Risky Meeting - Daniel and Emiko's Home (Private)

[killerinstinct]

Unable to contain her shock, Emiko let out a gasp. A tornado of emotions blew inside her, spinning in her head. But of all the feelings, the anger rose. She was angry at the both of them, angry at how they always tore each other out. Angry and upset they weren't able to conciliate, to get over the past.

"You two..." Emiko began saying, her voice low and trembling, "I can't believe you two. Why... why do you have to fight? So there have been problems in the past, but come ON! Must you really hate each other for it?!"

Her tone was rising. The anger was obvious.

"Why should there be broken ribs or nearly torn off arms?! Good Heavens, I don't know what I'll do if I ever learn that either of you died! We have enough blood on our hands, do we need to add any more ?!"

[Golden Emblem]

Daniel, surprisingly, did not try to fight back against what Emiko had just said, or even stand to defend himself. He even took his glare away from Reh, instead deciding to look at the floor. Emiko did have a good point. He just hated Reh so much that seeing him brought out a sense of blind rage, but he didn't want to end up dead and worry Emiko.

It wasn't worth it seeing her upset.

"Emiko, I'm sorry," he told her quietly, but loud enough that Reh could hear his voice, quite humble in contrast to his usual tone. "Listen, you're right. As long as he doesn't try to start something, I won't fight him. Does that sound okay?"

[Griffin]

Reh was baffled with how to respond. It was his heart, looking, hoping for forgiveness and acceptance versus his mind, his calculating, tactical, Daniel-hating mind. Submit to Emiko? Press the advantage against Daniel? Escape?

Reh sat forward with his palms on his temples, thinking. He sighed heavily, looked up, and said, "Emiko...I apologize as well. I started the whole thing. But I didn't come here to talk to Daniel. I came here to talk to you. I can't be around him. I'm sorry."

Reh rose to his feet, hurting deeply on the inside to have to leave. He went to collect his bow and leave.

[Golden Emblem]

Daniel was now just a bit more angry with Reh than he had been before. Why didn't Reh want to talk to Emiko in front of Daniel? Why didn't he want to stay when Daniel had even sat down and called a bit of a peace? And why was Emiko defending him, instead of kicking him out the door like the traitor he was? Daniel was growing more and more worried, and though he didn't show it at all, he was beginning to feel a bit sick to his stomach. Was there something happening here that he was totally oblivious to?

"No, Reh, I don't want to cut into your quality time with Emiko," Daniel told him, rather bitterly as he stood up and stepped in front of the door, blocking Reh's way. "You betrayed us, but you know, it's okay that you come into our house and expect to be treated like a guest. I'll just go outside and take a walk. Should give you two plenty of time to catch-up, or whatever the hell you're doing."

And with that, Daniel walked out the door and closed it behind him.

[killerinstinct]

Emiko let out a long sigh as Daniel walked out. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples; the whole situation was giving her a headache. She debated with herself whether to run after Daniel and explain to him everything, or let Reh finish what he had started to tell. Daniel was obviously getting the wrong image, but she decided to let him take a walk and hopefully cool off. She would have to clear the misunderstanding later.

"Sit down, Reh", Emiko said with a tired voice, clearly from the emotional stress, "I'd like you to finish your story... if you want to, that is. I'm sure you had more to say."

Emiko sat down herself, and waited for Reh to do the same.

[Griffin]

Reh sat back down heavily, letting out a long sigh. "I'm sorry..." he said again. But, ignoring the point at hand and complying with Emiko, he recollected his thoughts to continue his story. They could talk about Daniel later.

"I was talking about Lidda, right? Well...some time later, we traveled together. Desperate for money, we joined the war and eventually rose to lieutenants. We bailed though and took up mercenary work. An old friend, a colonel named Trevek, asked us to attach to his force for a considerable payment."

Reh paused and swallowed painfully and the lump in his throat rose. This was the most painful part of his past and he wanted so much to glide over it as quickly as possible...but Emiko deserved more than that. His only friend in the world should know him as well as himself. He paused for nearly a minute unknowingly gazing at his boots. He looked back up hastily and nodded lightly in apology.

"We were leading our force along side Trevek's. We reached this valley where we knew the enemy was waiting. Trevek ordered us to lead into the valley with our smaller force while he took a concealed path around the valley to flank the enemy from behind. Well...we did just that. Most of his men were cavalry...so after ten minutes, I knew something was wrong. I looked up at the other end of the valley to see Trevek's men moving forward without us."

Reh paused again, but bit his lip and continued, shifting his feet awkwardly and breathing came more raggedly.

"Only because I wasn't focused on the battle did I see it. A tiny red light, like a little red ruby shimmering in the distance," he said, taking notice of Emiko's ruby red eyes. His heart ripped as he made the connection. "Something in my head told me to run. I yelled for a retreat as loudly as I could..."

He couldn't continue. There was something about telling his story to the his sullen, emotionless comrade or shouting it angrily at Daniel...but sharing it intimately with a bright and happy soul made it so much harder. Reh's gaze returned to the floorboards and tears formed behind his eyes. No...he had to continue...

"And then the explosion..."

And that was it. Reh buried his face in his lap, forcing control over his sobbing and tears. It was no good...

[killerinstinct]

Emiko didn't need to hear any more to know what happened. She gazed at the floor as she realized the horror that had befallen Reh that day. She clenched at her robe as she imagined the scene in her head... and she wouldn't allow herself to imagine any further. The tears formed in her eyes, and rolled down her cheeks without resistance. Emiko didn't try to hold back; as Reh sobbed, she silently cried. Emiko got up, and slowly walked over to Reh. Then, without a word, she sat next to him, and took him in her arms. It was the least she could do to comfort him.

[Griffin]

Reh felt Emiko's arms resting around him. As if he was not in control of his body, he shouted briefly and shook himself from her comfort. His subconscious was defying him, relating the touch of a woman, even a friendly embrace, as a sign of betrayal to his lost love. "No!" he shouted out, walking fretful paces away from Emiko. Damning himself internally, he knew he offended her, but his mind was such a wreck right now that he couldn't properly apologize. Reh crumpled on the floor, no longer sobbing, but rather whimpering, half at his lashing out at Emiko, half at how he, Ranger Reh, expert marksman, hardened campaigner, fearless stalker, has been so pathetically reduced. He looked painfully up at Emiko. The sudden anger that clouded his mind for that moment evaporated...but the lump in his throat and the dryness of his mouth kept him from talking. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He felt like just running out the door and never coming back. It had been years since he cried. He hated himself for losing his head, feeling useless and pathetic like he was when Lidda died. There was nothing he could of done. Nothing...

"Nothing..." he let out raggedly. "What do I do, Emiko?" he said, softly and slowly.

[killerinstinct]

Reh's reaction to her embrace took Emiko by surprise. She was even taken aback, and didn't take rejection so well, but for now, she said nothing of it, and instead discarded her feelings. Emiko immediately put her hands over her face and wiped away the remaining tears from her eyes, and the traces that covered her cheeks. She looked back at Reh, who had sunk to the floor, his voice as though a weak plea, a pained expression on his face. The young sorceress let out a small sigh at Reh's questioning, and looked away for a moment. How was she supposed to comfort him? He didn't seem to accept solace, and he was obviously emotionally tortured ever since his love's death.

"Accept her death...", Emiko gently said, as she looked back at Reh, "she's gone now, Reh. No matter what you do, what you say, what others say, it all remains the same. She's no longer part of this world, and you must accept that fact, whether you like it or no. If not for your sake, then do it for hers. She would definitely not want to see you this way."

[Griffin]

"No! NO! Don't say that Emiko!!" Reh shouted, rising to his feet. "I KNOW she's gone! Her wyvern saved her for a few minutes and all I could do was hold her burned naked body and watch her fade away! I had to bury her on that goddamned blood bathed field of ash! I know all of this but saying that she doesn't exist anymore is just something I CAN'T DO! She exists SOMEWHERE! She is ALL THAT REMAINS of my life with her! I...ME...I am no longer ME! SHE, my only love in this world, is ME. SHE, LIDDA, is the only tie to who you used to know. Now? Me? I'm just a taciturn, solemn, cold hearted killer with nothing to live for but trying to rid the world of people like Trevek a..." Reh almost had added Daniel's name, but a faint hope still held to Daniel not being as cold hearted as he plays. He caught his stumble of words with a deep breath and a painful swallow. His throat was burning, it felt.

"She wouldn't want to see me this way, but she'd love me still. I'm doing all I'm capable of to still love her. The only reason why I still stand and not dangle from a tree is because I have talents that can help people like me not end up as people like me." Reh sat back against a wall, breathing rather heavily, swallowing frequently to soothe his throat. His tears came freely, staining the cloth of his Ranger cloak.

His old teacher would deny he knew Reh at this point, Reh thought, which only filled him with more shame.

"Emiko, I came to you seeking forgiveness and all I have found is pain. Upon no fault of your own, but I think I have overstayed my welcome."

But Reh didn't move. His mind was telling him his legs were too weary to stand. He wanted to stay, but he just didn't know it. He struggled to stand, but only ended up flat against the wall again.

The shame continued to fill his soul.

[killerinstinct]

Emiko braced herself for Reh's reaction, but even then, she couldn't stop his words from attaining her. If words were weapons, then Reh's would be arrows, and he would have shot Emiko fatally in the heart; a perfect shot, that would have instantly killed her and left her lying in a pool of blood. It was fortunate for her that emotional wounds weren't always easy to see, and Emiko tried to hide the pain behind a solemn face. She slowly got up and walked to the window, pensively looking outside. Under the rays of the sun, Emiko's face seemed paler, and she looked very tired. She was too tired to talk, too tired to fight back and respond to what Reh had said. But she still had something to say. And Reh not moving meant she could still have her say.

"Perhaps I didn't express myself well", Emiko said in a low voice loud enough for Reh to hear her, still looking out the window, "but I never said she didn't exist. I said she was gone. It's not the same thing. Death doesn't mean you no longer exist. You do exist, just not in this world."

She paused for a moment, her eyes tracing the trees' outlines, then continued on, "and I never said she'd not love you were she to see you this way. Only that she would probably be upset."

Emiko paused again, and turned her gaze towards Reh. A neutral gaze, one that didn't express what she was thinking, or feeling, and it was for the best. He didn't need to know anything about what was going on inside her now.

"Please don't put words in my mouth."

Her ruby red eyes turned back to the window, but this time, she seemed to be thinking about something. Reh was worse than she had thought, and she felt completely helpless. But she wanted to help. She was intent to do something for him. Surely, as a sorceress, there was something she could do...

"Maybe..." she muttered under her breath, still in deep thought.

[Golden Emblem]

Daniel hadn't actually gone to take a walk like he had said that he would; instead he sat at the door and, with a very keen ear, listened in to the conversation. Sure, this could be seen as a really bad move, especially if he got caught, but he needed to know the truth about what was going on between those two. It broke his heart, in all honesty, to think something was going on, but if it was... he would make sure he was gone in an instant.

But he was very surprised when he began to hear them talk again. He didn't like listening to Reh talking about the same story over and over, but hearing him cry this time didn't make him feel very good about taunting him earlier. He didn't know Reh was capable of tears, but this proved it. He was almost ready to apologize.

Almost, until Daniel listened in for another minute and heard him yelling at Emiko. That was the last straw. No one was allowed to do that and get away with it.

So, he opened the door and went back in, letting out a deep sigh of relief. At the very least, he didn't have to be worried about Emiko anymore, and he didn't know why he had worried in the first place. She was too kind, even to Reh, to be capable of that. So, when he stepped into the living room, he decided to listen to Emiko and not be violent.

"Hey, Reh, if you're done yelling at Emiko now, I'd recommend you take your whiny ass outside before I drag you outside and beat you myself. I don't care what happened, yelling at Emiko when you're in our home is not acceptable."

Not be too violent, anyways.

[killerinstinct]

Emiko was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't hear Daniel come in, and was taken by surprise when he spoke.

"Daniel..." she sighed out, not too pleased with what Daniel said. She appreciated his concern, but not the way he spoke to Reh. She was afraid a fight might break out, although the chances were quite low, as Reh wasn't in a state to be able to fight. Still, she prefered staying on the cautious side.

"Reh, I think it is better if you leave", Emiko said, turning to him as she spoke, "I'm glad you came by to see me."

She felt a bit bothered because she didn't have the chance to tell him of an idea she just had. She would have to search for him somehow...

[Griffin]

Daniel heard that entire thing...!?

Reh was furious, snarling almost at his privacy being invaded so. Opening intimately to Emiko, a friendly soul, was what he intended to do, alone. Having one of his greatest enemies just overhear the deepest parts of his soul was something that was just not acceptable. Daniel had the terrible knack of pushing Reh's buttons at the worst times and it was doing a number on his approximate life expectancy. Emiko was right there though...

To hell with it.

Not half a second after Emiko finished speaking, Reh shot forward toward Daniel, the full strength of his right fist aimed at Daniel's shoulder. He decided to spare his face or his newly healed ribs of further injury, but the pain would still suffice. His fist would strike, he'd collect his bow, and be out the door and fade into the woods before Daniel had a chance to react.

[Golden Emblem]

Daniel wasn't expecting Reh to be that angry or react with a punch, so he wasn't able to get out of the way in time to avoid such a blow. It hurt for sure to get punched that hard in the shoulder, but thankfully it didn't dislocate his shoulder. It hurt, yes, but he was going to grit his teeth through the pain to do something that he knew Reh wouldn't expect.

Grab him. It wasn't a grab in order to choke him or to tackle him down, no. He just wanted to grab him to keep him still for a minute, by latching onto the arm that had punched him. He didn't really want Reh to stay, but he did have a good reason.

"You need to apologize to her before you leave."

[Griffin]

Reh struggled and grunted against the force of Daniel's grip on his arm. It would be so easy to draw his knife and thrust it into Daniel's neck, but as in their last encounter, he couldn't kill Daniel. It was against the rules, practically. If he killed Daniel, any chance of a friendship again with Emiko, and that slight ever-dwindling hope that he and Daniel could not hate each other, would be gone. By the same principle, Daniel couldn't kill Reh. It would cause too much grief for Emiko. Reh, refusing to apologize, made the only move he could think of. Reh drew his large knife with his left hand, spun it to a forehand grip...

And placed the razor sharp edge against his own neck.

"Let me go."

[killerinstinct]

Emiko was going to protest when Reh punched Daniel in the shoulder, but when Daniel grabbed him and asked him to apologize, Emiko was left speechless, and remained in place.

That was until Reh pointed the knife on himself. Emiko was hoping this was going to be the last rollercoaster ride for her emotions today. She had had enough of scares, tension, worries, and the like. In fact, she could do without for quite a while. There was only one thing she wanted, and it was a good night's sleep.

"Reh, please", Emiko practically pleaded, "please, don't do anything crazy."

But she knew talking to Reh was useless now. She only hoped her husband would listen to her.

"Daniel... just, let him go. It doesn't matter now. Just let him go and let's be done with it..."

[Golden Emblem]

Daniel, for once, didn't argue with Emiko and keep a grip on him; instead, he very gently let go of the ranger and stood beside Emiko, taking her hand instead (but with a much lighter grip). The last thing Daniel wanted was for Emiko to see Reh kill himself because he was too much of a coward to deal with the situation. Any pity he had felt for him at one point was gone for good. He couldn't try to be kind anymore.

"You want to be that way, fine. But if you won't show respect for Emiko, then you can leave now. And if I see you here again, you'll be joining Lidda."

[Griffin]

Reh kept a solid grip on his knife and turned to follow Daniel with his eyes as he walked over to Emiko. He took a deep breath and swallowed it after Daniel's words. He kept his composure, surprisingly enough. Reh began stepping backwards lightly, opening the door, and taking his bow with his free hand, never letting the edge let off his neck. He took one last look at Emiko, her radiant, saddened eyes shining back at his dull, hopeless ones. He saw her standing there, Daniel's hand in her own, and only had one thing to say.

"He doesn't deserve you."

With that, he bolted out the door, slamming it behind him. His bow was re-situated around his shoulders. His knife was back in his scabbard. His cowl once again shielded his face from view. Reh dashed easily through the woods, far away from the little cottage. Hoping that Emiko could interpret the fang shaped symbol he left carved on the floor where he was sitting.

The Ranger's plans had not gone as he had so highly hoped. He actually caused more harm to himself and to the two lovers. Perhaps he was meant to be a loner, he pondered for the hundredth time. As he thought about it, had he not betrayed Emiko and Daniel, he would not have become a Ranger. Maybe this was his purpose in the grand scheme of the world.

Or perhaps the world just wants him to suffer.

However it turned out, Reh was meant to be a loner. Hopefully Emiko will find him. Hopefully she will understand. Hopefully Daniel will catch the plague. To love one and hate the one they love. This was not over, Reh thought. Not until he lies dead.

[Golden Emblem]

Daniel was struck by what Reh said before he left, running out of the house with his weapons. He truly and deeply cared for Emiko, and then Reh came out and said such a thing. It made him wonder if he was the only one who thought like that, or if other people were thinking the same thing whenever they saw Emiko and Daniel together.

"Hey, Emiko, are you alright?" Daniel asked softly, throwing his arms around her for a hug. "I'm really sorry about that. I just didn't appreciate his tone."