Helayne Ilirium All too quickly the well trodden path changed to cobbled road, the scent of earth and rain faded into the thick musk of too many unwashed bodies pressed close together in the heart of the city. The verdant greens of the forest faded away, what little could be spotted here had chosen the sensible thing and died, withering in the cracks in the roadway. A heaviness settled over her, a subtle shift in the air that spoke of the dangers lurking in the darkened alleyways. Even the surly bay mare beneath her, normally snorting like a demon, seemed unsettled. Her ears shifted back and forth, listening to the strange sounds around her. At her side strode the tall white wolf, his amber gaze shifting protectively back and forth among the throng of people. Hushed gasps parted their way at the sight of his quivering lip. Somewhere far above Sif flew, unwilling to venture too close to so many gathered. She hardly blamed him. This was not a path taken lightly for her either. Memories like blades dug at the careful shield around her mind. It was here she’d shown up, half crazed, beyond starved, ripped to bloody ribbons down to her very marrow. Hel had struggled through the mire of memories, trying to pull apart what was real and what was nightmare, if they had not been one and the same. It was a marvel someone had not dragged her into these haunted shadows to finish what another had started. She owed so very much to one who had been a stranger until that day. She’d laid on the floor of that shop for weeks, her hollow belly pressed to the floor, unable to move from the agony on her back, struggling to breath through her pain. Trembling at the gentlest touch of her savior, trying to mend what she could of her back, her legs. The skin had grown back, jagged and thick making her whole in some ways again. There were still deeply shattered places within though, her own voice screaming into an endless agonizing void. A deeply rooted need for revenge and blood had taken root, for herself, for those she’d heard suffering around her, for the sweet boy who had saved her that day. No matter where she turned though, she hadn’t found the answers she sought. She only seemed to make a fool of herself. A growl broke through the fog in her mind, forcing her to focus on the present once more. Ghost’s wary gaze met her own, almost chastising her for her distraction in this place, before he continued on. She smiled slightly, looking around the familiar shops lining the roadway. The weathered sign she sought out swayed in the breeze, Toad & Thyme. Slipping from the mare’s back, she took her around the side of the building to settle her before making her way inside, the wolf at her heels. She was instantly surrounded by the heady scent of drying herbs and medicinal plants lining the walls. Light shown through the array of colorful glass, filled with a variety of salves, oils and other various remedies. Plants grew thick along the ceiling, their vines interwoven, drooping in places where you had to duck beneath them. She peered around the room, noting a few customers walking along the aisles and browsing the shop’s plethora of merchandise. Hel made her way around, looking for the keeper she’d come to know as both friend and savior. "Speaking color"

art by lianili

While the stores of silver powders and vampire ash dwindled, rumours were always readily available.  Even during the most desperate times, people couldn't help themselves to stories.  Tales about the dead rising from their graves down to scandalous couplings all for the sake of tarnishing a name.  Now, whether they held any legitimacy or not, however, should always be debated.  Tanyi LeFer had never taken them at face value.  Being in this line of work didn't allow you to.  There was always a hint of scepticism in the occultists' eyes as she listened to the patrons of Toad & Thyme murmur among themselves.  Something about a man being buried one day and walking the streets the next as if nothing had happened.  Now that was a story Tanyi believed, having witnessed it herself.  There weren't many people in Shanton who knew about Vampires but, unfortunately, the number who did was growing at an alarming rate.  Sheepish faces came seeking charms to keep the fiends at bay lest they fall victim to the bite.  "Don't let the braid fall apart."  She'd caution while holding a string of dried garlic to one of the customers seeking an expert's advice.  "And hang it over your front door."  They took it from her hands with a grateful smile and Tanyi would offer one in return.  The scarred flesh of her mutilated cheek rose with the motion and seemed more unsettling than it was comforting.  She wouldn't let that stop her, though. "We also sell vervain lockets,"  Tanyi started while motioning towards the vials that hung from their respective hooks by silver chains.  "that keeps you safe from being possessed."  As they exchanged currency and items, a familiar face caught Tanyi's eye and roused again that sensation of delight. "Helayne!"  Tanyi waved towards her from behind the counter as the customer gathered their goods and left the shop, their departure announced by the delicate chime of a bell.  "It has been a while.  What brings you back to Shanton?"  She'd ask with a slight tilt of her head.  Coppery hair fell around her shoulders as she leaned comfortably against the counter, elbow propping up a hand that - in turn - cupped her chin as she regarded the taller woman with the studious sweep of her silvery gaze. By all accounts, she appeared quite well.  No visible marks told of vampire claims or a ghastly paling of her already milky skin that would betray a sudden... shall we say, supernatural change.  If they had turned her dear friend, Tanyi couldn't see how.  Not only was Helayne a strong, fierce woman capable of holding her own, but she had an occultist in her corner always willing to offer charms or spells to keep her safe during these travels.

Helayne Ilirium She heard her before she saw her, the familiar voice instructing her clients on the best ways of protecting themselves from the vermin slowly invading the city. ”Helayne!” she heard her friend call as she rounded to the front desk. Hel smiled as the woman's quicksilver gaze looked her over, assessing for signs of change or injury. It reminded her briefly of her mother, her healer’s gaze always looking over her children when they came home. She ignored the bright flash of pain that bloomed in her chest, shoving it back neatly into the darker corners of her mind before she reached the counter. ”Tanyi!” Her own dark gaze looked over the other woman, searching for signs of injury or trouble that she may have had in her shop while she was away. Everything appeared intact, but it did make her nervous for those that may brand her as something other or that the beasts she sought to protect her patrons from would come seeking reparation for their difficulties. ”It has been a while. What brings you back to Shanton?” Hel pulled the leather pack from her shoulder, laying it on the counter heavy with pelts, herbs, and a whole other variety of goods she’d found or hunted in the far reaches of the wilds. ”Too long,” she smiled, leaning against the counter as Ghost pushed his way eagerly around to seek Tanyi’s side, the only other person the wolf truly tolerated. ”I’ve brought gifts,” she answered, looking around the shop briefly before meeting her friend’s gaze once more. ”How have you been? Everything okay here?” A hollow question with the looming threat beyond the reaches of the door. The city was growing more aware, the threat ever more present. But more than anything she wanted to know her friend was safe. Her skill was unlike any Hel had known though, her power so like the shaman women of her country. Despite the immense debt and gratitude she felt to the woman, it was probably what had most drawn her in,, the familiarity and wisdom beyond her years, she felt like a small piece of home in this dark place.

art by lianili

There wasn't a day between them where Tanyi could say she didn't ponder over her dear friend.  Whether it be in passing musings or through a wayward memory, the image of the wounded woman in the snow seemed to find its way into her mind.  The fear Tanyi felt at the sight of blood and visceral, weeping lacerations caused her heart to ache and the gratitude of Helayne's living, breathing smile warmed her soul.  How many times had the occultist declined any form of payment before finally relenting with a laden sigh?  She should have known that anyone who could survive what Helayne went through would be as stubborn as a work-worn mule.  What she didn't expect were the countless packages that would appear on the stoop of Toad & Thyme.  Like clockwork, a satchel appeared every week.  They were often filled with things others wouldn't think twice about keeping.  Sometimes they were stuffed with valuable treasures.  Dried mushrooms.  Workable pelts.  Hoof casings.  Bones.  Though the contents sometimes varied, one thing was continual; the note of thanks signed off by none other than one Helayne Ilirium.  Even if she was often the one to hand deliver them. That's why Tanyi didn't grimace and groan when there was a mention of gifts - she was used to it now.  Instead, she lowered herself to plant an endearing kiss on Ghost's head as he made his way over to greet her.  Gentle fingers rummaged through his fur, scratching gently behind the ear and throughout the plush coat of his neck.  It always surprised Tanyi just how soft he was to the touch.  As was their tradition, Tanyi dug through a jar tucked behind the counter and withdrew two dried rabbit ears.  Both would be offered to the wildhound. "How have you been?  Everything okay here?"  She reached for the sachel that had been placed on the counter, her fingers rummaging through taking stock of its mystery contents.  Though, she speculated what could be inside.  "Its been quiet."  Tanyi murmured as she withdrew the impressive deer pelt and folded it, neatly, on the counter.  "Some may say that's a good thing in Shanton.  I know better, though."  Her sterling gaze appraised the dried herbs she pulled out next and the glistening allure of a crystals crude surface shortly before tucking them away into the 'sort later' box hidden behind the counter. "It's always quietest before the storm but I'm prepared for it so no need to worry."  She'd oppose her own grim statement with a warm smile that quickly turned into genuine excitement as she withdrew what would appear to be an ordinary river stone from the satchel. What made it different, however, from any other stone was the pinky-width hole that was carved throughout.  Tanyi held it up to her eye to peer at Helayne as if scrutinizing her through an eyeglass.  "A hagstone's quite the rare find!"  She held it out to her friend.  "Keep this one.  If something looks too good to be true, look through the hagstone to wash away the lies."