Foreign Visitor

"No, I think Brenn is actually in my meeting this afternoon, but I think he'll probably stop by once we're through if you're still here," Vedran was saying to...someone as they approached Kallista's room. "Otherwise we can try and pin you both down for dinner?"

A moment later they were shown in - Vedran with a rather wild looking Elf with hair in a shade of red that was close to Kallista's own, cut to abut chin length and bound back from his face with a tooled leather band, and bright green eyes. He was dressed casually, compared to Vedran, in clothes of a style that she'd last seen on some of the Nomadic peoples the Thunderbolts had traveled with in Ahkas. A thick blue line running down the center of his mouth could have been makeup, or a tattoo to match the ones at the corners of his eyes.

"Hey!" Vedran smiled - he had a little basket of treats that he... or more likely Aleyn... had picked up from the markets, and set it down on the table by her bedside. "How are you feeling today?"

The other man hung back a little for the moment, but gave her an open, friendly smile.

Kallista smiled when she heard Vedran approaching. One of the few nice things about being stuck inside in one spot for the last half year was that she was often treated to visits from her friends. Vedran especially came by regularly due to his political dealings with Brenn. She used such visits as a welcome chance to catch up on news of the city outside the walls of Brenn's apartment. Now that she was at least able to walk, albeit clumsily and only with a pair of canes, she was at least able to go out in the sunshine sometimes, but trips to town outside of a carriage were still beyond her strength.

She was learning first hand that even a guilded cage was still a cage, and she was dedicated to getting back on her feet as soon as possible.

"Vedran!" she said, putting down the knitting poject she had been working on. It was a deep purple shawl made from wool that Monti had given her a few months ago. So far it was going much better than her first big project which was meant to be a sweater, but had turned out looking like a lopsided poncho with one sleeve longer than the other. It was good excercise for her hands and her fine motor skills, though, and she was nothing if not persistent.

She struggled to push herself to the edge of the large, cushioned chair she spent most of her day in and finally found her footing. She pushed herself up to a vaguely standing position and put her arms around the half-elf in a warm hug, though Vedran could feel her leaning on him for support and he knew that even this meager gesture was a struggle for her still.

"I'm feeling ok." She let go of him and sunk back into the chair tiredly. "I managed to make it down the stairs by myself yesterday. Brenn had to carry me back up, though. I think he thought I was gonna fall and break my head. I told him that's what I have horns for."

She turned and nodded at the exotic stranger beside him.

"Hi. I'm Kallista. Are you a friend of V's?"

"I'm his cousin, actually. I'm Merlyn - nice to meet you, Kallista." Merlyn's common was weirdly accented with a mix of Ahkasic and Vanilorran.

"Merlyn is visiting in town for... well I don't know how long." Vedran glanced at his cousin, but he shrugged. "But I thought that he might be good company for you."

"I can't tell if he is trying to keep me out of trouble, or get me into some," Merlyn grinned.

"I don't think you need my help for either! But anyway - I can't stay long. Aleyn sent some pastries he picked up this morning though."

"Aww, that's sweet of him!" Kallista said, eying the package greedily, "Tell him thanks and give him a big kiss for me. And Ardith and the kids, too."

Suddenly her face took on a slightly frightened look. She wasn't used to talking to people other than her close circle of friends anymore and had forgotten that Vedran's marriage arrangements weren't quite public knowledge. She glanced uncertainly at Merlyn.

"Oh, ummm..." she stuttered, "I mean... A hug. Give him a hug for me. You know... A friendly, manly hug."

Vedran laughed, but Merlyn looked slightly confused. "It's okay, Kallista. He knows."

"Oh, good," Kallista said with a relieved smile, "I was afraid I'd once again put my foot in my mouth."

She glanced over at the wet bar across the sitting room.

"Can I offer either of you a drink? I'd get it for you myself, but..."

Vedran eyed Brenn's liquor cabinets longingly. "I would, but I have to get going pretty soon."

"Bah, responsible Vedran is boring Vedran," Merlyn teased, opening the cabinet himself and looking through it curiously. He looked back at Kallista. "Can I get *you* anything?"

"I'm not boring," Vedran muttered. "It's just ...important. And there will probably be drinks there anyway..."

"Oh right.... Brenn." Merlyn stared at the selection for a moment. "I don't even remember what half this stuff is. I wonder if he does. Requests? Recommendations?"

"Try the green bottle on the bottom shelf," Kallista said without looking. She had long ago become intimately familiar with the contents of Brenn's liquor cabinets. "And I'll have one of the same if... if you wouldn't mind."

She glanced over serrupticiously as Merlyn bent down to retrieve the bottle, her eyes making an efficient appraisal of his backside.

"I probably shouldn't be drinking this early in the day," Kallista mused to herself. She frowned and looked down at the knitting on the table next to her. "Oh, gods, he's right. We are boring, aren't we? How the fuck did that happen."

"You're still recovering, you have an excuse. I'm sure you'll make up for it later." Vedran grinned. "Anyway, that's one reason of the reasons I brought Merlyn over - only one though. He's a really powerful healer, among other things, and I thought he might be able to help you out."

"Oh?" Kallista eyed Vedran's with a mixture or mischief and suspicion. "What are the other reasons?"

"He's also a priest of Avandra... and I'll let you figure the others out on your own."

Merlyn smiled, bringing over a glass and setting it beside Kallista's knitting. "I'm harmless, really."

"Let's hope not," Kallista said, "I could use a little danger after being stuck in a chair and pampered for six months."

She reached for her glass, which took longer than she would have liked, but eventually she got a good grip on it and managed to take a sip of the smooth, dark liquid. She blushed slightly, still obviously embarrassed about appearing so weak and helpless in front of someone she didn't know.

"So, ummm... are you from Ahkas?"

Merlyn chuckled, settling down in a chair across from her. "Not really, but I've spent more of my life there than in Nerath now. This is the first time I have been back since the end of the war."

"We stayed in a Temple of Avandra in Yeshual once. It was an... enlightening... experience. I really wish I could go back sometime and see Eressa again, maybe snag some of that ceremonial herb of hers. Unfortunately, I think we're still wanted criminals there."

Merlyn grinned.  "Oh never let *that* stop you.  Eressa's pretty fun.  I don't run into her enough."

Vedran shook his head. "Okay - I hate to run off, but I do have to get along with my boring life. Are you two alright, then?"

Merlyn looked to Kallista to answer, taking a sip from his glass.

"Oh, I think we'll be just fine, V." Kallista smiled at her friend. "Have fun at your meeting. Tell Brenn to pick up some coffee on his way home to go with the pastries. I think we're all out."

Vedran grinned, and leaned down to give her a hug. "You think there will be any left by the time he gets back? You two have a good time."

Merlyn stood to get a hug from his cousin as well before Vedran was off. He settled himself back into the chair and picking up his glass again. "You know, I could make coffee if you wanted some. Although this is quite nice. What is it?"

"It's a schnapps I found in... Yondon, I think? Hell, I don't even remember any more. When Brenn found out about it he had a case brought back on the Highwind. We've been slowly working our way through it."

She took another sip appreciateively, savoring the cinnamony burn of the drink.

"So, I'm assuming you didn't come all this way just to entertain a sick friend of your cousin's. What brings you out to Highmark?"

Merlyn ducked his head, grinning. "Well... What brings me here specifically is Vedran. And his new family! It's great, I'm really happy for him. Aleyn and Ardith both seem like lovely people. Probably I should get down to Vanilorra at some point and see people there too," he mused.

"Is that where you're from originally?"

Merlyn nodded. "Originally. I was pretty young when I left though."

"Right." Kallista smirked. "Elf. You could be old enough to be my grandfather for all I know, huh?"

Merlyn laughed. "I'm not that old, I don't think. Unless they get a really young start in your family."

"Well..." Kallista said, thoughtfully, "That kinda depended on who your parents were. But regardless, now that I think about it, I recall my grandfather being quite a bit redder and less handsome."

She started to laugh but within moments she was coughing; sharp, wracking coughs that shook her body.

"Sorry..." she croaked when she had recovered, "I stilll... Gods, I hate feeling like this."

Merlyn winced when she coughed, and smiled sympathetically at her comment.

"I hate seeing people in pain. Would you like me to see if there is anything I can do?"