"Hmm?"
Searciara looked up from where she was cleaning dishes off the table, as she heard the knock. "Now who's that?" She murmured, not having expected company so early in the morning. Particularly when the sun which was known as Sol, and the daytime moon, known as Mani, had only just begun their ascent across the sky. Inch by inch, meter by meter, they danced their way across a pale blue tapestry. Their ascent, thus leaving behind them long shadows, which allowed the marmovulpine to know that it was the hour of ninth shadow, or Nine O' clock in the morning. A time when most people in Ravenmist Glen or Port Columbine were just getting up, or when they were having breakfast, or getting ready for the day, or other such things.
No, Searciara could not think of any reason why someone would be visiting at this hour. Nor, did she remember her mother or father, telling her to expect guests this morning. Of course...maybe she should go ask? Maybe it was something her mother just forgot to tell her about?
Yeah.
Searciara thought that sounded like a good idea, as she set the plate she down the plate she was holding, on the stone countertop. The young hybrid having convinced herself, that this was an excellent idea, then went upstairs and found her mother still asleep beneath the warm covers of the bed she and Colin usually shared.
"Mother," Searciara whispered as she climbed up into the empty side of the bed, and gently jostled her mother's shoulder. "Mother, wake up. I need to talk to you."
"Mrrr?"
Maxine rolled over and squinted at Searciara. Her long black hair, was an uncombed, wild mess. "Wha...?" she moaned, still trying to wake up. "Child, what...what time is it? What do you need?" She murmured. Not trying to sound snappish, but still feeling startled and a bit confused as to what was going on. "I-Is something wrong?" Maxine murmured, her voice a bit scratchy. "A-Are you hurt? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Then what is it?"
Searciara rubbed her paws together. "There's a stranger at the door downstairs," she said. "I didn't know if I should open it. You told me to always be careful around strangers. And I didn't remember you telling me to expect a visitor today. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything or..."
Maxine sat up.
"You said someone's at the door?" She said the words suddenly registering. Both, with the same amount of surprise and concern as had registered with her daughter. "No..." she affirmed for Searciara. "I wasn't expecting anyone. Um...you go back downstairs. I need to get dressed. I'll be down in a second, okay?"
"Okay." Searciara bounced off the bed, and headed back downstairs, leaving Maxine to her thoughts. "A visitor?" she murmured. Pondering how this was the second surprise visit In a few days, that she'd been forced to deal with. No, she hadn't expected this, she thought, as she got out of bed and went to the closet to get one her lotus print satin robes out. A robe which fit snugly about her svelte figure, as she tied the belt about her sculpted waist, and then headed downstairs to see what in Balan's name, was going on.
Maxine saw, as she came downstairs, that her daughter Searciara, had already returned to work clearing the breakfast table. The fox, as she passed by her daughter on the way to the door, smiled not only in appreciation. But also, to maintain a feeling in the house, that everything was fine, and that the young girl had nothing to worry about. For the last thing Maxine wanted, was for Searciara to be concerned about who was on the other side of the door. Especially when as a mother, it was Maxine's job to worry about such things. The fox, as she opened the door, then tried to keep calm as her warm smile, turned in a cold, icy frown, at the sight of who was on the other side.
"Renard," Maxine growled, as she crossed her arms and leaned her weight against the doorframe, blocking his entry. The tone of voice she used, indicating equal parts disgust and pleasure at seeing him. "Great Kitsune," she muttered. "I should've known. Who else but you, would show up at this gods awful hour, catch me at my worst, and wouldn't even have the nerve to warn a body ahead of time, that you were coming. Well, what dells do you want? Don't tell me," the kit fox insisted, as she stepped aside, allowing him entry into the house. "This is more than just a social call, right? I mean, as much as I'd like it to be, I'm probably one of the few people who knows you well enough, to be able to say that you aren't the type to call on friends, just because you want to catch up."
Renard smirked. "Friends?" he stated. Entering the house only after Maxine decided to let him pass. "Mai, I thought we had more than that," he teased. "What about all the nights we spent in the moonlight along the Lotus Bridge, in the Kitsune No Kuni nobles district. Or the time we had to fight four to two, out of that Otterian nobleman's stronghold? I mean...darling, we wouldn't even be alive if you hadn't thought to set fire to their flour stocks!"
Maxine chuckled slightly. "Renard," she whispered. "As much trouble as you are, I admit I've missed you. I missed the fun we had. But for me...." the kit fox sighed. "...I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'm just not that person anymore. And despite how you sugarcoat it, I know why you're here. The council, they sent you, didn't they? To bring me back into the fold?"
The red fox fell silent. He sighed heavily, before nodding. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I voted against it, but the other three... they vehemently were in favor of the blood trade treatise."
"The...!"
Maxine snarled. "Final shadows take them all!" she exclaimed pounding her fist on the table. "You're telling me if I don't return, then they will demand closest of my blood, instead? That if I don't go back, they'll demand my daughter goes in my place?"
Searciara looked up as she heard her name. She was surprised to see her mother's eyes swirled with a stormy anger as her voice became thick with a protective and angry sting. "Oh, I will not stand for this!" Maxine exclaimed, irate that anyone would even dare to use Searciara as a bargaining chip in a form of sociopolitical pressure that truthfully had not actually been used by the council of four, for as long as she could remember.
"Just...Just you go back to them," was all Maxine could think to say, "and tell them, I made it perfectly clear that when I left, it was my way of saying I was getting out! I resigned, Renard. I wanted to see the outside world. I left because I got tired of living in a place where every time someone wanted to overthrow or cause chaos, the naturalized answer had become to call on our 'order' if you can call it that, to 'deal' with the problem. We weren't police, Renard. We were justified assassins. Legalized murderers. Don't you get it? I have nightmares, over what I did. Don't you? Or has your training desensitized you to your conscience as well?"
Renard stood silent for a moment and sighed. "I have a conscience," he murmured. "It's just a sad fact of this duty we bear, that we either have to ignore the guilt which comes with every assignment or let our necessary purpose drive us insane. We do, what others are not capable of, Mai Xin. We bear this sin, so that those around us, may enjoy a peaceful, orderly life. Do you not remember that from your training. From when you vowed to never fail in the duties of the Da Ji Inari?
Maxine growled. "It's Maxine now," she murmured. "Maxine Dubois. And yes, I remember my vow. But that was when I thought I was still doing something that was my patriotic duty to my nation. Before I met Colin. The man who showed me, you don't have to kowtow to others. That there are other ways to exact peace and discipline, then by intimidation and violence!"
Renard rolled his eyes. "Ah yes. The rodent. How goes life with the preachy predictor anyway? Saw him on the way here, you know. He's getting plump, the old fellow. You must feed him well. Oh...well, I saw him and some other fellow. A younger lad. Donovan, I think he called him?"
Maxine gasped. "Don't you dare hurt either of them!" she exclaimed. "J-Just what do I have to do to protect them? What do you want?"
Renard shrugged. "I told you," he murmured solemnly. "It's not what I want. It's what the council wants. You or your daughter. Blood taken for blood lost. You know how this works. And unless you have another child or close relative I don't know about..."
"No..."
Maxine paused.
"Wait." She said. "There is one person."
"Who?"
"Me."
Renard, Searciara and Maxine looked up in surprise, not having realized before, that Valorisa had been awoken as well by the commotion, that she had quietly gotten up, and was listening from the hall at the top of the stairs, for most if not all, of the argument. "I'll go." Valorisa said, as she slowly came downstairs. The marten not even asking what the details of this sacrifice would entail, but simply accepting the satisfied look she received from Renard. And the horrified expression she received from Maxine.
"Val..." she whispered. "When I said I would do anything for you as a sister by Blood and Blade, and that I expected you to do the same, I never meant..."
"I know." Valorisa took Maxine's right paw and clasped it in her own. "Just...let me do this though," the marten whispered. "Donovan...he's so intent that he'll find some great sense of purpose here. Me, it's the exact opposite. I thought I had purpose on our home island. Now, I'm here and I feel as if I need to find myself all over again. I-I don't know why. But this...sacrifice...I've done it so much, thanklessly many times, that it does not bother me, to do it one last time."
Valorisa looked over to Searciara. "Besides," she murmured. " Look at your daughter. She's so gifted, and still has so much life ahead of her. Me..." Valorisa turned back to Renard. "Let's just say I'm a survivalist," she murmured. "I've seen the worst nature can hit me with, and I've hit, kicked, and bit back harder. I can handle it. I'm a better candidate, and I've got nothing to lose, because life has literally stolen everything except my brother from me, already."
"And if you were to lose him?"
Valorisa fell quiet. "I...I still see no other option." She murmured. "I need to do this, not just to protect Searciara from this fate, but for Valorisa as well. It's like she tried to say. We are sisters by blood and blade. We are bound in oath and understanding of sacrifice."
Renard raised a brow and looked up at Maxine. "In that case," he murmured, since you do this willingly and with what appears to be clear understanding of our ways," he said with a shrug. "Unless Maxine opposes, there is clearly nothing I can do. Mai...I mean, Maxine?"
Maxine opened her mouth to say something. She seemed ready to protest, but then seeing how resigned Valorisa was to this, slowly closed her mouth, and shook her head. "No," she whispered, "It's fine. I'm in agreement. Just...Renard..."
Maxine turned to the red fox. "Look after her, okay? Train her as well as you did me. That's all I ask. Please."
Renard's expression became serious and sincere. "Maxine..." he murmured. "For you, I would do anything. And while I may not agree with this more subdued lifestyle you've chosen, and while I think that prairie dog you call a mate must have ensorcelled you, to get you to change your name and leave everything you had behind. It does not change the fact, that my heart and dagger will ever be yours. And to prove such, I shall commit my to the ancient rite of Kitsune no meiyo. In the spiritual presence of the four houses of Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth, I Renard, of the red foxes of Fire, declare my intent to train Valorisa. Initiate of the Kitsune No Kuni. Order of the unspoken agenda, and of the unseen acts. Lest this fail to occur; let the ancestors of the four houses witness, that I, Renard of the red foxes of fire, will perform seppukku to purge my dishonor.
Renard took a small blade from his robe. "Blood honors blood," he murmured, pressing the edge against his palm. The blade, then cutting in, against his and Maxine's palms, as she shook hands with him.
"Blade avenges blade," she whispered, completing the ancient oath of the Kitsune No Kuni assassin's order. The fox, sighing, then was glad it was done. She as she went to wash her hand and get a bandage asked. "So...Renard. Now that your little 'matter of business,' as I know you like to call it, has been attended to...is there anyway, we can actually be pleasant with one another, and you'll let me get you something to eat, before you and Valorisa are on your way?"
"Y-You'd do that?" Renard seemed surprised. "I mean, sure Mai..er...Maxine," he murmured, as he sat down at the table and waited for the kit fox to bring him something to eat. "Dells, I'm never gonna get used to calling you that."
Maxine chuckled. "Old habits die hard, huh?"
Renard nodded, as she brought him a roast sandwich and some potatoes reheated from the night before, and as she took a seat across from him.
"Thanks," he said, nodding in appreciation. "And yeah. I mean, I knew you as Mai Xin Da Ji, your whole life. I trained you under that name. I loved you under that name. But now..."
"Now it's hard to see that same woman, but call her a different name, right?"
Renard nodded as he ate. "Yeah," he replied after gulping down a bite of sandwich and a bite of potatoes. "And I guess...I guess I really am quite jealous of Colin, to be honest. I mean, I know I tease you about him, but the truth is, I wish I knew what his secret was. I mean, how did he manage what I could only dream about?"
"What?" Maxine chuckled. "You mean the fact he actually put a ring on it?" She dipped her ring finger, showing off a gold band, wrapped snugly around it. "I mean..." Maxine murmured. "It's not like it's any big secret or anything. Just you...you will always be a wild rover, Renard. You love the game. You love the teasing, and the flirting, and to you women and romance...it's like a puzzle. Solving one, has never been enough. Once one puzzle is solved, you get bored, and move to the next and the next. I didn't want to be that girl. I mean...you don't do it on purpose. You're a nice, sweet, caring guy. I just came to realize..."
"You needed something steady."
"Like a rock." Maxine said with a slight smirk and a warm chuckle. "It's what I love about Colin. Something about him...he just makes me feel like nothing can hurt me. I mean, he's given me a home. He's given me love and has done everything he can to keep me safe and happy."
"All things I would've been willing to give you. I mean, you know I would've protected you, been there for you, until this world comes to its end, right?"
Maxine sighed and nodded. "I know," she whispered as she stirred a cup of coffee set before her. "But...again. You've never been stable, Renard. Stability, it's not your cup of tea. You like randomness. Excitement. It's why you love cities. Everything is fast paced. Ever changing. Ever improving. Nothing stays in one state or one form, for long."
Renard nodded. "And this...is what you want?" he asked trying to understand. "A life that is slow, repetitive, which is lacking in that element of constant change, you mentioned? Which is lacking in any sense of spontaneity or excitement? This...this is really what you've come to enjoy?"
Maxine nodded. "It's a life which I wouldn't trade for anything," she murmured. "Nor, would I trade her." The fox then tilted her head in a gentle nod. A gesture, meant to draw Renard's attention over to Searciara, who had quietly entered the kitchen and who was now at the sink, doing the dishes from breakfast.
Maxine sighed, as Renard looked over to where her daughter was doing dishes. "I-I'm sorry," she said thus earning his attention once more, as he turned back to look at her, confused by what she meant.
"S-Sorry? For what?"
Maxine sighed again. "For being so rude to you earlier," she murmured. "For inferring you were nothing more than the Council's messenger boy, when I know you are only doing the task they asked of you. That I know, you clearly did the best you could to oppose this situation from occurring, a-and I thank you, for allowing me to pay off my debt to the council in this most...unconventional, of ways, to say the least."
Renard's expression softened. "Maxine," he murmured, "I never truly wanted this task, as you say. Nor did I want to take your daughter from you. The very idea, of having to be the emissary for the blood trade order...ugh. It disgusts me, down to my core. A truth, which ironically, I think is the very reason I was chosen. I think the other three houses sought to punish me for opposing them in their crusade, and for what they believe, is the allowance of past relations and emotions to guide my decisions in council affairs. I mean, that's just my opinion though. Who can honestly say, why they chose me? The point is..."
Renard look up to Valorisa who came downstairs dressed in a blouse, hide traveling pants, and with a small pack slung over back.
He smiled. "The point is..." he stated again. "We resolved the issue in a civil fashion, where you didn't have to give up your life, and where I didn't have to take your daughter, either."
Maxine wore a nervous look on her face. "But what about the fact, that Valorisa is not a fox?" She said. I mean, the bond of Blood and Blade has been done many times in the order's prestigious history. But this is the first time, the bond has been established with one of a different race. D-Do you think the council will accept this compromise?"
Renard got that same determined look from earlier. "Maxine," he growled softly. "She may not be a fox, but she understands our ways. She understands sacrifice. She understands making the hard choice, so that others don't have to later on. She understands living the hard life, so that others may live lives in comfort. The tenets, our order was built on. If the council does not accept it, I will take your appeal that she be accepted under the laws of Sister by Blood and Blade, straight to the Kitsune no Kitsune, himself."
Maxine gulped. "Hopefully it doesn't come to that," she whispered, as she turned to Valorisa with a nervous smile. "You take care, alright hon?" She said. As Valorisa smiled back, glad to know she could call such a kind and caring fox, 'sister.'
"Okay," Valorisa replied quietly to this request made by the fox. "I will. Just...one thing, before we go. Donovan. My brother. I...I want to make sure he'll be alright without me. I-I know this road I'm taking, it's not going to be easy or safe. That's why if anything should happen to me..."
Maxine gently placed a paw, on Valorisa's shoulder. "Your brother is family now, dear. This house is not only shelter for you. It is shelter for him as well. And for any who might come after either of you.
Valorisa nodded. "Thank you," she said, giving a hug to Maxine and then to Searciara, who'd taken a break from washing dishes, to come see the marten off.
"I just...well, we better be off, before I don't have the nerve to go through with it," Valorisa stated. Nodding then to Renard, she was ready. The red fox who then led the way to the door, opened it, and courteously allowed the marten to depart from the house first, before following behind her. Maxine from the doorway, then watched as they slowly traveled up the road. Their silhouettes getting smaller and smaller, until finally they could be seen no more. Maxine, at the point when this occurred, then went back into the quiet house, and closed the door behind her. Her mind racing with hopes and prayers that not only would all be well with Valorisa and Renard. But also, that all was well, with Donovan and Colin.
Dells, they should be in town, by now. Hopefully, they were having a smoother morning than she was.