Brianna turns, aware of the noisy commotion happening downstairs. She quickly stands, smoothing her hair and waiting for Ahuru to join her. Unsure of what is going on in the casino, she grabs her staff and exits the room, walking swiftly down the hallway and descending the stairs into the casino.
The usual sounds of gambling and carousing have been replaced by the hysterical screeching of a woman, and the boisterious laughter of men.
Brianna quickly pushes through the gathered crowd until she sees the cause of the raucous.
"Cliodhna?" She asks incredulously, looking from the Marshall to her captor. "Memnon? What is going on here?"
Cliodhna glances behind her shoulder and sees Brianna and Ahuru standing there and lets out a horrified moan filled with anguish, but her desire to get out of this situation is stronger than her pride at this point. "Will ye please get him off o' me??" she shouts, and Brianna can see that Cliodhna is dying a thousands deaths from embarrassment.
Memnon's hand stops before he can smack Cliodhna's upturned buttocks. Seeing Brianna with a concerned look on her face, and next to her Ahuru stands looking on with a bemused smile. Memnon nods at them, "Oh we're just having a little disciplenary action here."
Ahuru leans over to Brianna, "I believe these two have taken a liking to one another. Bringing them together shall be easy."
Brianna frowns and mutters, "Not if he continues treating her this way!" She steps forward, glaring at the grinning Memnon.
"What do you think you're doing! Let her go this instant! Have you no shame!" Brianna demands, taking Cliodhna's arm and helping her to stand. Seeing Cliodhna humiliated so is nearly more than she can stand. Her eyes blaze as she stares hard at Memnon.
Then she turns to Cliodhna, her large eyes dark with worry. "Are you alright? He didn't hurt you did he?" she glances back at Memnon, her eyes casting daggers in his direction. "I'll take you away from here, don't worry."
Cliodhna looks at Brianna with relief, and then turns to glare at Memnon, too, while speaking to Brianna. "He may not have hurt me physically, but my pride's a bit shot." She looks pointedly at Memnon. "Thank ye Memnon, fer makin' sure I remain an "important person" by humiliatin' me in front of everyone!" She's about to let Brianna lead her away when she suddenly remembers her reason for being here. "Oh wait, Bri--" Suddenly Cliodhna's demeanor changes to one of excitement. "I have somethin' I need ta discuss with ye an' Ahuru..." she shoots a dark look at Memnon. "An' THAT-- if he can keep his mouth shut fer two seconds!"
Memnon looks at Brianna a moment then back to Cliodhna. He shakes his head as he breathes, calming himself down. "Ok ok what do you need to tell us?"
Brianna looks surpised at Cliodhna's flippant reaction and her demeanor towards Memnon. She looks from one to the other uncertainly then settles her gaze on Cliodhna. "What is it? Has something happened?" she asks.
"Oh yes!" Cliodhna smiles triumphantly. "I have an idea for how to turn our enemies against one another without needin' Markova's help..." Cliodhna glances around the casino nervously as if Markova's minions are spying on them. "We'd better go ta yer room." Everyone agrees that this is a good idea, and follows Cliodhna's lead up the stairs. She waits as Brianna unlocks the door and opens it for the group, and then enters the room and stands before the window with her hands clasped behind her back-- feeling a tinge of remorse for speaking so harshly to Memnon since he was so quick to listen to her. Poor man-- getting the brunt of all her frustrations with the male Garou growing up! Not that he didn't deserve SOME of it, of course...
Cliodhna realizes that she's been staring off into space while the others wait patiently for her to begin, and she clears her throat. "It's quite simple, really. I'm goin' ta wait until Amon's asleep an' then enter his dreams." Cliodhna begins pacing back and forth as she speaks, much like a general. "An' this is what I'll tell him: 'the Smiling Lord has declared himself emperor, an' he intends to conquer all the kingdoms and rule the Shadowlands, himself-- startin' with Amenti. New York was disgusted by this action, and has declared their independence from the Hierarchy-- not wantin' anythin' ta do with Stygia. Osiris should verify this information if he doesn't believe it. The captain o' his Amenti guard in New York would be a good one ta ask--" Cliodhna turns her gaze on Memnon with a little smile, "as well as his 'favored son' Ahuru,'" she finishes by nodding her head in respect to Ahuru. "An' I'll finish by tellin' Amon that New York wishes to create an alliance with Amenti ta fight their common enemy an' remain peaceful allies ever afterwards." Cliodhna stops pacing and faces the group. "After that, we wait. There are many pitfalls ta avoid-- such as how to put Markova off as long as we can-- but once we get an answer from Amenti, it will help us determine what our next action should be." Cliodhna stands, watching the three intently for their reactions.
Memnon thinks a moment and begins to pace, his hand on his chin. "That could work!" he says snapping his fingers, "But what about Osiris? He wants to destroy everything Markova has touched, and he's definately touched New York."
Ahuru smiles and looks at Cliodhna, "It is a good plan, Cliodhna. Leave it to my son to convince Osiris. When you are done with his dream I too should like to speak to him..."
"That's a wonderful idea Cliodhna! Do you think that there is enough of the sane Osiris left to heed Amon's words?" Brianna asks Ahuru hopefully.
Cliodhna listens to everyones' positive comments with relief, nodding at each person in thanks when appropriate. She leans against a dresser with one ankle crossed over the other and her arms folded. "Memnon is a sharp one," she thinks. She's relieved that Ahuru supported her idea that Amon would be able to negotiate successfully with Osiris-- she hates having "what ifs" and unknowns in her plans, but it was the best she could come up with, given the circumstances. At Brianna's question she turns her head to look at Ahuru.
Ahuru closes his eyes a moment, his fatalism marks writhing across his body. "Osiris is no longer himself, he has lost all he once kept sacred. My son shall overcome him or convince him of his error. The future is uncertain. It is best we try this..."
Cliodhna smiles excitedly and stands back up straight. "Well no sense in waitin' then. I'll give it a try-- it's still quite early in Amenti, so he probably won't be sleepin'." Cliodhna sits cross-legged in the center of the floor, resting her hands on her knees and slumping forward a little with her head hanging slightly down. Suddenly faint little sparkles start coming out of her corpus as she concentrates. Searching...searching...she looks up and shakes her head. "He's not sleepin' yet." She clasps her hands and looks up at everyone.
Brianna links her arm through Ahuru's, watching as Cliodhna attempts to contact Amon. "What happened to Osiris?" she asks quietly when Cliodhna finishes. "What made him this way? Is there any way to cure him?"
"He is far older than I. I can only assume the eternal boredom he has had has done this. Or worse, perhaps his shadow has gotten the better of him. I do not know exactly why he is this way." Ahuru says.
Memnon nods, "A few years back Ahura started to get strange orders from him to collect this type of relic or that. Nothing important like guns or weapons. Things like cigarettes and stuffed animals. Weird."
Cliodhna lets out a loud laugh, and then covers her mouth and coughs, averting her eyes from Ahuru's. "But I thought he was a god! Ye don't see Gaia runnin' about with a lampshade on her head an' droolin' just because things have been peaceful for a millenia!" Cliodhna looks at Memnon incredulously.
"Stuffed animals and cigarettes?" Brianna frowns. "You don't think she's collecting fetters, do you?" she begins to look agitated. "She would have a lot of power over a wraith if she held its fetter in her control..." she turns to Memnon. "Where is she keeping them? Do you know how many she has?"
Memnon shrugs, "No it was for Osiris, and it's basically harmless since they were relics and not Fetters."
Ahuru nods, "He is truly mad, the Osiris I knew was a good and patient god. He is gone."
Cliodhna turns her head to Ahuru, still seated on the floor. "If he's gone, how do ye expect yer son ta be able ta get anywhere with him? Frankly, I'm worried about Amon. Ye know what happened ta him when he tried ta talk ta Ahura! Now this is a god we're talkin' about!"
Ahuru smiles, "My son is resourceful and will do his part...and I have sent someone to help...there is nothing to worry for."
"Who?" Brianna asks curiously.
"Amon's always runnin' off by himself, gettin' inta trouble where people have ta get...him...outta..." Cliodhna starts trailing off as she catches a glimpse of Memnon folding his arms and smirking down at her with that eyebrow of his. Cliodhna takes a breath. "It's good ye sent someone ta help him. I'm with Brianna-- who?"
Ahuru looks at Brianna wtih a gentle smile on his face.
After a few moments of silence Brianna responds, "Well, I suppose it's not important that we know..I just hope that Amon will be alright."
She glances uncertainly over at Memnon and Cliodhna, still unsure of what has transpired between the two, but glad to see that the Marshall isn't as upset as she was when they first left her.
Cliodhna watches Brianna and Ahuru for a moment and then stands up. "Well, I'll stay here in the casino until we're able ta contact Amon so that Ahuru is near an' can take up where I leave off." She glances over at Memnon. "An' that means Memnon will be about 6 inches from wherever I am-- actin' like he's my fath..." Cliodhna glances quickly at Ahuru and then back to Memnon. She walks over to Memnon and puts her hand on his back, leaning in. "Would ye mind givin' me a minute ta speak with Ahuru and Brianna about somethin'? I swear ta ye that I will not leave this room, an' ye can spank me all ye wish if I do." she says, giving Memnon a good-sport smile.
Memnon nods and walks towards the door. Opening it, he turns and gives Cliodhna a winning smile. "If I knew you'd like the spanking I would have done it earlier." He chuckles as he walks out the door and closes it.
Cliodhna clenches her fists tightly at her sides as she watches the door close, and then quickly shuts her eyes and counts to 10 in Gaelic. As she reaches 10, she turns and faces Brianna and Ahuru with clenched teeth and a forced smile. "I'm gonna kill that man," she mutters through her clenched teeth.
"What happened between you two?" Brianna asks, putting her hand lightly on Cliodhna's arm. "Your demeanor towards each other has completely changed since yesterday..." she arches an eyebrow and looks at her friend meaningfully.
Cliodhna flushes bright red. "What do ye mean by that, Brianna?" she asks, and then decides she doesn't want to hear the explanation, and hurries on with her own. "He...he just suddenly became so protective, an' mean, an'...an' annoyin'! It's like he thinks I can't take care o' myself! All I did was go inta an abandoned buildin' an' have a talk with my mother. My MOTHER, fer God's sake! Sure I didn't tell him beforehand what I was goin' ta do, but it all worked out, right? What coulda happened ta me??" She glances from Ahuru to Brianna with her eyebrows raised as if expecting them to agree with her.
Ahuru smiles, "He cares for you is all. He does not wish you to be hurt."
"You spoke with your mother?" Brianna says. "What did she have to say?" she carefully watches Cliodhna, particularly her deathmarks as she asks her question.
Suddenly Cliodhna feels soberly serious, and afraid-- what if Brianna doesn't know? She looks around and walks over to sit on the edge of the bed facing the couple. What to say?? She clears her throat a couple of times, and then starts inspecting the toe of her boot. Finally she looks up at Brianna nervously. "I have some rather bad...no, damned awful news ta tell ye. An' I just wanted ta add that I like an' respect ye very much, an' nothing that happens here will change that fer me. I'll understand if it changes things for ye."
Ahuru looks to Cliodhna and nods, "You have learned the truth about your mother and of your father. Yes, I have known since before you were born, DAUGHTER. I have waited for this to come. It was only a matter of time before you learned" he says with a hand on her shoulder. "You are the last piece of a puzzle, and now all together forms the last times. For you, DAUGHTER, the road has just begun."
Brianna moves close to Cliodhna and puts her arm around her shoulders. "I too, know what you have discovered today. I realized it after Ahura..." her brow winkles in a frown, "So unjustly cast you out. You have nothing to fear from us, we do not judge you by the actions of your father."
Cliodhna stares from Ahuru to Brianna with her mouth open in surprise. Ahuru's touch and Brianna's arm around her SO comforting and relieving and tender. "How?? How is it that ye two people especially are so acceptin' an' protective o' me? I am astounded...and so eternally grateful!" She gives Brianna and smile, and has to quickly lower her eyes when she feels the sudden urge to cry. "I want ye ta know somethin'." She continues to look at her feet. "I had been consumed by hatred fer Markova since Mother started tellin' me about him-- ready ta fly in and attack him the moment he showed his face." She glances up at Brianna again, and then back down at her boots. "But now...now I...I feel that there is a lot o' good in him, an' that maybe he shouldn't be destroyed-- or killed--" she looks at Ahuru quickly, and then back down. "-- but rather argued with, an' perhaps turned around in his thinkin'. I don't deny that I'm startin' ta feel..." Cliodhna looks at the ceiling and takes a deep breath. "...ta feel some...affection-- no, connection-- ta him, and curiosity about who he really is. I know o' some things he's done that are truly good that have made my heart soften. If someone commanded me ta rush at him with my sword..." Cliodhna's eyes finally stop on Ahuru, "...I would refuse." She feels a spark of fear shoot through her as she hears her own words hang in the air, waiting for the hammer to come down.
Ahuru nods and looks into her eyes, "You will not have to, Cliodhna. There are....other ways...You will know when the times comes what to do."
Cliodhna looks intently at Ahuru for a moment. "I'm very relieved ta hear that, although yer words still don't bring me comfort-- ye'll forgive me fer sayin' so, Ahuru?" Cliodhna's eyes unfocus as she stares off into space. "Yer ways are never easy ways, an' I feel a chill in my heart when you say there are other ways." She looks at Ahuru again. "As in other ways ta kill him...like with love?" She quickly sits down on the edge of the bed and holds her forehead in her hands. "How long I've wanted ta have a father-- to see and meet whoever he was! So many questions I've had fer him-- an' now when I find him, I have ta destroy him..." she murmurs, her voice slightly muffled.
Brianna squeezes Cliodhna's shoulder comfortingly. "Nothing is ever easy," she says quietly. "But you have a great strength in you, you will be ready when the time comes."
"The only sword you will ever need against your father is the truth. Do not be clouded in your judgement of him. He is your father, he is also a very dangerous man. Find the truth of it all, Cliodhna, before you decide to lay your sword down."
Cliodhna moves her face so that her eyes peer up at Ahuru over the tips of her fingers as he speaks. Then she moves her hands to clutch the bedspread. "I WANT ta find the truth of it all, Ahuru! I never make decisions without all the evidence before me. Is there someone I could ask who would tell me the whole truth? I know enough ta know that this person isn't Markova or my mother. I want ta know everythin'-- who should I go to Ahuru?" Cliodhna's eyes burn with a thirst for answers.
"All the examination, all the 'proof' will not tell you what is in your heart. Listen to it. Do not think...feel." Ahuru says as he looks at Cliodhna with sad eyes.
Cliodhna suddenly feels very guilty for being so demanding and unreceptive to Ahuru, and released her tight hold on the bedspread. She hesitantly reaches up and touches Ahuru's arm. "I'm sorry, Ahuru-- I feel bad fer how I just spoke ta ye." She stands. "Ye know many things that the rest if us can't comprehend. I'll do as ye say an' trust my feelin's when the time comes." She lets out a big breath. "Well, as my grandfather always says, 'the air's gettin' too heavy in here-- let's head ta the bar fer a drink!' Not ta mention we should find out where Mem has gotten to!"
Cliodhna looks behind her as she turns the doorknob to make sure that Brianna and Ahuru are following, and then walks out onto the landing.
Memnon looks over his shoulder noticng the door open. He stands and folds his arms waiting. "You all done in there?"
Cliodhna laughs. "Aaw Mem! Ye didn't have ta wait there on the stairs!" She smiles a pleased smile in spite of herself. She feels bad about all the confrontations she's gotten into in the past 24 hours, is quite tired, and just wants to relax and be pleasant...preparing herself for anything Memnon might say.
Memnon nods and give Cliodhna a winning smile and holds up two fingers, "Like I said two steps behind." he chuckles and puts his arm around Cliodhna, "I think I owe you a drink..."
Cliodhna's heart skips a beat when Memnon puts his arm around her, and her face flushes. Ach-- what should she say?? She's suddenly so nervous that her throat goes dry. "Ah...ahem, yes, uh, a drink! That would *cough* be very nice, thank ye." She glances up at Memnon, and then back at the stairs and grins shyly.
Ahuru steps from the room and touches Memnon's shoulder, "Wait, you and I must speak. Brianna and Cliodhna will wait for us downstairs..."
Cliodhna glances back at Ahuru in surprise-- a look of disappointment clearly showing on her face-- but she laughs quickly to disguise it. "Good luck, Ahuru-- I think that will place me more than 2 steps apart from the big guy!"
Memnon looks at Cliodhna, then at Ahuru and Brianna. "Well I guess if she's with you, she'll be safe. Ok let's talk for a bit..." He says letting Ahuru lead him into the room.
Cliodhna feels a pang of disappointment, yet it's mixed with some relief. She knew she would've made a fool of herself, anyway. "Ah well-- we girls need some time ta ourselves, anyhow," she replies as casually as she can, giving Brianna a smile. Then she leans in to Memnon and taps his arm with her finger. "This doesn't mean yer off the hook fer buyin' me a drink, tho'!" she grins.
Memnon smiles as he looks over his shoulder, "You got it, babe. And if you're good we'll talk about that spanking," he says laughing.
Cliodhna suddenly gets a wild hair and sees her moment of revenge at hand. She gives Memnon a naughty grin and replies, "you got it, babe," and smacks him hard on his rear! Laughing maniacally, she grabs Brianna's arm and pulls her quickly down the stairs before Memnon can have the chance to get back at her.
Memnon gets a shocked look on his face and points at Cliodhna running down the stairs, he looks back at Ahuru, "You see that? You see that?" Smirking as he struts into the room, he closes the door, "I think she likes me."