Okarthel, at least in terms of population, isn't enormous, but neither is it tiny, and it's magnificent in every sense of the word, exactly what might be expected from one of the richest and most ancient races in the world. Aesthetics have been taking into account, and sculptures of the great heroes and figures of years past adorn this or that corner...topped by an enormous monument of a draconic goddess in the town square. Everything is huge, every door and every street, to accomodate all but the largest full-form dragons. Some of the houses on the outskirts, held by dragoons and select other humanoids, are smaller, but for the most part...everything simply towers.

Okarthel I
Okarthel II
Okarthel III

---

"So Revilier's fine. They're gonna release him today, but god knows if they won't come after him for political crimes later." Embriel sets down her coffee, folding her legs - shoes off - to sit with them tucked underneath her. The old safe house that has become her home is good for sofas, even though it has no chairs, and is quite the generous gift considering how Okarthel could have reacted in the week after the taking over of the prison. "Troix will have to go through some physical therapy until she can master her legs, but she can do it at home. That part is up to you, though." She smiles. "Troix wants to live with you."

"I need to talk it over with Alou." Yin nods a bit. "I wouldn't mind it...they're both welcome to live with me as long as they like, and both know it, but I think Alou is just too independent now that he really needs a new place to stay with Tarantella emptied. I stay out of the floor they live on, treat it like an apartment, but it's still someone else's house. He'll want a place of his own...but of course, Troix's feelings are a factor." She doesn't have any alcohol for once. "Now that we know the source of her animosity towards him, some trauma and family counseling can finally start them healing. But that will take awhile, and I honestly don't know what to do in the interim except listen to, whatever she denies, her dad."

"Well... really, he's not her dad though. Is he? He wasn't even her mom's boy friend for that long before she died. A few years." Embriel sips again. "I don't really know Troix that well, though. She really likes you. But I think he does too." She lets her head fall back, breathing slowly out. "Complications. Why are you so pretty, again?"

"Because god loves or hates me. It's debateable." She grins a little. "And no, he's not her real dad, but for Troix's contemporary cognitive development...she should barely be able to remember a time before he was there. It was two and a half years he dated Tuleau, which puts her at a little more than two when she met him. She should have bonded to him. I can't figure out for the life of me why she's always held onto a man she's never met being her dad. I don't know if Tuleau imprinted it into her mind or what, but it's there." Sighs. "And I don't even want to think about the Alou/Revilier thing." Smiles wryly.

Embriel smiles right back. She's over her crush on Yin, so this is funny to her at the moment. "Bag 'em both. That's what my mother always said." Drinks more deeply of the coffee. "You know, sharky was good for his word. Jahdee prison is a heap of gravel right now."

Yin nods. "He's gotten a solid look at one of my spells in return for everything, too. Will be back for some more in-depth analysis, I didn't really understand what he said on the matter. I can say, though, that I would never, ever want to cross that man in anything."

"Sometimes I wonder if there really aren't forces working in this world that we don't understand." Embriel finally looks at her. "It feels like everything is over, personal things aside."

"I'm sure there are. I mean, I grew up unaware of the existance of races outside of humans and vampires. Hell, you most likely did, too. It would be silly to vehemently believe there can't be more levels, too." Sips her coffee. "And gods, I hope so. Things are going to be very uneasy for a very long time with humans trying to cope with everything...but with a little luck and a lot of well-placed diplomacy and manipulation, maybe it will work. It's not the first time humans have been aware of the other races, after all, they have the stories for a reason."

Yin grins after a moment. "Though a million fanboys died a little and cried a lot when no 'elves' showed up."

Embriel looks at Yin. Long and hard.

"Oh," she laughs, "they'll make do with hot slinky vampire half dragon spies who know how to work a pole. Yes, I heard." Smiles benignly. "I wish I was there. I bet you got tipped like an unlucky cow in Alabama -- all damn night."

Yin winks. "I'm awful at stripping. I tried to make actual dancing lowbrow. But...well. You know. That's not what they're interested in." Laughs softly.

"Not in the least. Did you have fun, at least? And do you want some coffee?" Embriel shakes her empty cup.

"It was a little fun, yeah. Wouldn't do it again, but an interesting experience. And no thanks. I really should get going and check on things...but thanks for having me." Smiles, and stands. "We'll have to do it again soon."

"Come around anytime. But call first, so I can send your legions of fans the wrong address." Embriel winks. "Seriously. Don't be a stranger."

"I'll keep it in mind," Yin smiles. "You too, of course." Takes her coat. Doesn't really need it above sub-zero temperatures, of course, but likes winter fashion. "See you later, Embriel." Now...which hospital to go to first? She thinks Troix is likely in rehab at this time of day, so...to the dragon hospital. Let's see about when Revilier is being released. She hasn't been allowed to see him due to draconic authorities wanting to deduce the nature of their relationship, i.e., whether she was another double agent.

As she's on the way to the hospital and ninth street, Yin's cell phone rings. It's the number from Troix's hospital, on thirty-fifth.

Checks the number, and then flips it open. This is a fortunate phone. She's had it for a week, and it's still intact! "This is Yin."

"Hello, Yin, this is Dr. Selner, Troix Dastier's physician. There's been an incident at the hospital today, and we would like your help." The man's voice on the other end is cool, calm, and clinical. Appropriate.

Yin's brow creases, and she does a 180 without breaking step. "What kind of incident?"

"It's involving her father, Alou. Now, I've called the authorities already, but Troix suggested you might know where to find him." A pause. "Apparently, Troix refused to see him. He was insistent, so we called the orderlies as per procedure. Yin. He killed one, and left the other stuck to a gurney. Do you know where he is?"

Yin stops walking, face going a touch pale. Oh...shit

Alou...

She's quiet a moment. "No, I have no idea. I haven't seen him today."

"if he contacts you, please call the authorities. He's dangerous, and not in his right mind. Will you do that for me?"

The phone beeps. Alou's number shows incoming.

"Yeah. I'll keep my eyes open." Glances at the number. "Thanks for the call." She hangs up the first line. Closes her eyes a few moments. Two rings later, she picks up. "Alou, what the hell?" Her voice is just as soft as she can manage and still be heard, and she quickly turns down a quieter street.

"So you heard. Great. I need your help, Yin. Please don't be like that." He's moving, and fast, based on the static in the phone.

Quiet a few moments. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to take care of my daughter. If not you, then Kaz. But please make sure she's safe. Okay?"

"Of course." Yin squeezes her eyes shut. Damn, working on crying? What kind of spy is she? "You have my word, Alou. I don't have to tell you to not tell me where you're going, but...be careful, right? Contact me now and again. Please."

"I'll try. But don't worry about me. Just take care of Troix. Goodbye, Yin."

An image of the guy in teh prison flashes through her head. She's quiet a few moments. "Goodbye. Work through this stuff, Alou...you're better than this. If you need somewhere to go, the offer to track down my clan still stands...just give them my given name, and go by an alias I know."

She hangs up. Just...stares at the phone...and finally sinks back against a wall. Just...damn. Damn, damn, damn. Probably her best friend in the world at this point. Plans to visit an island together. Room together. Get into counseling, fix harms. All just...gone, like that. Finally sits right where she is. Numb.

Not too much later, her phone rings again, this time with the number of the ninth street hospital.

There's a pause. It's a few moments before she musters herself to look at the number displayed on this accursed device. So now what? Revilier is being brought up on war crimes? Will be laid up longer due to a mysterious accident? Snuck off and joined a terrorist organization pushing for the emancipation of purple bunny rabbits? Regardless...hits the button, and lifts it to her ear. "Hello?"

There's a pause on the other end. Not long enough to warrant a second word from Yin, though.

"You sound upset, Yin." Revilier speaks amicably, approaching cheerfully. "Want to meet me at the cafe next to the hospital and talk about it, now that I'm a free man again?"

She smiles just a bit to hear his voice. Nods, though of course this isn't very effective. "Sounds lovely. Now, or not just yet?"

"Now, if you're free. I want to talk to you about something important, but I can't do it over the phone." A pause. "It's good, though. So meet me there in an hour?"

Smiles a bit, and nods. "Okay. I'll see you there, Revilier." And she hangs up. Okay, so she can be abrupt on the phone. It's a habit. Stands up, and heads for home to get herself looking more presentable. She looks fine, but for this particular fellow she'd rather look exceptional. Also, it's an old habit to perfect her appearance when everything else is falling apart around her ears.

---

Latchkey coffee shop. The name gives Revilier images of gimp masks, for some reason. He's dressed in a pinstriped, nearly black maroon suit and looks spectacular. His hair, just a touch longer now, is neatly brushed and parted on one side. He smells lightly of spring water, and he's nervous as hell.

Yin can't possibly be less so than he is. She actually feels a little physically ill from nerves on top of the now semi-familiar little thrill of going to see him. What she'd said to him on the phone--and his nervous reaction--keeps repeating over and over again in her mind.

She shouldn't have told him that. It wasn't fair to him. She's not even positive it's true, just...well, very close to sure. Sure enough that he should know before she died.

Pauses as she sets foot in the cafe, seeing him before he returns the favor. Holy god but he's hot. She feels underdressed...and underqualified. How is it even remotely possible that she's been involved with him...that he could ever have been interested in her, to whatever extent he is? She has to warm a little inside just at the thought of that.

Not that she's any less nervous.

She just puts on a smile after a few moments, heading towards the table.

He greets her with a broad, genuine smile as soon as he's aware of her presence. He looks so much healthier now that he's had food and rest!

"Hi," he greets in the mode of those who don't know any other way to say it without sounding frumpy. Pulls out a chair for her, eyes bright and alert, shoulders proud. "You look much better in person than you do over the phone, you know."

She grins at him. She can't help it. He's so good at making her feel better. "That explains why my job applications to 1-900 numbers keep getting turned down," she observes, laughing softly. Sits delicately, smiling at him for the consideration. "Thank you."

He sits across from her, still smiling uninhibited. "So... do you mind if I dive right in?"

Oy. This is really, really feeling like an "I like you but..." session. With a few days less of anti-interrogation training, she'd be squirming where she sits. Her smile isn't quite as vibrant as before, tinged despite herself by nerves, but it tries to remain. "Of course not."

Revilier's not oblivious to it. But he smiles even more brightly when he's nervous-- part of what made him such an effective politician. 

"Adelisa's gone. Prata's gone. Shem and Jasne are gone, Yin. I no longer have a successor to the Wyvern power structure, which is admittedly less than it was. Humans control most of it, now." He taps gently at his coffee cup, full of iced mocha. "But most of my personal possessions are still mine. I have a cabin in Alaska, right on the Canadian border. I want you to go there with me for a week or so."

"I would love to." Her cheeks colour sheepishly at the quickness of the response once she realizes it. Damn. Nonchalant much? Despite the somber note to the conversation, her smile can't help but betray profound relief. Is quiet a moment. Reality. "I need," she notes, almost hesitantly and sorta-not-really-regretfully, "to look into Troix's progress, though. She's mine to take care of awhile, I think." Kaz can watch her for a week, no doubt. The spider-at-heart may be clingy, though, with all that's happened.

"Really?" The wyvern, though thrilled that she'd accepted, feels a bump in his momentum at this. "She still doesn't want to be with her father, then."

Yin shakes her head. "No. And...he allegedly got himself into some trouble this morning, and is likely partway around the world by now. He didn't tell me where he's going, and I didn't ask, but he did ask me to take care of Troix or ask Kaz to do it." Damn damn damn! Mood killer, there. STill...heh. Canada....

"We can take Troix with us, if you think it's necessary. Of course, she may not like the cold." He considers this. Closes his eyes. Now that she's away from whatever nervousness she felt between them is the time to ask her this. "Yin."

"When you said you loved me, was it..." he pauses. Dammit! Gathers himself. "Did you mean it after the threat was gone, too...?"

Her cheeks do warm. Of course he was going to ask. She was waiting for it. Leans her chin lightly upon her hands, gazing down at the table's tea candle. Thinks. Finishes an answer that..has to come out right. "I don't know," she finally admits softly, "what love is supposed to feel like. I was sure enough that I wanted you to know before I died." Voice trails off.

Bites her lip. Musters her courage.

"I do know that when the whole world was nearly literally breaking apart, on the verge of ending, the only way I could possibly smile was by thinking of waking up that morning and you still being there, or of you telling me that the price of your blood was telling you honestly when I needed it. Or just by thinking of your face. That my only fear the whole time I was after the diamonds wasn't whether I would be assassinated or caught or lose my career, it was about what was happening to you in the meantime. Or that I can look back on this year, this whole long hell on earth...and think that meeting you makes everything worth it."

She's quiet a few more moments. Hasn't looked up throughout this, afraid that if she looks at him, she'll stutter and forget. Eyes finally travel up. "If that's love...then yeah. It still stands."

The wyvern listens patiently, digesting, absorbing her every word. Finally, though, he pushes his coffee towards her. "Iced mocha," he notes, looking at her. "I never liked iced mocha before. Or iced tea. I drank warm soda, even." His eyes find hers. "But I'm more than a little fond of ice, these days." Another pause. "I love it." Eyelids slide down, his smile slimming, more genuine. "I love you, Yin. I loved you before you ever went on the diamond mission. I just couldn't say it."

Her face flushes, but...in the best sort of way. Eyes glitter. That. That's what she's wanted desperately to hear for the last couple of weeks. One of her hands wraps itself gently around the one he's set on the table. "So. We're going to give 'us' a try, then?"

"I'm willing if you are. Though I'll be the first to admit that I don't know how to have a normal relationship." His eyes open, furiously green with that abnormal hint of gold they've had since his time as a puppet. "I want to learn with you."

This she finally grins at. "Neither one of us is a 'normal' person and probably couldn't be interested in one. I'm sure we can pick out something that works amist the dysfunction."

Thank god, he thinks. "So..." he turns his hand to hold hers. "What do we do, now?"

She smiles. "I like where we are. Even," she chuckles a little, "if you're making me feel a touch underdressed." Smiles at him. Feels rather like a giddy schoolgirl with a crush. "You look very handsome."

"Heh. C'mon, you're making me blush." She is, a little bit. He wants to say something clever, but really, he's not very good at it. "I wanted to look my best for you."

She smiles. Aww. Cute! "The blush helps," she assure, laughing softly. Thinks. "You know, for all the time you've spent in Okarthel recently, you've never seen my house."

His smiles broadens, and Revilier, ex-general and sometime dictator, takes his feet. 

"Show me, Yin."

She stands with him. Cheeks are a touch warm. "I'd love to." Also, it has a very good chance of being a very nice evening.

---

Havoc hisses quietly. What the FUCK?

"Hey!" He shouts to one of his bouncers. "Where the hell is everyone going?"

Embriel, who'd been dancing to some dark techno music until just now, huffs. "I was just getting into it, too."

The bouncer looks out the door, just for a second. "What the hell? You guys gotta see this. The sky just went purple!"