

~she looked at art then back to jade. a missing part. ~

"And why are you only wearing a shirt. I would have thought you would have got out of that dress and not put on almost less."

~she sat on the edge of the bed.~

~she sighed alittle and walked over dropping the bag on the bed.~

"I got dressed and stuff together and Tib walked in on me." ~she looked from her mother to her father.~

He started to reach out for the bag, eager to check the book and the blood were there, then stopped as she mentioned Tiberious. He stared at her, trying to piece together what could have happened. Why would she need to get undressed when.... Oh no...

Jade Marie Blake.... He started, his voice almost a growl, then he startled himself with his own temper.

Did he make you... Did... Were you... he shook his head.

Did you get away with all your limbs, and no lasting damage?

~she chuckled then realized how drained she was now that she was safe.~

"Yes all still attached." ~she reached into the bag and pulled out a pair of her pants and pulled them on after getting them on she stagged a bit.~

"Thank gods for my abilities. The stoneskin saved me. Tho I think tiberious is very curious about it... cause well he could see the color change. especially when my clothes came of..." ~she realized she rambled to much.~

"Your journal and the botttle of blood is in there... what is that there by the way? and how?" ~she sat down on the floor. then laid back she looked tired and worn out.~

He glanced at Indy as Jade mentioned the journal. As for her question about the blood...

The blood is for training purposes. he said calmly. If Indis wanted to elaborate, she could.

He opened the bag and started to rummage around inside, finally finding the two items. He also spotted a few shirts of his.

He put the bottle of blood on the bedside table, and held the journal firmly in his hand. He looked at Indy once more.

Do you want to read this while I go to Meriddia?

he was doing ti again, not telling them the full story. he turned to Jade to explain.

Once you've rested, I'd like you to go back to Draco to get Azure for me, then meet me in Meriddia. I'll be heading there, there is someone I want to see. Then we can all head over to our new home.

~she looked at the journal then him~

"Well if you are all going in other directions. I get to go to the library...oh yay...yes I will read it.."

~she put her hands on it.~

"Might as well send me now. and yes Jade the blood is for training." ~she was still upset and not happy about being sent away again not like she had a choice.~


"Send me away oh master and call me if you want me around..." ~she held tight to the journal and looked at the ground until he sent her away.~

~she nodded and then made a face as her mother was saying things.~

~ml~ "I thought you were suppose to make up with her."

"Yes keeping my stoneskin up for that long... if he didn't let me go when he did things could have been alot different and Tib would have all our things."


~she got up and crawled into the bed.~

"Just let me sleep a few hours and I will be ready to go."