Paul receives the compliments from those surrounding him, bows his head in thanks, turns, and sees Cliodhna hurrying up to him. He greets her warmly and tells her that she and her squadron did a beautiful job. She thanks him-- looking at him with eyes brimming full of admiration-- and asks him how he was able to do that out there...to rally his people so expertly that they would rise from exhaustion and win the battle? He shrugs and says that anyone could do it. Cliodhna laughs and says she she couldn't-- that she doesn't have that way with people. In life, she was always in charge of coming up with the battle plans and then distributing them to the commanding officers-- she rarely got out with the men to fight once her skill in tactics was discovered. Paul looks at her curiously and asks what she did in life. She answers that she was a leader of the IRA. Paul makes a joke, asking "oh you mean like in "The Crying Game?" Cliodhna looks at him in confusion, not knowing what he's talking about since she died in the late 1970s, and he tells her nevermind.
Cliodhna resumes her questions, asking if Paul had been in a position of battle-leadership in life, and he shakes his head and says he doesn't remember anything about his life before the Shadowlands. Cliodhna tells him she's sorry to hear that, but then after thinking for a moment she adds that maybe he's the lucky one. She quickly follows that by telling him that he's incredible with the people-- that he has a natural charisma that can't be taught. He smiles and tells her that she has it, too, and Cliodhna shakes her head laughing and says that she doesn't know how to get people to like her-- to obey her without her having to jump down their throats. She tells Paul about her trouble with getting Aaron to obey her, and Paul listens and nods telling her that to put two natural leaders in one cohort is always asking for trouble, and he will remedy that soon. Cliodhna feels regret when she thinks that Aaron might be re-assigned-- she's grown to like him, somewhat, and has found him to be an extremely valuable member of the group-- but has to agree with Paul in the end. Aaron should have his own cohort to lead.
Paul tells Cliodhna that he's going to give her the assignment of organizing the men-- teaching them those battle-tactics she'd mentioned before-- and Cliodhna thanks him sincerely and tells him she'll get right on that. They salute one another and Cliodhna departs.
Cliodhna strides through the men, picking out the officers and those who have leadership skills, dividing the men into units based on their highest skills, and then assigns commanders to each unit. She instructs the commanders on different formation-ideas she's used in the past. As Cliodhna turns to inspect the army, she sees Brianna and Atepa walking towards her-- holding hands like two children trying to find their way while comforting one another. They greet Cliodhna, and Cliodhna peers carefully at Atepa...he looks much more self-confident, and his eyes have lost most of that confused-look. Brianna asks Atepa if he remembers Cliodhna, and he answers that he does, and bows his head to her. She bows her head back, and looks at Brianna with a surprised look.
Atepa begins walking around looking at all the people-- not going too far from Brianna-- and Cliodhna asks her how her progress with Atepa has been going, adding her pleasant surprise that he's speaking now. Brianna nods sadly and tells her that his progress is coming faster and faster. Cliodhna looks with concern at Brianna and asks if Atepa remembers his feelings for her before his death 10 years ago, and Brianna sniffles and tells her that he doesn't remember at all. Cliodhna lets out a pessamistic huff and tells her that that's just how most men are. They watch Atepa for a few minutes-- he suddenly remembers that he has Moliate, and Moliates his fingers into long daggers. Then he makes his hands go back the way they were and runs over to the injured soldiers and heals them-- very skillfully. Atepa runs back over to the women and asks Cliodhna if she's injured. Cliodhna replies that she IS a little injured-- not badly-- and he takes her hands, but instead of healing her, his Fatalism marks start swirling all over his body. As he opens his mouth to tell Cliodhna what he sees, Brianna pulls his hands away and interrupts him, telling him that he's still a little confused about his abilities, and not to overtire himself.
To distract him, Brianna hands him her gladius and tells him to keep it as his weapon. He looks at it intensely, but then shakes his head and hands it back to her, telling her that he is not very skilled with a blade. She asks him what he'd like, instead, and he tells her he wants a staff. Brianna pulls out her staff and hands it to him, and he shakes his head and says that he wants a very long and thick staff with a blade at each end. Brianna looks at him sadly and says she doesn't have enough money to buy him something like that, and as Cliodhna cuts in and offers that maybe Paul will buy it for Atepa, Atepa reaches into the pockets of his robes and pulls out handfuls of obeli. The women look at him in astonishment, and Brianna quickly asks him where he got all that money from. He tells her that while she was sleeping, he when down to the brightly-colored tables and guessed all the right numbers. He turns to Cliodhna and asks her if she needs any money. "Always!" laughs Cliodhna, and he tells her he'll be back, takes Brianna's hand, and starts walking back towards Swar. Brianna looks over her shoulder and tells Cliodhna she'll be back soon as Atepa pulls her away into the crowds. Cliodhna chuckles and returns to her task with the soldiers.
After an hour or so Brianna and Atepa return. Atepa tells Cliodhna to put out her hands, and when she does, he pours 12 obeli into them! Cliodhna looks from Atepa to Brianna with her mouth open in astonishment, and Brianna nods that Cliodhna can keep them, and smiles patiently at Atepa. Cliodhna thanks Atepa for his generosity and quickly puts the obeli away. The three walk around the army camp inspecting the progress going on, and then Cliodhna suddenly turns to Atepa and asks if he can do a fate-reading about where her mother is. Brianna looks very concerned and tries to talk them out of it, but Atepa is eager to serve and says he wants to do it. He takes Cliodhna's hands again, and as the vision comes he reveals all that he sees to the women.
"I see your mother..she is laying on a bed of pillows, and not...very covered."
Cliodhna unknowingly tightens her grip on Atepa's hands and her eyebrows lower in confusion. Atepa apologizes and continues.
"I see a Roman camp...Roman soldiers walking around everywhere..." Brianna breaks the vision as she pulls Cliodhna and Atepa's hands apart.
"I think that's enough for now," she says hastily. "We don't want to pry too much into such a private moment."
Cliodhna stares into space thinking...and then it hits her. "When my mother ascended, she somehow found my father! She must be with him, and they've re-created the Roman camp where I was conceived! She...she DID love my father!" Cliodhna-- with such faith in her mother-- feels emotion rising up in her throat as the revelation sinks in, and she bends down to inspect her boots while she gets a hold of herself. As she stands up straight again, she comments to Brianna and Atepa, "Perhaps-- if I'm lucky-- I will join them someday and get to meet my father!" Brianna inwardly shudders at this thought but doesn't say a word.
Cliodhna ponders this thought for a moment, and then remembers about Paul's request that they find William. She turns to Brianna and asks if she can search for William using her Fatalism, and Brianna nods and closes her eyes.
"William...is in the deepest part of the Labyrinth. He is in danger!" Brianna opens her eyes in alarm.
Cliodhna nods. "Let's go."
The three hurry over to find Ash, and they tell him where William has been located. Ash sighs and shakes his head, telling the small group that William has often jumped recklessly into the Labyrinth all alone. They ask Ash where the nearest entrance to the Labyrinth is, and after thinking for a minute, Ash tells them that it's located in an old, abandoned, spooky house with chains covering it. Brianna lets out a little gasp, and when Cliodhna asks her what's wrong, she tells her that she had once been held captive in that house by Scar-- her former, abusive boyfriend. But they decide to go to the house, anyway, and Ash sends a Doomslayer with them who can open and close the entrance to the Labyrinth for them.
They arrive at the house, find the portal, and the Doomslayer opens it by speaking a secret word. He asks the group for a password, and when Brianna looks inquiringly at Cliodhna, Cliodhna tells the man "slainte" will be the password. The Doomslayer nods and tells them that he has to stay here to close the portal, but when they're ready to come back out, they should speak the new password and he will open it and bring them out. They nod nervously, thank him, and peer into the opening. It looks slimy and disheartening-- walls like living evil tissue with thick veins filled with pusy blood running all through it. Brianna covers her mouth and tries to hold down her vomit, and Cliodhna puts on a brave face and swallows down her own bile. After a moment of staring at the hole in distaste and worry, Atepa finally nods and jumps down the hole, so the two women immediately follow after.
Luckily, the tunnel doesn't go on for very long, and the three are neatly deposited into a room covered with the same evil flesh and foul veins. They all immediately go invisible and link hands to stay together. Brianna activates the appropriate Arcanoi, and immediately senses which direction William is. The group starts down the corridor as quickly as possible, the feeling of dread all around them.
They walk for what seems like hours...no, days. They are forced to pass through narrow rooms that are home to disembodied body-parts-- eyes peering out at them trying to see through their cloaking, arms flailing around in hopes of snagging them, faces with rotting teeth looking out from the dank flesh, and barbed phalluses with mouths at the ends whipping around in desire-- many times the three of them abondon walking for flying, and at some points flying for flickering quickly. They notice that the further they go in, the thicker the bloody pus-filled veins become until they can see the mixture actually pumping through the veins. Many times the women have to stop and close their eyes until they get their stomachs under control before they can proceed. Brianna's Arcanoi always lead them true when they come to a crossroads, and so they continue on their horrible task.
Finally their trek leads them to a room that is lit brightly by the veins...but when they look into the room they wish they couldn't see it so well. The bottom half of the room is FILLED with the pusy blood-mixture, and where the veins end, blood and pus glops from the openings into the pool, making a disgusting plopping noise that almost sends Brianna and Cliodhna back up into the Shadowlands. Cliodhna whispers for Brianna to send out her senses again that they may end this torment and find William, but Brianna is almost swooning from nausia, so Atepa performs the task for her. He closes his eyes and peers around, and then his eyes go straight down into the pus-pool. When the women look down in horror, they see clawing-marks on the ledge, and their worst nightmares come true when Atepa tells them, "he is down there."
The women slump down together-- unable to force themselves to jump into the vomitous pool-- and as their eyes turn downwards in defeat, they notice holes just at the level of the pus. As the bloody pus falls into the pool, it makes the level sink down for a moment in that place so that the holes become visible. Cliodhna suddenly looks up and traces the holes to veins in the walls-- the veins that are pumping-- and gets an idea. If the veins can pump out, maybe they can suck back in, as well. She and Atepa help Brianna to her feet, and the three hurry out of the room, tracing the path of the pumping veins backwards.
After many twists and turns, they trace the veins to an open room with strange cockroach-men scuttling about in it. There are only 4 of them, and Cliodhna and Atepa together put the roaches to sleep in moments. The three Wraiths run into the room, see the pump-controls for the veins, and exhale in relief. With a few quick maneuvers, they have the veins sucking backwards instead of pumping! By the time they reach the pus-pool room, the pus is completely drained out. They can see corroded gladiuses laying in the bottom, and a square opening directly below the clawing-marks on the side, which-- amazingly-- was never touched by the pus. They jump down through the opening, and find themselves in a deeper corridor. The walls here are black and the veins are a glowing green. A vast improvement on what they were used to seeing, but unsettling, nonetheless.
They hurry through these new corridors, and finally arrive at a door with a strange sigil on the front in glowing green veins. By studying the sigil closely, they think they can discern an A and a P. They open the door, and hear a sucking-noise as the air rushes through. Another corridor. Again they fly, following William's life-signals, and with every door that sucks open they get closer and closer until at last they see a light at the end of their current corridor. They peer into the final room and see William chained to a wall with a disgusting bloody pus-vein attached to his leg, his body slumped, and a strange voice coming from his lips. There are 4 messed-up-looking spectres guarding him, and they hear another voice coming from a part of the room they can't see. Atepa and Cliodhna again push their minds into the room, and again put the visible spectres to sleep.
As they rush into the room to help William, they discover the source of the second voice-- a head attached to the wall by a thick vein-thing. Brianna shrieks and runs at the head, swinging her staff, and smashes it hard into the head's nose. The head writhes in agony and strikes back. Cliodhna and Atepa run to Brianna's aid, but she doesn't need it. One more swing of the staff and the head splatters. They hurry over to William's side, and Cliodhna brings down her sword and severs the vein attached to William's leg, and the others hack off the manacles around his wrists. Brianna and Atepa lower William's unconscious body to the floor, and Brianna quickly slices William's pants and then cuts his corpus around the stump of vein hanging out of his leg.
Cliodhna squats down beside Brianna, and together the pull the vein from William's leg and cut all remaining infection out that they can see. Pus and bile leaks out, but the leg still looks bad. They probe the wound, and William moans loudly in his troubled unconsciousness. The finally find a pronged bit of vein lodged into William's muscle, and pop it out. Then a lot of pus pours out of the wound and William seems to relax somewhat. Cliodhna starts at the ankle, Brianna starts at the hip, and the two squeeze William's tortured flesh until they meet at the wound, and a lot more pus and disgusting liquids pour out. The try to heal him, but their Arcanoi doesn't seem to do anything more for him. They bind up his leg, lift him, and start their arduous progress back to the Shadowlands.
Most of the trip is uneventful, but this time, after they've passed through the room with the flailing phalluses, Cliodhna turns and hacks one of the phalluses off. Suddenly all the phalluses grow longer and stiffer and stretch in yearning for Cliodhna. Cliodhna shudders, and the group hurries out and on their way.
Not long after that they hear the sound of dogs barking behind them. Alarmed, they go as fast as they can. At one point Brianna trips and falls, but Atepa is immediately at her side and picks her up and flies with her. Again the group hurries in a panic, but then Cliodhna's foot hooks on something and she falls to the floor. Being that she's in the lead, Atepa and Brianna both fall over her...and then the three dogs are on them.
The "dogs" are huge things with boney protrusions and spikes covering them-- like a dog out of a mad scientist's laboratory. They prove a tough fight, and there are a few near misses, but the group is able to destroy the dogs and continue on their way until they're finally at the exit. Cliodhna shouts, "slainte!", the Doomslayer quickly opens the portal and helps get William and then the rest of them out. Once the portal is closed, Cliodhna falls protrate on the ground and kisses it over and over again, and Brianna slumps into Atepa's arms in relief. The Doomslayer is relieved to see them out OK with William, and when they're ready to go, he takes them back to see Ash.
When Ash sees the group return with a badly-injured William, he calls out orders for the healers to get over there immediately. Cliodhna, Brianna, and Atepa stand back as the healers remove the rest of William's pant-leg and inspect the wound. They call out that the leg will need to be removed, and Ash tells Cliodhna that she will need to do the honors. Cliodhna nods, unsheaths her sword, holds her breath, and cuts William's leg off with no complications. William again shrieks in his sleep, and as the healers take the severed leg to the artificer to hammer out the rest of the contamination, Cliodhna does her best to calm William's dreams and pain with her Arcanoi. William calms a bit again, and once the artificer has finished his job and reformed the leg to almost near-perfection, it is re-attached.
Ash tells the group that they will need William to stay with them while he heals, and Cliodhna nods and thanks him for all he's done. She steps in closer and says in a low voice that they must be sure that nothing of the Labyrinth remains in his body because Governor Paul has chosen him to be the next Anaceron of the Grim, and they don't need another Daniel-incident. Ash looks surprised at this announcement, and nods that they will make sure there is absolutely nothing wrong with him before they release him for his new duty.
The group is so relieved to have rescued William that they want to tell Paul the good news immediately...but they're covered in slim and gore, so they lose a corpus each in order to destroy and re-form what they were wearing into clean clothing, and then they go to the Twin Towers. Paul is excited to see them as the news of their incredible rescue-mission has already reached him via one of Ash's Doomslayers. He thanks and congratulates them warmly, and as a reward he tells Cliodhna that he is making her the leader of the entire army until positions are re-shuffled. Cliodhna gapes at him and thanks him over and over again for the great honor, and he simply smiles and says that she'd earned it.
The group go back to re-join the army-- Cliodhna walking in a bit of a happy daze. They get to talking, and Atepa asks Cliodhna about some of the Arcanoi he saw her use, and she tells him about them...and he promptly remembers that he knows them, as well. Cliodhna-- impressed with his Moliate-skills-- asks him to teach her a little bit about it, and he shows her how to stretch her corpus and then make it go back the way it was. Cliodhna and Brianna decide that they should find out what skills Atepa has for battle-use, and they start asking Atepa if he can do this, and if he can do that, and he shows that he can do everything they can do...only better, in most cases! Cliodhna tries to decide where Atepa and Brianna will work out best in the army, and decides that as long as they're fighting side-by-side they should fight near the front.
Cliodhna asks Atepa if he remembers his daughter, and he says that he does. She asks him what he remembers, and he says that he remembers her as a baby...then a child...then a young lady...but nothing after that. Brianna nods and tells him that he died when she was about that age. Cliodhna asks him what Ahura did to displease him all those years ago, and suddenly Atepa's eyes grow wise and his voice deepens to that of the Ahuru Brianna remembers, and he tells them that Ahura decided to follow a path that he did not approve of. Cliodhna sarcastically asks, "what, a whore?" and when Atepa nods, both women can't help but let out a burst of laughter-- not sure if Atepa is joking or not. Then he continues, telling them that Ahura had chosen to forsake Osiris and worship a new god as one of his prostitute-priestesses. They'd had a huge argument and parted ways forever for the duration of their mortal lives. Cliodhna and Brianna were genuinely surprised to hear this, and nodded thoughtfully.
Atepa-- remembering something they told him days before-- asks if they'd mentioned something about Ahura insulting them and kicking them out of the Amenti territory, and Cliodhna and Brianna nod enthusiastically and recounts how Ahura had treated them. Atepa looks at them and announces, "I will have words with my daughter." Cliodhna hoots and claps excitedly, but Brianna cries out "no! they will try to take you from me!" Cliodhna realizes that Brianna may be right, and suddenly becomes thoughtful about how wise taking him to Ahura would be, but Atepa has made up his mind and no one can sway him from his goal. He WILL have words with his daughter, and the women have no choice but to accomany him.
As the three enter Amenti territory, Atepa looks up at the Met and suddenly another raven flies into his chest. When he recovers from the impact and they help him to stand, he announces that he remembers the Met, and he remembers the picture he painted of Brianna inside. Brianna smiles-- very pleased, but still worried about what's going to happen next. As they approach the guards outside, some lower their spears at Atepa and scowl, but about half of them pound their spears proudly into the ground and hold their heads high as they recognize their former ambassador. As Atepa approaches the hostile guards, he passes his hand in front of them and chants softly, "sleep," and they immediately fall asleep. Atepa's voice is-- once again-- the low and wise voice of Ahuru, and both women accompanying him are in awe and realize that he really doesn't need their protection right now. Brianna keeps close to Atepa's side, and Cliodhna keeps her hand on her sword-hilt and watches behind them.
They enter the Met, and the same thing happens-- half of the guards lower their spears at the group, and the other half tap their spears and hold them upright in respect for the great Ahuru. Again the hostile guards are made to sleep, and again the group continues through.
When they enter Ahura's chambers, she quickly rises. "Father?" she cries out, and he asks her what she has been doing since he left...why has she treated Brianna and the cohort so badly? Ahura points to Brianna and exclaims "the bitch?" and then to Cliodhna and accuses "and the daughter of evil? Father, don't you know who her f-"
"Enough!" Atepa commands, and Ahura falls silent. Then Atepa looks steadily at his daughter's Fatalism marks and his eyes narrow. "How DARE you. My own..." Atepa pauses in anger and then continues. "I have no daughter."
Ahura looks livid with surprise and anger, and then points her finger at her father. "You cannot fight the Master forever, Father, and he protects me!" Then suddenly Ahura's form shifts and grows larger. Brianna stands protectively next to Atepa, and Cliodhna draws her sword-- eager for the chance to kill the Whore-- but in a moment's time everyone is left speechless...as Ahura materializes into Markova.
Markova sneers at Atepa and addresses him as "old man." He paces back and forth grinning a wolf's grin and ridiculing Atepa's foolish quest to oppose him. Cliodhna looks at Brianna questioningly-- who exactly is this spectre now? And when Brianna whispers in mortification that it's Markova, himself, time seems to slow around Cliodhna as the words sink in. She swings out her sword and lunges for Markova's turned back...but Brianna was ready, and her hand snaps out to grip Cliodhna's collar in a desperate death-grip, and Cliodhna is, luckily, restrained-- sword swinging as she tries furiously to get out of Brianna's grasp.
Markova turns and sees Brianna first. "And the Apprentice!" Now he starts on Brianna, mocking her dedication to the old man and letting her know what a thorn she's been in his side. Cliodhna can't let this chance go by-- it's her life's purpose to destroy Markova-- and she lets out a viscious shriek and again struggles to get out of Brianna's grip, but Brianna will not let her go.
At last Markova's eyes fall on Cliodhna with a smile, and then he studies her for a moment, his eyes squinting. "You...look familiar...like someone I should know." he says peering at her intently. Cliodhna stares back, fear and determination fighting in her heart. "What is your name?" Markova asks her.
"I'll not tell ye that!" Cliodhna says defiantly, feeling her determination winning out. Markova smiles and make a reproaching noise in the back of his throat.
"Come now, let me have your name."
"You will know it only when I'm standin' over yer dyin' body!" Cliodhna snaps, and Markova laughs loudly in genuine amusement.
"Now HER I like!" he says smiling at Brianna. "And I WILL find out who you are." he says addressing Cliodhna, and finally returns his attention to Atepa. "And I will see YOU again in a few days!" he sneers and suddenly disappears. Cliodhna looks desperately for Markova or Ahura, but both are completely gone.
Brianna turns with fear and worry to Atepa and asks him what Markova meant by that. Atepa-- the Ahuru-persona once again having disappeared-- shakes his head and says he does not know. Brianna takes his hands in her, closes her eyes, and sends her Fatalistic energies to find out.
She looks on as a great battle wages, and knows this will be taking place in only a couple of days as Markova predicted. She sees herself fighting in a great war with the cohort when suddenly Longtooth spots her. They challenge each other and lock weapons in a fight filled with vengeance. But Longtooth has had enough of being driven off by Brianna, and is fighting with a new ferocity. Brianna soon realizes that she's being overpowered and starts going from offense to defense until she's barely able to stand. Longtooth raises his sword high for the killing blow, when suddenly a powerful hand locks around his wrist-- it is Atepa's hand! Atepa has a gladius in his other hand, and deftly plunges it into Longtooth's chest. Longtooth's eyes widen in shock and pain, and as his body melts away he whines, "this isn't over..."
Atepa turns and looks at Brianna-- his eyes full of new awarenes. "You are Brianna." But before Brianna can say anything, suddenly ALL of the rest of the ravens encircling Atepa plunge into his chest in a barrage of sharp, black feathers. The impact of so many memories being slammed into him throws him to the ground, his corpus is fatally damaged, and he melts into the earth and entered a destruction-harrowing. Suddenly the strength goes out of Brianna's legs, and she sinks to her knees in despair.
Atepa-- still holding Brianna's hands-- helps her gently to her feet with great concern, and once she's standing, Brianna quickly hides her face againt his chest-- using all her willpower not to cry or alert Atepa that anything is wrong. When she's able to speak, she apologizes for making everyone worry but says the effort of the vision has left her feeling weak, so Atepa helps her out of the Met with Cliodhna walking alongside.
Slowly Brianna's strength returns to her, and the group make their way back to the Swarian territory. As they walk, Cliodhna asks Atepa what he saw when he was looking so intently at Ahura, and he replies that he saw her life-web-- black webbing warring with white webbing, and the black webbing finally winning out. Cliodhna wonders aloud how Ahura could call her the "daughter of evil" when Ahura, herself, was a follower of Markova! No one had an answer for her, but Cliodhna figures out for herself that of course it makes sense for an evil person to consider her mother "evil!" She also remarks that although she may be the "daughter of evil," as least she hasn't been disowned! Atepa and Brianna listen as they walk-- Brianna caught up in her inner-torment, and Atepa growing tired from the long day.
When they finally enter the casino, Atepa announces that he is very weary and is going up to bed. Brianna agrees that he should get some sleep, and tells him that she needs to talk to Cliodhna in the bar and then she'll come up to bed. Atepa studies her for a moment and then nods, and Brianna kisses him good-night before he disappears up the stairs.
Once Atepa is safely out of earshot, Brianna can hold in her grief no longer and bursts into tears. Cliodhna stares at Brianna in surprise and asks her what's wrong, but Brianna can't stop crying and rocking back and forth. She sobs that it isn't fair-- that she has been waiting so long for Ahuru to return, and now...now he is going to die again! Brianna tells Cliodhna everything she just saw in her vision. Cliodhna looks horrified-- she had been relying on Ahuru returning soon to help with the coming battle with darkness! She asks Brianna if she can send out her Fatalism to find out what would happen if Atepa was kept from the battlefield, and when Brianna does this, she receives a worse vision where Brianna is killed. Cliodhna asks her to try it one more time, only this time not having Brianna OR Atepa on the battlefield, and now the vision is horrific beyond words. Brianna starts sobbing and shaking again, and Cliodhna tentatively and inexpertly puts an arm around Brianna's shoulders.
She tells her not to worry-- that she's sure the fates mean to have Atepa return from his harrowing or else the past 10 years would be a complete waste. Cliodhna throws out more pieces of logic that comfort Cliodhna, but only seem to make Brianna cry harder, so Cliodhna-- completely at a loss of how to help Brianna now-- orders her a drink, which Brianna sucks down in seconds!
Cliodhna orders herself a beer, and then keeps Brianna's tab open for a few more rounds until Brianna is leaning weakly against Cliodhna...still crying, although more quietly now. Finally Cliodhna decides that Brianna's had enough, and helps her up the stairs to the bedroom. They go inside, and she helps Brianna to the bed. Brianna sees Atepa and starts crying more loudly again, so Cliodhna--in desperation-- wakes Atepa up and asks for his help in calming Brianna down. He sits up and smiles at Brianna, asking if she's coming to bed soon, and Brianna quickly whips her head around to face Cliodhna and bids her an abrupt "good-night." Cliodhna raises her eyebrows in confusion for a moment, and the smiles, says good-night to the couple, and leaves the room, closing the door behind her.
