A Meeting of Minds

[Tolleson]

Today, she sought Rhaena.

Glenn had certainly provided a laundry list of new tasks: research, meetings, training, shopping. Luckily, their were files that needed to be copied and appointments to be set, all which pages and messengers might do until she could return and make use of their work. This spared some time for a much needed and happily, already arranged meeting.

Today she came, quite a different vision from the Genny that had met with Glenn. Today followed a sleepless, nightmare filled night and saw her in a fine dress, worn wrong; hair haphazardly styled and faint circles of sleeplessness bruising her face. It mattered little, or perhaps more given Rhaena's talents, which was why she arrived so early in the day. Just after a prudent breakfast hour, tapping at the door with only the most necessary force. No need to alarm anyone after all, unless they didn't answer promptly.

[Jirai]

Genny was not the only one to have suffered a poor night, though Rhaena has come through it better - at least as far as appearances go. Appearances were ever so important, after all, and if one were to be unable to sleep after such horrid dreams, well, one might as well spend that extra time making sure that one's hair was properly braided. So the Rhaena that opened the door was immaculately gowned and perfectly coifed as she ever was these days, with only a slight look around her eyes to betray nightmare-filled sleep.

"Genny, dear, do come in!" She exclaimed happily upon seeing the other woman. If Genny allowed it, she would be ushered into a room by Rhaena. It was a pretty room, full of light, with a small table that frequently served as a desk. At the moment, though, it held a tea set and some small rolls and fruit. "Please, have a seat. Would you like some tea? Anything to eat?" Rhaena herself had been in the midst of a cup of tea when Genny arrived, a cup which she took back into her hands. The necessary pleasantries, even though Rhaena's fingers itched at seeing the mess Genny looked this morning. That was something that simply must be fixed! "That's a lovely dress, Genny. From Thessilane, yes?" Rhaena took a sip of her own tea.

[Tolleson]

Oh and what a mess she was. Her gorgeous red hair too short for a proper braid had been separated into asymmetrical parts and perhaps hastily, but the more probable, clumsily twisted back into a bun; pinned to death and with loose strands jutting out every which way. Her dress is lovely, or would be if she had managed to put on the proper petticoat, instead the soft fabric hangs down, sleek but depressed and lacking the volume the style required.

"Good Morning Rhaena... I... thank you," despite her genuine greeting there is ever the slightest hint that she knows a faux pas exists, even if she can't put her finger on it.

"Yes," slipping into the lovely room and looking at her dress as if she'd forgotten what she wore, she offered a meek smile for the beautiful woman.

"Lady Lamai..." attacked her with clothes? "Is... very fond of shopping."

[Jirai]

Her timing is rather unfortunate, as it happens. No sooner had Rhaena taken a sip of her tea than the woman was choking on the hot liquid, dissolving into a fit of hacking and coughing that was most undignified, her gaze rather unfocused. It takes her several long moments to regain her composure, and when she does, it is with reddend cheeks and an embarrassed look for Genny. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Genny." She apologized, trying to refocus herself on the woman before her rather than a certain letter that had just been read elsewhere.

"The baroness and I do have a few things in common - that would be one of them. I hear you've found that you share another... Genny, are you quite alright? You look rather... distressed, this morning." Genny's hair, certainly, was distressed!

[Tolleson]

And no sooner had she slid into a seat and poor Rhaena began to choke. Genny's eyes would go wide, her arms outstretched and frozen as if to catch her. As if that would help. So near the edge of her seat when the fit subsided, Genny was nearly standing again.

Eventually she eased back into the chair, though her eyes stayed with Rhaena somewhat concerned and caring little about whatever illusion of grace may have been ruined. Normally she might have asked if everything was all right, but Rhaena went on as if there had been no interruption.

"Well I... I don't think... I'll have any tea," making the assumption that it was the culprit in Rhaena's attack.

Even though attentions had now returned to her, the expression changed little. "I just... had a bad dream last night."

[Jirai]

"Oh! Oh, no, it wasn't the tea!" She explained hurridly. "Just...something I wasn't expecting in a letter Glenn had. It appears that I need to go and buy a wedding gift." A belated one. And she'd just talked to Aleksei the other day! Genny mentions dreams, then, and Rhaena frowns slightly - though only for a moment. "I admit, I did not have an easy night either." She really didn't want to think about that, though, and gave a slight shudder. As something of a distraction, she offered the bowl of fruit to the other woman. "Something to eat?"

[Tolleson]

Now there was a talent that was fascinating. Glenn had done something similarly so it came as no surprise at the outright mention. The promise of honing her own recently acquired 'abilities' to such a point was incredibly exciting.

She shook her head and waved off the fruit. "I'm sorry to hear... er.. about the dream, not the happy occasion... is it anyone I might know?"

After all, Rhaena was well established and quite well known, if not by every single resident of Myrken.

[Jirai]

"Agnieszka, if you can believe it. But best keep that between us for now, I don't think she's even told her own family." Rhaena was pleased, yet also put out that she hadn't even known! Still, Genny wasn't exactly here to gossip about who was marrying who, was she? Rhaena set the bowl of fruit down and took a much more decorous sip of her tea.

"If you wouldn't mind, Genny, I'd like to hear more about what you think you can do. You sounded very uncertain with Glenn." That's twice now that she's made reference to her link with Glenn. It wasn't something she mentioned often, or at all, really. But Genny knew about it already and would need to know more than just that.

[Tolleson]

"I don't think I can," believe it of course, and there was a slight, surprised smile. Maybe even a bit of alarm or concern for the groom. Agnieszka had started more brawls than anyone else she'd known in Myrken, well aside from Catch, but his were rarely ever intentional. Imagining her in any sort of domestic role was next to impossible.

But Rhaena was right, of course. Genny wasn't here to gossip, though the tangential thoughts and sheer imagery the gossip spawned were making the morning much more tolerable.

"Well that... that's just it you see. I don't know... " It took her a moments pause, after all they were friend but hardly ever spoke like this. But there was promise, and hope, and so she went on.

"Several months ago Zilliah did something, I saw... no, I'm not certain... it was, Catch's mind was inside my own." It would be clear she struggled to explain exactly what she meant as her pauses were strained and her voice wavering from certain to unsure.

"Well we have conversations, but not, you know... " not actual conversations? Mental ones? Now she paused and looked to Rhaena as if she felt like a crazy woman who needed validation that she really wasn't. Hoping she wasn't.

[Jirai]

Rhaena is perfectly quiet while Genny searches for appropriate words. She is a very good listener as it happens, focused completely on the speaker. She waits until Genny is done before saying anything.

"Zilliah..." Here she hesitates as well. How best to put things? "Zilliah is... impetuous. Very much so. But not unskilled. And Catch is Catch, of course, as you well know. You are not crazy, Genny, and it takes a certain strength to endure both Zilliah and Catch. Why did Zilliah do this?"

[Tolleson]

There is subtle change in expression; a sort of understanding or comprehension perhaps, in why Rhaena and Glenn have such an opinion of the fae.

"I don't recall... I know ... there was an argument, Kals was there," she offers that as if it should give her friend some confidence, knowing it won't.

She shook her head then very determined that the good listener Rhaena was, heard her out on this.

"It would not be fair of me to agree, Zilliah, while mercurial at times... has always ... he has been very kind to me. I am not certain I would have survived without his aid... Catch's mind is... a nightmare." It was too simple a way to explain the horrifying landscape of the madman's mind, but oddly appropriate to her present state.

[Jirai]

"I didn't say that he is bad, Genny. Just impetuous." Often thoughtless of consequences. Ruled by emotions. But still, she lightly touched the jewelry she wore, crafted by the fae. "I am also not unfamiliar with Catch's mind." She stirred her tea pensively for a moment. "Kals, hmm. Who was arguing with whom?" She tries to sort out the events in her own mind. What a room that must have been, stuffed full with Kals and Catch and Zilliah. Hardly the best combination at the best of times.

"Genny, I can help you learn these things to the extent of your ability - if that is what you wish. If that is not what you wish, I still strongly recommend that you learn some certain things, for the protection of yourself and others."

[Tolleson]

“My apologies, I… misunderstood,” but then again, was it so surprising? There were those who seemed incredibly fond of the fae and those, who blatantly disliked him; rarely was there a middle-ground.

As for Kals, “I… can’t say for certain, my memory of the evening is… Well I,” she stared at her hands a moment, Rhaena was ready to move on and so she would. “I recall very little beyond Zilliah’s presence before it all and then… waking to see him, in Alton’s home, some days later.”

Her eyes would dart up, fingers interlocked a tight in a neat ball on her lap. “I do wish to learn and to help,” as she became more excited and impassioned her fingers would loosen and eventually gesture more wildly.

“I love James, dearly… but I … I do not want to rely on him to… to… shield me because I do not understand and cannot control the … the things in my head. Myrken is also my home and I want to help Glenn and… rebuild the library… and save Catch,” from what, well did it really matter?

But there was more too, achieving these lofty goals and making something of herself, perhaps it was just an overall need for control. Between her mother and father’s deaths, her brother’s crimes, the ever present upheaval of one thing or another in Myrken; was it any surprise she reeled and grasped aimlessly. Glenn had been good about becoming an anchor, directing her to build upon talents rather than waste away baking pies. Not that they weren’t good, of course. But he actually gave her a chance, believed in her and because of it the loyalty showed in her face, her passionate plea, and her long-limbed gesticulation.

Genny didn’t just want to, she needed to learn.

Calming a bit she composed herself a bit, brought her arms back to her lap, "Please Rhaena, it would be an honor."

[Jirai]

Rhaena did not dislike anyone. Not really. Not anymore, The woman gave a slow nod. It was interesting, was it not, how Genny sounded so very much Rhaena herself had years ago? Oh, Rhaena had been desperate to be more than she was, to be useful to those she loved. It was that desperation, in part, that led to some very, very stupid decisions. And so, she smiled at Genny. "It will be some while before you are ready to save Catch." She said lightly. Then she was standing, reaching out to the other woman. "Come, let me fix your hair for you."

[Tolleson]

If saving Catch was really even possible. Perhaps the stupid decisions could be avoided, at least those that had not yet been made.

Fix? Oh gods, what had she done now. Genny had been so riled and serious but at the mention of her hair her face drops a little and her left hand idly and instinctively reached up, as if to catch a bug or remove a leaf from the locks.

Instead she took the other woman's hand and stood, offering a small, almost willing smile.

"... something more ... Myrken?" To be fair Glenn's suggestion for new attire made far more sense when she realized there were actually different styles between Myrken and Thessilane. How other people kept track of such things was baffling.