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 Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 9:06 pm
Being back in her old home was unsettling, to say the least. Seeing her father, Dazhiq, and having to pretend to be weak in front of him was utter torture. To see his expression go from utter shock to smug delight.. it had been a strain on her system to not stab him right then. It was for the best that she carried no weapons on herself.
Aaricia and Yunan had arrived at the mansion to a mixed reception days ago, though to her it felt like months already. Her father had been doubtful of their intentions at first. A hybrid wanted to do business with him and actually marry his wild daughter? She had seen the mental battle he’d gone through before “requesting” they stay at the mansion with him so that he and Yunan could talk business. She knew he was simply looking for holes in their story and apparent relationship before officially accepting the offer. The easiest part for her was showing how little she wanted to be there. Although, there was nothing truly easy about being back in that prison of a mansion that she had grown up in. Now she was back, pretending to be the reluctant bride-to-be of another business baron. She was trapped again. This time though, she had voluntarily entered the position.
The ends would justify the means.
Finding an opening took time, but she found the pattern quickly enough after a few days. Dazhiq and his wife always had a couple cups of hot tea before bed. It was surprisingly easy to spike the drinks in the kitchen with one of the potions they had bought beforehand. She’d also had Yunan request tea for them, and had sweetly offered a cup to the guard at their bedroom door. With the homeowners under a potent sleeping potion snuggled away in bed, and the guard sitting and snoozing on the ground, she and Yunan could sneak into the office that was positioned directly below Dazhiq’s bedroom.
The office was meticulously organized with multiple cabinets to hold Dazhiq’s paperwork, along with an excessively large and heavy desk that took up a quarter of the room. In front of the desk were a couple chairs that sat purposefully low to the ground, making them seem tiny compared to the desk. Only a faint bit of moonlight filtered through the wooden slats over the narrow windows, but there was a lamp on the desk that could be lit without shedding too much extra light. She carefully pulled the door to the office shut and held a finger to her lips to remind Yunan to keep any noise to a minimum. Sleeping potion or not, they couldn’t be too careful. “If his habits remain the same as before, which it certainly looks like, any of his more underhanded dealings will be kept in the higher shelves of the cabinets closest to his desk. It is just a matter of finding the right ones. They must involve other lords and folk of standing. People who would be the most put out from their secrets being brought to light.” She lit the lamp and brought the flame down quickly to as dim as she could to match the whisper of her voice. They had gone over the plan enough times that she hadn't any need to say it again, but she needed to hear her own voice for a change. “Even better if it is proof of him backstabbing one of those lords.”
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Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2023 9:15 pm
It had not been the first time that Yunan had acted in front of a corrupted person to gain an advantage over them, the beginnings of a ploy to destroy everything that they had while earning as much profit for himself, but this time it felt especially disgusting to pretend since he was dragging Aaricia along. He knew that she hated every moment, Yunan was good at observing others and while Dazhiq was on his power high and oblivious to the hidden truth before him the cunning hybrid was acutely aware of the pain Aaricia was feeling in each moment spent before the disgusting man. Had he gotten soft since Nyko? Kinder still since meeting Aaricia and spending so much time with her before arriving at this damn mansion? Perhaps. It still felt like some twisted dream to remember the fact that they had shared meals together before beginning this act, Aaricia and Nyko bringing a sincere smile to his lips despite Yunan nearly forgetting what such a thing was. Yunan wasn’t certain if he regretted such things yet because honestly feeling something was somehow enlightening in comparison to the last decade of cold, emotionless living where his whole life had been ploy after ploy. He simply had to keep his confidence that everything would resolve in the end and not lose his temper…something that was nearly impossible at moments even though Yunan surprisingly managed to hold down his dinner every time they had to share a meal with Dazhiq. Despite talking things over with Nyko, Yunan did his best to limit his physical interactions with Aaricia save for whenever necessary to prove their story was valid. Not that it took much when Dazhiq was so vain that he thought a desperate daughter was simply returning home, forced into a marriage with Yunan who was lusting after her and wanting her family connections to get more intertwined with Oban society. Still, whenever action had to be taken to prove something of their story Yunan always offered Aaricia a soft apology under his breath and anticipated a strong tongue lashing whenever they were in their shared chambers later that night in retaliation. He also, surprisingly, had offered the bed to her while taking up sleeping on the chaise despite what others would have anticipated from the usually haughty hybrid.
Still, he was impressed when she conducted the plan to get the sleeping draughts out perfectly. Yunan couldn’t help staring over at her whenever they did sneak into the office, the hybrid expertly picking the lock so that they could silently slip inside. Not that they would have to worry about making too much noise since most of the estate would be sleeping or gone until dawn when part of the staff returned for the day. “Hmm.” Yunan nodded his head, listening to her words as he remembered the plan. Though his golden gaze did narrow with interest at the sight of such an unnecessarily large desk. Was the man compensating for something or what? He rolled his gaze at the thought before going towards the desk, his fingers running along the edges. “If you want to check the higher shelves then allow me to confirm that this desk simply isn’t a giant ornament for his amusement.” He quietly suggested, his tone soft as he brushed past Aaricia to avoid needing to speak any louder than a whisper. Even though he trusted Aaricia’s words, the hybrid was still wary and wanted to make certain that there were no hidden compartments within the ornate desk securing even more secrets for them to discover.
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2023 4:54 pm
Aari paused for a moment to listen at the door. The guard's slumber was evidence enough that the potions had worked, but she couldn't help being nervous. Anything could go wrong and all of their efforts so far would have been for nothing. All the anger and fear and the humiliation of having to perform such a demeaning act simply could not turn out to be for nothing. If something happened, she would never get another chance like this... They would never get another chance like this. At the mention of the desk, she gave a soft snort and nodded. "Just watch your fingers. He always kept at least one dagger on the underside in case one of his meetings started to go sour." She gestured to the low chairs and shook her head. "As you can imagine, most of those who came in here to meet him did not appreciate being forced to feel so small." Just as she had felt during her life here... but child Aari had quickly learned that fighting back was pointless. Now, she could hardly wait to make him feel the same. She walked over to the cabinets and carefully pulled the first drawer open. It was thick with papers; as every drawer surely was. Gods, she didn't want this to take any longer than it had to. For the sake of the boys just as much as herself. She couldn't imagine Yunan felt great having to pretend as he did with her. It would have been easier to let herself be mad at him for the forced touches, but she'd known what the job entailed. She just savored the space she was able to get while in the privacy of their room. "This is going to take a while.." she huffed quietly as she rifled through the drawer.
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2023 1:46 pm
“Duly noted.” Yunan replied, giving a small nod in appreciation for the warning. His fingers were deft as they skimmed under the desk and connected with something cold and metallic. The hilt of a dagger, as promised, was tucked neatly along the edges right there. His expression turned into a sneer as he tugged the dagger free and then looked towards the chairs that Aaricia mentioned. Only someone who was truly pathetic would rely upon such basic intimidation tactics. Yunan had endured sitting in one of those himself for only a few brief moments before getting up and pacing the office while presenting his idea about Aaricia to that despicable excuse of a father. Just staring the man down was enough to make his stomach sour while faking a relationship with Aaricia had been far easier, their interactions feeling a bit more natural after days spent within this manor. It didn’t make his stomach sour, at least, to be standing next to her in comparison to the rest of this whole charade. “Let’s put this to something of more use, shall we?” He murmured before twisting the weapon in his hands and crouching so that he could truly study the underneath of the desk. Somehow Yunan managed to keep something of a dignified air about himself even when on the ground like this and the position was worthwhile when he noticed a slight piece of wood that was discolored from the rest of the desk. Ah, what do we have here? He twisted the tip of the dagger into a crevice, the wood groaning quietly as a piece fell onto the ground next to him. Poking inside the new opening with the dagger, just in case his fingers would be harmed by some other trap should he just dive into things, Yunan made certain it didn’t snag on anything before reaching up for himself.
“We’ll just have to be careful when we leave. I’m not certain how long those sleeping droughts will last.” Yunan commented as he emerged from beneath the desk, shaking his braided hair back over his shoulder and fixing his attire first. The silk tunic over soft leggings was in Oban fashion and more fitted for someone who was relaxing or preparing for sleep, a good cover if he somehow did stumble into someone after this whole ordeal. The last thing he needed was to be caught in a hallway looking like some thief slinking around in leathers. Though the deep indigo attire did little to protect his body, the top alone was thin and being barely closed with no sash around his waist to keep it in place since it was for sleeping and not day wear. Still, it did no good to look completely disheveled and so he finished straightening things before placing the loose parchments on the desk. “It looks like we may have some records here showing altered purchase histories. Messing with the market are we?” Or covering up the purchase of some illegal items by dumping gold on other marketable goods that would be approved by their government? He would have to piece together the numbers and track down some of the names, but it was a good start. “If you don’t mind browsing around there more, I’ll make copies of the top papers and replace them in the drawer.” They wouldn’t want to be caught by having evidence missing this quickly, after all. A few copies to help them get leads so that Nyko could track down more on the outside would be perfect for now.
[Yunan 2]
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Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:40 pm
Aari glanced over at the metallic sound of the dagger being pulled free. Exactly where she had thought it would be. She wasn't sure if it was a relief or concerning that her father hadn't seemed to change anything since her time living here. It made her more confident that they could pull this mission off, but that confidence was tempered by the worry that they would bump into some completely new trick the businessman might have picked up at some point. Her breath caught tight when the wood protested against Yunan's force. In the quiet room, even the rustle of the falling papers seemed as loud as a yell. She only slowly released it again when there was no alarm raised. Not that such meager noises would rouse anyone... At the mention of the sleeping droughts, as well as seeing the found papers, she nodded and turned back to the drawer to continue her own search. Thus far, the potions had proved effective. Of course, everyone would react to them a little differently. There was no time for loitering about. As valuable a find as those papers were, it would take more to bring down the little empire of her father's. "That sounds about right. Pushing numbers around was always preferable for him. Much easier to hide that than a body." Of course, she knew there was no shortage of those in his wake either. There would be no more if she had anything to say about it.
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Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2024 2:57 pm
Thankfully Yunan was quick at copying script and numbers. The hybrid's hand was a blur as he took the quill to the parchment, the flowing script nearly identical to the papers that he was keeping. It would be best to have the originals, just in case there were some hidden aspects that he missed in the moment. He normally would be more wary of making too much noise, the slight scratching noises and groaning of wood as he replaced the papers making him feel tense but the hybrid kept going as he was relying upon those sleeping droughts and feeling the pressure of their limited time. "Is that so? Well, we have proof of one sin for now." Which if he read the numbers correctly it would not be surprising to see if their trail actually led to a body or two based upon what Aaricia had told them.
Though before Yunan could proceed to helping with searching the cabinets there was a sudden noise outside the hallway. Hmm. Had they missed someone or did the potions wear off already? It hadn't felt like they were in the office for that long, right? Either way he knew that they didn't have time to ponder the reason for the noise, they had to get somewhere safe before they were caught in the office. After so much time invested playing pretend just to lose their cover now? No, thank you. Another loud thud, this time a lot closer to the office made Yunan move into action. Tucking the parchment into his robes, the hybrid securing it into a hidden satchel, Yunan placed his fingers against his lips, licking them and quickly moved to extinguish the lamp's flame. Thankfully even a cloud was crossing the moon at the moment, leaving him very little light as he turned and grabbed Aaricia. "Shh." He breathed into her ear, the man pushing them both into one of the emptier cabinets that had barely enough space so that they were tucked against each other. Still, Yunan kept Aaricia in his arms for protection as the cabinet door closed behind him and the office door opened for a guard to peek in. Nyko wouldn't forgive him if something happened to Aari in this moment and Yunan was quickly thinking about their options, silently cursing himself for being so reckless in this office but also hoping that nothing looked amiss for the guard to want to investigate further.
A few more loud thuds, a quiet grumble or two about wards probably being in the walls and then the office door opened again. Yunan kept still though, just in case, and so as they waited for things to grow silent again the pair stayed close with Aaricia pressed right against him. "Another moment." He whispered quietly, the simple act of speaking and finally breathing causing his body to move against Aaricia's own.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 7:11 pm
Aari pulled up one of the folders for a closer look. That marking on the tab.. she had seen that before. Before she could look closer though, she heard the noise from the hall and froze. Dammit! Why now? She had gotten a fairly solid understanding of the patrol routes over the days they'd been there, but she knew it wasn't a complete schedule. She hadn't the time nor the ability to get to all the routes. She just had time to carefully push the drawer shut before she was swept into the cabinet. Grateful for her petite figure, Aari sucked in a deep breath and held it tight. She tried to listen to the guard checking the room, but her head pressed against Yunan's chest meant his heartbeat was the dominant sound in her ears. It made her very aware of their squished position, and how she seemed be be in a protective embrace... but that was surely just an incident of their tight quarters. She let out her breath as slowly as she could once she heard the door close. Like Yunan, she made no move to exit the cabinet just yet. She would count on him to be able to best hear when the guard was clear. The longer they waited though, the more she realized they were standing there crushed together in light nightwear... She could feel just about everything, and there was little doubt that his perception was the same! That being said, she couldn't complain about what she was sensing. Would he think that her..? Grateful that the dark hid the red suddenly flourishing on her cheeks, she took a moment to return her mind back to the folder she had found. She was eager to get it back into the light for a better look, and to forget those even brief thoughts she'd had about Nyko's boyfriend..
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Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2024 12:12 pm
Yunan kept his protective stance, the hybrid standing still as he waited a few more seconds. “Alright.” He whispered quietly, his breath tickling the top of Aaricia’s head from where she was tucked in his arms. Strange how he had even taken such a position without thinking, the hybrid reasoning it was simply because of his concern for Nyko’s reaction if something were to happen to Aari. Admittedly though being pressed so close together did make him wonder, the feeling of another body making his heart skip a beat before he moved to push the doors open. Unfortunately it seemed that a shelf wasn’t properly secured above them in the cabinet and the few books resting there shifted with the movement, the shelf swinging down to nearly hit them. Yunan moved into action, his hand shooting up above his head and keeping the shelf in place so that it didn’t fall to the ground and cause a commotion. The movement somehow pinned Aaricia even tighter between him and the back of the cabinet, the pair frozen in the moment as Yunan kept still so that the shelf wouldn’t swing further down. “Are you alright?” He asked after a moment, the hybrid moving the shelf the best that he could with one hand while his other arm was wrapped around her body and squeezing her closer in the tight space. He had somehow managed it so that her back wouldn’t get scratched by the rough wooden boards, another rare sacrifice for the hybrid.
Eventually the shelf snapped back into place and Yunan tried to open the cabinet doors again, backing out carefully this time so that he could let Aaricia have space again. The warmth lingered though against his body, the hybrid still remembering how close they were even now as he took a few steps to give them distance. What he hadn’t realized was that the long sleeve of his silk robe had fresh stains, his own arm cut by the splintered wood from how forcefully he had been pressing against the cabinet wall. Yunan made a disappointed noise as he realized, his hand moving to hold at the wound while he looked back around. “I think that’s a sign we should grab what we can and review in our chambers. I have papers, did you find something before the interruption?” He asked in a soft voice, his silent steps taking him back to Aaricia’s side so that he didn’t need to speak loudly at all.
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 10:19 am
The clatter above made Aari's stomach sink a little, afraid the guard might hear it despite having left the room. A grunt of surprise couldn't be contained as Yunan leaned to cover her further, forcing the air from her lungs. Gods, how was he able to get even closer?! She sucked in a shallow breath and nodded in response to his question, opting to avoid speaking for the moment. He was sure to feel every move she made anyway! Once there was space again, she gasped in another breath of relief. It seemed they were in the clear from the guard. Speaking of which.. her jaw tensed slightly and she shook her head. "I apologize. If we'd had more time, I would have known about the guard and chosen a different time." It was done though, so it was time to move on. She focused back on the cabinet and grabbed up the folder she had found. "This one has a symbol on it that I've seen before. I have my suspicions, but I never could confirm it before. This might be just the thing." She turned toward Yunan again and froze. With the moon back out, she could see Yunan gripping his arm and the glistening fluid oozing down his sleeve. She reached out to grab his arm and unceremoniously yanked it closer to look. Now her stomach truly sank. The shelf... "We'll clean this back in the room," she assured as she pulled the belt from her robe and used it to tie around his arm. "Get a light on. We need to check the cabinet for blood." If Dazhiq came in the next day and decided to grab anything from the cabinet and found even a drop of blood, everything would be undone!
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 9:35 pm
“You’re focused, I appreciate that.” Yunan admitted as he watched Aaricia snap into action and think about all the possibilities, the fact that a blood stain could be on the wood being both a fair point and sharp observation. “As for the guard and timing, it’s fine. We’ll try again if we don’t get enough from what we’ve already gathered, that symbol may be a good lead.” He quietly added, the hybrid tightening the sleeve of his silk robe against his arm. Securing that, Yunan moved to grab the lamp and lit it with ease so that he could bring it back over to the cabinet. He had a handkerchief in his robes, the man bringing it out and holding it towards Aaricia so that she could grab it while he kept hold on his injured arm to prevent any more mishaps. “If there is any blood then use that to clean it up with a bit of alcohol from the desk. There’s an open bottle of hard liquor, a few drops won’t be missed.”
It felt like this was his sloppiest of moments, Yunan actually aghast that he had allowed himself to get injured like this but he kept calm for both of their sakes. It was not a situation to cause a scene, it was a moment for them to react as quickly as possible so that they could get out of here before the rest of the manor woke up. It wouldn’t surprise him at this point if someone came to check on their chambers shortly, they would have to make a scene to cover their tracks there and hide any of this paperwork from view. Yunan’s golden gaze narrowed thoughtfully. How did one cover up an injury like this? Did he simply hope no one noticed the bandages beneath his sleeves later or should he come up with a story? That would be something he would have to reflect upon tonight, just in case.
“Let’s move quickly. Do you see anything or not?” He couldn’t lean too close since was handling both the lamp while keeping his arm still, Yunan standing to the side so that Aaricia could properly see the cabinet wall and if his blood was there or not. If they were fortunate it was just a few splinters of rough wood, something that could easily be hidden or even pried away from the backing since it wasn’t a perfect finish. It made him assume that this cabinet had taken a beating from something or even had bodies shoved in it before, as unpleasant a thought that was.
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2024 7:49 pm
To her surprise, Aari couldn't pinpoint if she was focused or just nervous. The two often walked hand in hand though. Nervous about getting caught making her extra focused? Yeah, that sounded right. She truly hoped it wouldn't come to trying again another night. It would be best to get as much initial evidence as possible to convince the authorities to investigate, but coming back to the office for a second look was just an increased risk of getting caught. She took the handkerchief and leaned into the cabinet for inspection. Thankfully, it seemed the wood was dark and should mask any obvious blood. She wasn't going to let it go easily, and searched until she found the thick splinter of wood that had cut into Yunan's arm. She winced slightly at the sight. If they had been positioned just a little differently, she could have lost an eye! "Got it." She went over to the liquor bottle and felt herself hesitate. If that man did notice... Gritting her teeth against the sudden insecurities, she spun and reached into the cabinet to use the kerchief to yank the splinter free. With her cheeks heated self-consciously, she wrapped the splinter and held it tight in her hand. No one would normally question a lady with a handkerchief. "Okay. Let's get back." She headed back to the office door and leaned her ear close to listen. It all seemed quiet.
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2024 7:24 pm
Yunan noticed the hesitation and was about to suggest allowing him to take care of the situation, the hybrid considering even ripping out any splinters if that were the case, but then Aari was already bursting into action to take care of things. Once again he was impressed with her resolve, Yunan simply nodding as he only glanced over the cabinet one final time before allowing Aari to check for any sound. He took a moment, leaning over her and listening against the door for a moment before slowly and carefully opening it. Looking left and right, down the long hallways with the dim lighting thanks to the flickering candles that were about to expire without servants to exchange them. Which thankfully worked to their advantage.
“Okay.” Yunan whispered quietly towards Aari before leading the way. He would stop before every corner, just to make certain no one was coming from the opposite direction and then he would continue forward after checking on Aari. Eventually they would make it to their chambers, Yunan waiting for Aari to get inside and then quietly locking the door behind them. “We should move quickly, just in case someone wakes up and decides to drop by.” He started to strip off his upper robes, the hybrid preparing to work on his arm. Did it look like a deep cut or more of an irritation? He hoped it was the latter, not wanting to deal with stitches while going through this whole scenario. Did they have anything that could be used as bandages? His golden gaze narrowed thoughtfully while he continued stripping, wanting to get rid of anything bloody as quickly as possible.
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2024 7:35 pm
A pit had settled in Aaricia's belly. She couldn't help worrying that Dazhiq would be able to tell that someone had been in his office. Whether or not it had been them, there was no doubt in her mind that he would instantly look at them as the culprits. The man was watching them closely enough as it was. She could already feel that young girl still deep inside her, alone and scared under her father's thumb. She hated that it still held even a little power over her. At the least, they made it back to the room without incident and to see the guard was still sleeping soundly. Still, that chill remained in her as she turned up the lone oil lamp for a little more light and brought it over to Yunan's side. "Are you alright?" she asked with her voice still low and her jaw tight. Despite her tension and fears, her concern for Yunan's state was finally able to show through as she reached up to shine the light on his arm and peered close.
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2024 9:23 am
“I’ll be fine.” Yunan reassured Aaricia quietly, his golden gaze studying his arm for another moment before moving to study her instead. “Are you alright?” It was a rare moment, concern showing on his expression as he recognized the tension in the other hybrid’s body. She had been on edge ever since entering the manor but especially more so tonight. Should he have just gone in by himself? No, that would be an insult to her own work in this situation. How badly had she been treated for her to be like this? Not that Yunan doubted her years spent here was far from happy, the hybrid realizing that the longer he heard stories about her father and dealt with the man himself. It was hell even now and a child probably would have suffered far worse.
Once more though it appeared they were close enough to touch, the very thought making him pause as he reflected upon things. “My apologies for earlier. I reacted in what I believed was the best way to avoid capture and placed us in a tight situation.” The hybrid lingered for a moment, body right next to Aaricia before he shifted and twisted his arm to look properly at the injury again now that his upper robes were no longer in the way. Crimson still seeped slightly from the pale blue skin, the scratch making him frown in frustration. “It’s not terribly deep, just enough to cause some irritation from where the splintered wood made me bleed.” Thankfully though they kept alcohol here and Yunan had some medicine of his own. It would be strange for a medical store owner to not carry anything, right? Though some did seem to think little of him and only wanted to take advantage of the hybrid who acted as if this marriage was truly the highlight of his life, allowing him valuable connections and such. It wouldn’t surprise him if they thought he simply sold things without realizing what medicine actually did, that’s how little most Obans thought of others. Desperate greed certainly helped blind others. Despite the twisting feeling in his gut, a small smirk of amusement crossed his lips as he glanced around. “There’s a bag of supplies that I keep in the wardrobe. Take it out for me? I’ll dress the wound and wear something with sleeves after.” He didn’t want to dig around in the wardrobe and risk getting blood on any other outfits. The one he had would be forfeit as it was. Yunan was a vain man and hated any stains on his clothing, but it was also for the best that he was known to carry a variety of outfits with very few being worn multiple times so far. No one would notice if he wasn’t wearing this particular piece any longer. Perhaps he was a bit overly confident, but Yunan wasn’t as worried. For him it was easy enough to come up with any story as necessary to cover up the wound.
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2024 9:18 pm
Her? Aari's gaze rose briefly to meet Yunan's. A ripple went through her body, realizing what he meant. Was it so obvious? "I'm fine," she insisted firmly. If she dared to admit otherwise, that would just give further power to the frightened girl inside her. At least, that was what she believed. All that time training and growing, just to give way when faced with the trauma of her youth? She wouldn't have it! The apology earned a shake of her head, and she relaxed a little at the shift in attention. A tiny smirk even hinted along her lips. A tight situation indeed! Literally and figuratively! "There is no need for apologies. A complication arose and you acted on one of the few options we had available to us at the time. I would have done the same had I not been slowed by the papers." To reinforce her amicable reply, she gently patted Yunan's arm. "Your actions kept us from getting caught. Thank you." Now, as long as the blood didn't negate those efforts... She set the lamp onto the room desk and turned to find the supply bag as directed. Reluctant to light any more lamps, she pulled the bag out and walked it over to the same light to dig through for the needed supplies. A snort outside the door to the hall made her freeze. There were a few sleepy mumbles, and then soft snoring again. The potions must be wearing off. The guard might wake himself at any moment. They'd gotten back to the room just in time, it seemed. "Do you need assistance cleaning the wound?" she asked, voice back down to just about a whisper.
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