The Caravan Inn }Open{

[Abyssal Majesty]

A faint smile graced her features as Roland thanked her.

"No need to thank me hun.. Just rest."

Taking up a half of the snapped reed, Asherah popped it in her mouth and chewed on it quietly. Roland was to have the other half. It wasn't anything special, just a subtly sweet cane to get any bad tastes out of her mouth. Ash had been pleasantly introduced to them as a small child. But in any matter. For a while, Ash stayed in the hut, reorganizing the other lotions and potions in their bin before stashing it away. The thought crossed her mind where the girl came from, but as with most people, it was probably somewhere far, or something. She'd ask her later.

It was however, getting late. As much as Asherah wanted to stay and keep an eye on Roland, she had to begin making her rounds. Standing up, Asherah produced a small bell from the side of the room, putting it in Roland's hand.

"Ring if you need me."

Twitching her long ears, Asherah went for the door.

[Von Fuzzball]

If she could've smiled, she would have. Whatever plan she had come up with (she couldn't rightly remember what it had originally been) probably consisted of getting the antidote and then continuing on her way. But she had to admit, this was better. She wasn't usually for one to taking up someone's resources like this, but one night (or was it daytime?) wouldn't hurt too much. She kept her eyes closed as the faint sounds of the other doing whatever tasks in the room accompanied her to a dozing stage. She was only vaguely aware of an object placed in her hands and her fingers twitched, though she couldn't get them to successfully wrap around the object.

She couldn't wait until her body obeyed her again.

That was the last comprehensible thought to cross her mind before the exhaustion of the poison on her body took its toll. Before much longer, she was out cold, her body aiming for the rest it needed.

[ It's getting late here, so I'm going to call it a night. I'll be back tomorrow. Later! ]

[Von Fuzzball]

The trip back to consciousness was a slow and groggy one. Roland's vision was blurred upon waking her eyes, but that was easily cleared with the help of her hand. After rubbing at her eyes to rid it of sleep and its general fuzziness, she took a moment to take in her surroundings. At first, she wasn't quite sure where she was, but seconds later it became clear. She hadn't gotten a good look at the place before, so it was only natural that the room still looked unfamiliar and lacked a place in her memory.

But she already felt a hundred times better than yesterday. ..Was it yesterday? She wasn't sure how long she had actually slept. She tested how well her body functioned; flexing her hand and her fingers, wiggling her toes, slowly shifting her body around until she was certain she could sit up without falling out. She still sat up slowly and although there was some dizziness, there weren't any other major signs of any after effect. Even the icy sensation she felt before was gone.

She let her feet hand over the side of the table and ran a hand through her hair, letting her hand linger to rub the back of her neck as she continued to look around. Her only guess was that this was something of a healing room. She was lucky that there was such a place close enough to reach before she died. If she ever came across those guys again, she would-.. She blinked in sudden realization and her hand flew to her pocket. Her locket.. She was relieved once feeling its familiar form through the fabric of her pants. Guess she didn't have to worry about that.

Sliding slowly off of the table, she tested her balance, moving from one foot to the other and even hopping up once or twice. Everything seemed to be in working order.

[Master Nemesis]

Right around the time that Roland was awakening, Sabrina was doing the same. Being one of those people who took some time to kick into gear, she stirred, opened her eyes and looked about blearily, then simply laid there for about ten minutes and tried to muster the will to pull herself out of bed. Eventually, after lots of half-hearted struggling with herself, she decided that she probably wasn't gonna fall back asleep anyway. With all the enthusiasm and energy of a sequoia tree she wose fwom hew gwave emerged from the comforter that she had wrapped about herself as she slept, and tottered to her feet. The hair on one side of her head looked as though it was desperately trying to get away from her.


She was about to head into the restroom, to initiate the standard morning rituals of humans everywhere, when she noticed the sliding door that led outside, which still sat wide open. It took her groggy brain a few moments to process the implications of that, and when it did, it kicked immediately into 'minor panic' phase. Quickly, the young woman hurried over to her stuff to make sure everything was still there. After making ensuring that her possessions were undisturbed, Sabrina mumbled some nasty names for Ben under her breath and walked over to yank the door shut. Then she picked up her stuff and headed for the bathroom.


Minutes later, she reemerged, dressed in clean clothes - a simple black t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, complemented by her usual accessories of headband and boots - and appearing much better prepared to face the day. After snatching up the keys that Chloe had left behind, she reopened the door, and took a few seconds to absorb the scene in front of her: a playful breeze, cool and fresh with the scent of last night's rain, the susurrus of waves breaking gently on the beach, and an early morning indigo horizon that promised the imminent arrival of the sun.


Sabrina could tell she was gonna love it here.


She sighed with contentment, shut and locked the door behind her, and set off towards the main building across the moist, crunchy sand.

[Abyssal Majesty]

}Time Paradoxing. This is just after Ash left Roland.{

Sighing out, Asherah wiped sweat from her brow. That was more excitement than she could have asked for the first day. But. All was well. She only hoped her Inn's family could grow. For a moment, she paused and looked up to the night sky. The rain had stopped, and the grey clouds had all but blown away. The sounds of the forest behind the Inn calmed Asherah. She was home, she had company.

She wasn't alone anymore.

Starting off again, Asherah made it all the to the wash hut, stopping to knock at the door.

"Ben? You still in there?"

[E is for Enigma]

After Ash and her attendant had shuffled the new girl away to someplace she could recouperate, Ben had used his portal ability to check the perimeter of the property to see if anyone had followed the newcomer. To his relief, no sign of danger had accompanied her from out of the storm. To his very good fortune, he'd discovered, in his search of the premise, the 'wash hut' one of the serving girls had earlier hinted might exist.

To distract himself from brooding over the fate of the new girl, Ben had applied his knowledge of household appliances to the several machines he found there. Unfortunately, none of them looked like washers back at the Rochester house, and he couldn't for the life of him figure out how to work them.

He was just about to resort to using the sink when Asherah's voice caught his attention.

"Ah, Miss Asherah," he said, sounding relieved. "So good to see you! You wouldn't happen to know how to work these contraptions would you?"

And as it occurred to him again, he decided to voice his other concern.

"The girl," he said. "Is she going to be alright?"

[daintyone]

Tig's ship was in port not all that far.

She had gotten a tip from a local fisherman of a nice little spot to relax. She and her crew certainly needed it. With a happy grin and bloodshot eyes, she was able to make her way in. Her features were docile and beautiful. The temptress was a tall pale vampire sporting tiger ears and a matching tail. Long brown locks curled under her ornate pirate cap (which she promptly removed upon entering).

Her attire reflected her days at sea. Black boots, shiny and clean, tapped and did not track sand. A thick crimson coat with gold embellishments and tight brown leggings. Her left eye was white and blinded, though she wore no patch to hide it. "Evening. I was told this was the place to take some time off.." She announced. Her silky voice making anything she said sound pleasant.

[Abyssal Majesty]

"Yes." She said breathily, she was tired. "She'll be just fine. She's sleeping now."

Opening up her hand slowly and grabbing at the shirt gently. Her motions were less jumpy now, far more graceful. Opening the washer, she tossed it in, set it to light load. Closing it, she plugged in the other things needed and stepped back. The washer started.

"It should be done in about I dunno. To tell you the truth, I'm pooped."

---

"Good evening!" Said a gentle, welcoming voice from the foyer. It was Phoebe. She was on the night shift. "I'm sorry to say that Asherah, the owner is in the back tending to some laundry. But can help you!"

Clasping her hands together, she smiled wide.

[E is for Enigma]

"Oh, well," Ben said, going to a corner of the hut where he'd earlier seen a chair and pulling it over to the proprietess and offered a hand to help her sit. "Please, then, have a seat. I can believe you'd be exhausted after a day like this. Didn't you say you had only just opened? It seems word travels fast in these parts."

[Abyssal Majesty]

Smiling, she reached up and touched Ben's cheek in thanks as he brought up the chair. Taking the seat she blew out a long breath.

"Terribly fast, I'm afraid. Sometimes you don't get a break for years it seems." She chuckled. "But, thankfully, it's made all my time on this planet an interesting one..."

Trailing off with a bit of a nod, she smiled faintly.

"But, hopefully here. I can slow it down for some. Let them relax and heal.. Perhaps in time everything will be stable enough even for me to settle down."

[E is for Enigma]

"It sounds to me as though you've lived a long time otherwise," he said, as though he knew such a lifestyle first hand.

Pulling another chair up for himself, Ben took a seat across from Asherah, then bent to take one of her feet gently in his hands.

"Up we go," he said, and lifted the appendage into his lap, where he undid her sandal and began massaging her foot and ankle. The callous there surprised him.

"How long have you been traveling, Miss Asherah?"

[Abyssal Majesty]

Asherah blushed a bit as he took up her petite foot. Not only was she a little ticklish, but he hadn't had a good foot massage since.. well. Her smile dimmed for a split second before she was able to shake it off. She was in the presence of a true gentlemen, best act like a lady.

"Thank you Ben." Sinking back a bit Asherah hummed closing her eyes. "I'm six hundred and five years of age now.. " She peeked her right eye open and looked at Ben, she even wiggled her ears slightly. "Been on the road since I was around my early twenties. Gotten to stop along the way a few times, but, heh, that was very far and few betwixt and between..."

[E is for Enigma]

Ben couldn't help it--a laugh of surprised escaped him in a huff. He recovered as best as he was able. It's not like he hadn't met an immortal before. And most of them had worn their years as well as did Miss Asherah.

"Well," he laughed. "That explains the elephant hide."

[Abyssal Majesty]

Closing her eye, she smirked and chuckled a bit.

"Of all the things I can cure, heal and mend. My feet aren't on that list." She wiggled her toes. "I can keep them from smelling though, if I ever had the problem."

Grinning, she sighed happily. Foot rubs were the way straight to the creature's heart. Any sort of massage was. After all the time she had spent toiling over this place, perhaps she could let this slide. Or at least, she'd have to own him something in return.

"And it isn't elephant hide-" she said quietly, almost to herself "I'd say it's closer to pumice."

[E is for Enigma]

He laughed again.

"Well, let's see if we can't get you melted down a little then, huh?"

Ben's strong hands kneaded the muscle beneath the arch of Asherah's foot and along the tendons that made up her achilles heal, and had moved on to the other foot by the time the washer buzzed to a halt. He set her foot down and got up to inspect the machine.

"You stay there," he told her. "I won't have you undoing my work. Simply direct me as to what buttons to push."

He sounded like an old man.