A different place {Tier}

[Cecilia the Blind One]

"It is whatever makes you the most comfortable," she said with a light laugh. Accepting the food with light hands, she could tell from the smell what it was. "And I probably will, I'm not too picky about food since it is edible," she said with a smile directed towards him.

Eating with precise movements, she never spilled or faltered in what she was doing, knowing exactly where everything was and making most sighted people look clumsy. Her brother had ensured she would be able to at least provide the basics to herself and do so in a well though out manner.

"Do you have a favorite form, Tier?" she asked out of curiosity.

[Tier]

Tier sat down in his own chair, taking his bowl and placing it upon his lap. He took a bite out of the stew before responding to Cecilia’s question. “The lion,” he told her with a smile. “I know, some people think it is a bit clichéd and overdone, but I just love how it feels to take the form of a lion. I love the power I am able to control. I love how it feels to run as a lion. I just love everything about the creature.”

The animagus let out a slow sigh. “Have any other questions for me? I will answer whatever you ask me, so do not hesitate.”

[Cecilia the Blind One]

She shook her head, smiling slightly. She had no idea what a lion was, and he probably knew it. She wouldn't ask him to change forms just so she could know, that was a waste of energy. "No, I was just curious," she said with a soft smile as she finished eating her food.

By that time her hair had dried and she moved away from the table with deft steps, now familiar with the room they were in. It was almost as if she were able to see, how well she moved around the room, she thought. Moving back over to the window, she shook her hair out, letting it fall around her like a curtain.

[Tier]

Tier watched Cecilia’s movements. “I should show you as many animal forms as I can,” he said to her, a smile crossing over his lips. “I think you would really enjoy discovering new animals safely.”

The animagus sat his bowl upon the table before getting up. He walked over to where Cecilia stood. He leaned against the wall, watching as she took in the sounds from outside of the window. He gave a slight smile.

“You really enjoy discovering new things, don’t you?” he said. “You really have an appreciation for everything, and I really like that.”

[Cecilia the Blind One]

Cecilia shrugged, a small smile gracing her lips. "I do, but my brother was always careful about what he let me find out. He always felt bad when I got hurt, like it was his fault that he couldn't protect me," she said softly as she ran her fingers through her now dry hair.

The twins' hair had the same texture and when Cecilia ran her fingers through her hair, she often thought of Celestine, but she liked the way the strands moved under her fingertips. It was something familiar and that wouldn't change, an anchor for her in an uncertain world.

"But you don't have to do that, it would be a waste of energy," she said brightly.

[Tier]

“Not too much energy,” Tier assured her. He gave a slight laugh. It was really effortless when he shifted in and out of forms. He was old enough to where shapeshifting really did not mess with any of his energy.

“I will do that someday for you, then. Introduce you to animals you have never felt before. It will be fun, I think. Now, that would be a good learning experience.”

He ran a hand over the back of Cecilia’s head gently, letting his fingers slip through her hair. “I think you are much stronger than what you are given credit for.”

[Cecilia the Blind One]

Cecilia smiled, enjoying the gentle touch before she shook her head. "Physically I am not that strong," she admitted with a light laugh. "We were abandoned on the market when we were born because of our disabilities. Celestine couldn't speak and I couldn't see, so we were abandoned at a young age. He grew up protecting me and I grew up depending on him," she said softly. "We both have the scars to prove that we can handle our pasts, him moreso than I do because he was protecting me," she said as she shook it off with a slight smile.

"But that is something for a different time," Cecilia said as she tilted her head back to 'look' at Tier. "I hardly think you want to hear about life on the market."

[Tier]

Tier thought for a moment as he watched Cecilia. “I want to hear whatever you have to tell me,” he told her. “You intrigue me, Cecilia, and I want to know about your past and your thoughts and all of that.”

His arm slipped around her, pulling her into a one armed hug. “I have no problem with hearing your stories about being on the market. I have never been on the Black Market. Therefore, I would not know how it feels, but I am curious to what you had to deal with growing up there.”

[Cecilia the Blind One]

Cecilia smiled at him, leaning back into his touch and letting a hand come up to place a butterfly light touch on his wrist. "Well, it was quite different from anything on the surface," she said with a light laugh. She could talk about what had happened with a certain detachement, although some of it did get to her.

"Since we were so far down, we never had sunlight nor did the air change. It was always hot, humid, stale, and dark. That, I think, is the one thing that Celestine remembers most was how dark it was. Slaves who were up for trade were not allowed to see, but it didn't matter. Most of us have very sensitive hearing and we can trace echoes as well as speak the language of the drow and the grey dwarves.

There was always a mixture, a lot of halfbreeds like my brother and I, and a few of the weaker races. The shop owners were usually drow males or some other dark race that didn't care what they did to make a pretty penny," she said softly, her head tilting forward as she remembered the noises and sounds.

"When the market was in, everything was loud, a dull roar that was constant, but the minute something was off, it was silent and even the slightest noise warranted a beating. Celestine never had a problem with that," she said. "But when we figured out I could see parts of the future, I was whipped. Celestine was angry with it, but there was nothing he could do on pain of death," Cecilia said as she turned to face the window, sensing the coming night.

"Our owner got into a bad bet with a drowess and he lost. However he refused to pay up and it resulted in a massive scuffle on the market, everyone and everything going in every direction. We managed to escape and make it to the surface which in itself is a miracle," she said with a slight sigh. "And from that, we've never been apart until I left him. But we are both scared of being trapped in an enclosed space again," she finished softly.

There were parts she had left out, of course, parts that she did not want to speak of to Tier because she did not trust him implicitly yet. Those would come later, or never, if she hopefully forgot them.

[Tier]

The animagus thought over what all Cecilia had just told him. His eyes shifted to look out of the window. Tier had been down in the Underdark before, but his experience was much different than that of Cecilia’s or Celestine’s. He had gone there on his own free will and left there all the same.

“It seems that you and your brother have had to go through a lot in your lifetimes,” he said as his eyes moved back over to the blind half breed. He gave a slight smile. “Well, I am really glad that both of you were able to make it out of the Black Market alive and free.”

He gently rubbed her arm.

[Cecilia the Blind One]

Cecilia just smiled and shook her head, he didn't know exactly what had happened down there. "We are as well, but thank you," she said softly as she lifted her face to face the open window. If she had to, Cecilia could find her way back down the market and to the cities down there.

"It was not a friendly place," she said with a laugh. "I rather like up here, there is more to explore unlike down there, where everything is largely the same," she said as she gently touched his hand, telling him that it was okay.

[Tier]

Tier smiled a bit and gave a slight nod of his head. He kissed the top of Cecilia’s head. “I think I am going to lay down,” he said. “You should probably get your rest as well, Cecilia. We have been traveling for a long while, and I would like to take you out to explore the city tomorrow.”

The animagus stretched out his arms above his head before stretching out his back. He gave a slight yawn before walking over and sitting down upon the bed. “I think a good rest will do us both a lot of good.”

[Cecilia the Blind One]

Cecilia smiled and nodded as Tier retreated to the bed. "I will in a bit, I like feeling the temperature changes as the sun goes down," she said with a light laugh. "You can go ahead and sleep, though."

Cecilia knew there was only one bed in the room and she wasn't going to intrude on him when he had been this kind to her for so long. She was a bit shy, yes, but it was hidden well behind her curiosity, as she easily diverted the topics to other things that caught her interest. "Good night, Tier," she said quietly.

[Tier]

Tier smiled as he pulled the covers down on the bed. “Please, do not stay up too late,” he said, looking over at Cecilia. “Don’t be afraid to just get into bed when you are tired, though. I probably won’t wake, but if I do it’s not a big deal.”

The animagus slipped into the bed and got comfortable. “Good night, Cecilia,” he said before relaxing against the pillows of the bed. Tier closed his eyes and after a few moments was falling fast asleep. The traveling had worn him down a bit, and he had always welcomed sleep with open arms.

[Cecilia the Blind One]

Cecilia smiled as she listened to his breathing even out, indicating he was asleep. She was no stranger to sleeping on hard surfaces or in awkward positions, she thought as she turned back to face the window, feeling the sun go down as accurately as someone could see it going down.

When the sun had completely fallen, she closed the window, latching it from the inside before she moved silently over to the door and made sure that too was latched. Turning back, she pursed her lips as she thought about where she was to sleep and shrugged, deciding in one of the chairs at the table was the easiest.

Moving the remains of dinner on the table to one side, she pulled up a chair and lay her head down on folded arms, comfortable despite the hard surfaces. She tucked her feet under her on the chair and fell asleep quickly.