not even the flowers remain

[Cadenza]

Kate walked through the crowded mainly barren streets, a puzzled expression creasing her brow. This was not the same place she remembered from her childhood...it had been changed. For the worse.
The stench of death clouded the air, and Kate wrinkled her nose, frightened to breath it in. The streets were muddy, the houses crumbling, and she hadn't seen a familiar face since she entered the city gates.

Kate could remember from ages ago, a city full of life. There was always music and people crowding the streets. The market place had been delightful. The scents were of sweets and fresh baked bread. Now, all that she could smell was plague and infection.
Kate thought she saw a face, pale through the window of a house. It was next that a young girl rushed from the house and threw herself at Kate, wrapping her thin white arms around Kate's waste, small fists grabbing hold of her simple cotton dress.
Shocked, Kate placed a hand on the young girls back, and frowned down at her.
She couldn't recognize the child, since it had been three years, and since the child's face was buried into her stomach. But soon, an older looking woman burst from the confines of the rugged house, and stared at Kate with tired, frightened looking eyes.
"Kate?"
the woman spoke in a strained voice, and looked almost as though she'd seen a ghost.
"Margaret?"
Kate couldn't believe it. Kate had known this woman since she was a child herself. And this young girl that clung to her dress must have been Sara. Kate could remember this girl from when she was but three years old. She must have been at least six now.
"Kate, you must come inside. We will tell you what has happened"


Kate was then ushered inside the small house, and finally Sara was pried from her waist. The three sat around a small table, on chairs that creaked and threatened to break under the slight weight added to them.
"I would offer you tea, except we have just run out. We do have some hard bread that we could offer to you...but I fear that the bread itself will not last very long..."
Kate looked into the woman's sunken, weary eyes, and shook her head.
"that is very kind of you, but save the bread for yourself. I have already eaten anyhow"
Kate could see the woman's expression relax some with relief. Kate realized that Margaret couldn't spare any morsel of food. Oh, and how thin she was!
"what has happened Margaret. Tell me, please."
The woman looked sad, but she told.
"It wasn't long after you left, Kate, that the king passed away. He was young too, and it is said he caught plague. Us folk have other suspicions, however. And so the kings greedy brother sits at the throne. Taxes have been raised so high, we are unable to pay them off. If you have no money, they take possessions. If you've nothing they desire to take, they throw you into prison. The streets are not safe to walk on, as guards patrol them all day, and all night. We've a curfew now, and often folks are forced to join rankings as warriors, or work the kings fields. The village is full of plague and suffering Kate. We can't stay here much longer and live...but we are not permitted to leave."
Kate stared at Margaret for a long while after she had finished, her pretty face pale and shocked.
"but...how could this have happened? Kaskelale...my home town...is being destroyed by its ruler."
Margaret looked saddened, and shook her head at Kate's words.
"what you speak is true, my child, but there is nothing we can do. for now, we must pray. we must hope. there is nothing else that can be done. "
Kate looked down at her hands, folded in her lap, and felt a tear fall onto her skin.
"but you, my child...you must leave. for gods sake, take my child with you. She will die if she remains here."
Kate looked up at Margaret, meeting her gaze.
"and what about you?"
Margaret broke the gaze. Now it was her turn to stare at her palms as though searching for an answer.
"Its too late for me. I fear I have gotten the plague. My child will catch it soon enough if she remains. I pray you take her, and protect her."
Kate nodded, but said nothing more. This was heartbreaking, but she knew Margaret spoke with truth and wisdom. She would take the child.

[peaches]

A hooded figure moved about, invisible to those looking around them. It was not needed though, to remain invisible, there was noone about, excet one person. The girl looked bewildered as she moved about the town that held the stench of death. She saw the girl get pulled into a beat down cottage and was intrigued. She watched the house for a moment, the one that held the people and could tell nothing was right.

When she had been younger her uncle ahd often visited and told tales of this village, now the king was dead and it's current rule ravaged the ladns, pilaging and causing the citizens to fall into a nasty plight. Death looked to be a vistor here on a daily basis, what with teh plauge rampant in this village.

She saw rats, and cats, and dogs, laying dead on the sides of the streets, and no doubt a little ways outside of town the villiagers burried their dead. She side stepped a pile of somthing on the ground continued through the village. SHe knew her healing would not do very much here, but she culd help where she could.

As she walked through the forlorn village she began singing her voice melodious and clear, low and sweet. the song of healing was being spun, seeking to help those who needed help the most. She knew it would take alot of her energy to heal even half of the people, much less all of them. but her healing went out everywhere, seeking to heal who it could.

[Cadenza]

Kate, concerned green eyes focussed soarly on the young girl, was perhaps one of the first to hear the song. It was a simple tune, though there was something about it...something vaugly firmiluar that haunted Kate. The song seemed to dig deep inside of her body, seaking out illness and penetrating her soul. The change in the atmosphere was abrupt, though hardly noticable. But it was detected.

When kate next looked into Margaret's eyes, she saw that the glazed over look was slowly being replaced by something more youthfull as the sickness was drained from her body. Chased out by the song. Strangled untill it was but a weak memory in the woman's conciouse. The little girl sighed, and fell asleep against her mothers breasts, contented, and feeling safe for once in a long time.

Kate rose off of the creaking chair, and rushed out of the small, dirty cottage, onto the empty, though equaly dirty street. Kate saw the cloaked figure moving slowly through the villiage, and she froze, eyes glazed over with some distant memory, some foggy rememberance that she couldn't grasp. She gathered her dark brown travelers cloak around her narrow shoulders and hurried further onto the street, the hem of her dress tickling the surface of the earth, loose flecks of dirt clinging to the fabric.

ooc: not a very good post. sorry...I'm kinda muse dead.

[peaches]

She stopped singng when she heard stirring and turned to face where the soudns had come from. She saw the girl hurrying into the street. Smile played about her features as she turned a corner and resumed ehr singing.

by the time she had made it back tot he amin street,(Not very long, for the town was very small0 she was depleated of energy, she would need to store some more up before trying that again. She walked wearily down the street, now looking for any signs of wellness. She decided to try the house she ahd seen the girl dissappear into earlier. She made herself invisible and peered into the window. the woman was there, her child in ehr lap asleep. She smiled, that often happened when she spun ehr song.

[Cadenza]

Kate caught the other girls eye for but a moment, and then the figure continued on. There was no doubt in Kates mind that this girl was a healer. It was good to know that some people in this world still cared. Still tried to help others.

Feeling depressed, Kate turned to glance in the window of the small cottage, and smiled at the sight. Should she dare to disturb this perfect picture? she decided against it. She could tell the love between mother and daughter. She could tell what pain would be brought should it be broken.

And so, the tall girl turned and wandered off down the firmiluar streets. The sight of her town torn by the greed of an unjust king brought great sadness that weight heavily on Kates tender heart. The town was in a sort of depression that Kate had never seen. had never thought she would see.

As she wandered, the gentle melody seemed to follow. It reached into the darkest corners of the villiage, and touched the hearts of those young and old. The barren villiage seemed to gain a slight bit of hope as it was touched by the solitary voice of a healer...but would it be enough? Kate wondered if Kaskelale could ever be restored to what it had once been. And even though there was a slight flame of hope in Kate's heart, there was also a large bucket of doubt, ready to douse it.

Kate found herself wandering back to the cottage belonging to the mother and daughter that Kate had known from her childhood. Standing outside the cottage window, was the healer. It was then that Kate realised the song had stopped, though it had been finished quite some time before. Tentetivly, unsure whether to disturb the figure or not, Kate inched forwards, sad, green eyes focussed on the being. She was silent, as she slowly advanced.

[peaches]

The hodded figure turned around, realizing she was no longer alone, or invisible. She smiled a tired smile at the girl as she tentivley inchned forwards. She noticed the girl was saddened, measuring on depressed. She had the feeling that his place may have been her home. It was indeed a sad place to be, the damage done was more than she alone could heal.

She watched the girl for a moment, trying to decide on what to do. Her amber eyes searched those of the girl, though she couldn't read minds, the girls emotions were there to display. She reached out a hand for the girl to come closer "Tell me your name child..." she said softly. She wasn't trying to sound condisending, but when you are over 2,000 years old and still young, you have a tendency to sound like that.

[Cadenza]

When Kate realized she had been noticed, she stopped walking. She was not shy, or not normally shy, but there was something about this being that seemed to demand her respect. And with this new found respect, Kate remained slightly unnerved, and unsure how to act. This being seemed to be wise. A sort of wisdom you acquire with years if living in this world - years of seeing, and careful observation.

When the arm was extended, a gesture to beckon her closer, Kate did just so, halting a secure distance away, though close enough for each being to clearly see the other. Kate's emerald green eyes met briefly with those of copper, and a flicker of understanding seemed to pass between them. Then, the other being spoke. Softly, and calmly. Kate felt obliged to reply. There was no need to hide her identity.
"Kate," she said simply, voice equally quiet.

Though she was admitidly (to herself), curious of the cloaked figure's name, she didn't ask it. It didn't seem her place to ask...but of the other being to tell. It was a natural courtesy that Kate would ask no information of a stranger - it was how she had been raised. Yet, she felt that here, identity seemed to matter very little. At least for her. Her identity was nothing special. No one knew her, and those who did thought little of her. She was a simple country girl. she would cause no harm.

[peaches]

A smile flickered across her amber liquids and over her features as the girl spoke her name."TIs a pleasure Kate, I am Athene Miranda..." she said, her voice holding the irish lilt she was born with.

She loked at the girl, scanned ehr face and committed it to memory. Then she watched the girl, peering deeply into the grisl eyes. Saddness, tiredness, and a hint of shock at someting was held capitve in the girls liquids. "Tell me, Kate, What has happened to this village?" She had ehard the rumors, she had heard the stories, but she knew better than to trust everything she heard. She could feel thedeath in the air, though a bit of it ahd been wipped away, it still lingered. She knew many of the inhabitants had died in this villag eand many more would unless the jelp it needed arrived soon. She could only post pone the advancement of disease.

[Cadenza]

Kate returned Athene's smile, lips curving pleasantly upward. She listened silently as a question slid past Athene's parted lips, and traveled into her ears for her brain to decipher. She paused a moment, allowing her thoughts to gather in the front of her mind, and place themselves in order. Finally, pink lips fell open, and words tumbled effortlessly from where they had once been held back.
"the king - he passed away. I've heard of suspicions that it was the brother who did the murderin', but those are simply rumors, passed from villager to villager. Dunno wether 'r not they're true. It's the brother - the accused murderer- now sits in the throne. As It's bin told to me, taxes 'av been raised, and a curfew set in place. It seems that this town's falln' apart, brick by brick. Its the plague - all the folk been dieing from it."
Kate could feel an uncontrollable heat burning at the back of her eyes, and water form along the rims as a farmer might fill a trough by pouring a bucket of water into it. Kate sniffed, and turned her head away to hide the tears. She ran her sleeve along her eyes, and the cotton fabric soaked up the liquid. She inhaled sharply, then raised her head again, no emotion other than a sullen sadness visible on her face. The tears ceased to fall.
"I donno what to do bout it. donno if there's anything to be done. these people need help - but I don't think theres anything I can do for them. I've no skills to save them with - I don't think anyone could do it alone."

[peaches]

She nodded her head encouragingly as Kate spoke of the town's plight. There did seem to be a mess of tings here, and she alone couldn't heal it. the effort would eventually kill her if she tryed by herself. She saw the restraint the girl showed by not crying as she told the woeful tale.

"I know of a few people who could help, but I'm not sure they would be able to come, or if a few of them would still be alive. I know not what I can do about this tyrant, but about the disease I know. The plauge can be wiped out. But first, it may mean the burning of old house and reconstruction of new.......spiritually, physically, and mentally." She knew that a person's will to live would eventually decide if they died of a sickness or a poison that cause cramps, like Butterfly's dust.

"Do you know your way around the country side?" she asked, a radom question it seemed, but she had asked it for a reason.

[Cadenza]

Kate listened - Athene spoke. The words were encouraging, and yet discouraging at the same time, but they stilled Kate's emotions to a dull throbbing in the back of her mind. Something could be done, and yet nothing could be done.
Kate decided that she would do what she could to help. They would have to be careful though, as gaurds were on watch almost all hours of day and night. She was about to say something, but Athene beat her to it, and a question was asked.
"yes," Kate nodded sullenly, sobered by the conditions. Then again, "yes, I do. I've grown up here, and I've traveled some since. Why do you ask?"