Gradually she got up, restoring herself and her pride. The cheek, and the incline of her beak, where the hand had hit - and it had not been a soft, easy one - still burned. But life was in her body still, and what had been a moment of weakness in her would not be for long. For she was still herself, one slap which she had practically begged for was not enough to take away her identity. But it was enough to remind her of her position.

Walking away without a word, Stare went into the small bathroom of the suite. A tin tub and a ceramic toilet stood there, using the fine technology of great minds. There was a small looking glass, and the kenku avoided this for as long as possible as she washed her face.

But then, finally, she had to. Dark, dull eyes stared back at her under sable feathers. Some of them were bent, others bloody, stained from the fight. A portion of them around her cheek were flattened, twisted. For a moment she was tempted to peel back the plumage to see the likely raw red skin beneath - but then she didn't see the point. She knew what was there anyway. Quickly, she splashed cold water on it, breathing in and building back up her strength, her control. She let the emotions come spiralling into her body, and accepted the anger that she had been keeping abated.

But not anger at Vitruvion - anger at herself.

"You really are an idiot sometimes Avis," she murmured to herself.

Then she ran a clawed hand through the feathers at her head and turned, going back through to her life.

He watched as she came back, blue eyes watching her carefully. Her walk was stronger, less dejected and powerful, and her mind a whirlwind of, Brother. You found the brother. That's good. You did good, just went around it in the wrong way. And she had done it - actually performed well and discovered the man they had been looking for, at least a mention of him. It had simply been her determination to ignore the man who was a ... her, literally her god. The same essence of a being who had created her race.

Bringing her eyes up to meet him she paused for a moment, before letting out a whisper. "Wine?"

Vitruvion's eyes glimmered a moment, the blue filling with softness and acknowledgement. Softness. A strange concept for him usually. Gently, he nodded, "I think that would be a good idea."

She picked up the to glasses and filled them, setting them down with a quiet clop, before sitting back in her place. Opposite him.

All in all she knew she wasn't going to apologise, and neither was he. It was never going to happen.

"So," he said, inviting the room with conversation once more. Stare blinked a few times, forcing herself to concentrate back again. To be willful, objective, tough.

I am Stare ... I am a kenku. I am a steward of a god.

Vitruvion raised his chin, proudly straightening his back. "What you found was useful. It is highly possible that this apparent ..." He narrowed his eyes, "'brother' of mine did influence Sabazios, to the point where he became what he was not." He took a pause, and eyed her determinedly. "Stare, what I did I had to do. You know this. And I will not hesitate to discipline you again, should the need arise. I will always warn, my kenku, but I had to do it."

He said it like he regretted it. Stare didn't know - she never would, she considered - but that was the way of things. That was her life now, and would be for some time. The only way to really live was deal with it, move on and live her life as it was given.

As she had been. As she would into her aged days, serving a god who was flesh. Honestly, she knew how to act, it was simply stupidity that her led her into this situation. Her presumption that she would not ever have to suffer again at his hands.

By Ansaldo's balls ... She had been so wrong.

"I know you did, Vitruvion," Stare replied in a low, but firm voice. Her black eyes, piercing and knowing focused, "And I know. You ordered, I disobeyed."

For a while he looked at her, with a calmness that seemed to emulate his godhood, then he nodded slowly. "Yes, my dear, you did. For that amount of times ... Punishment must occur."

"Are we allowed to go back to the subject of the text?" Stare asked, stress in her voice.

He pursed his lips slightly, but then he raised a hand. "You seem to have got the point, therefore ..." He looked back at the papers, and paused before nodding. "Yes. The unconscious mage told me finally that he worships a minor demon. My guess it is also Sabazios, and that this ... Bounty Hunter Guild is in fact, in part, given resources by the very small church and the church gains money back."

He picked up his goblet and went on, as if nothing had occurred in the last ten minutes. It was exactly the way Stare wanted it and she actually found the tension around her heart breaking somewhat.

"What my ... This," at the next word he spat, "'Brother' - and remember, neither I, nor Ventrua know of no other half-gods from Ansaldo here - what he is may be one of many things but I do not think we can underestimate him. Now, from analysis I have figured out the details of where other stations of the Bounty Hunter's Guild might rest but our focus is going to be finding Sabazios' church." He slammed down his goblet, his eyes suddenly filled with determination. "Because that is where the power is coming from, that is where the influence lies ... And that, I believe, my dear ..." He gazed at her with protective, knowing eyes.

"That is where we will find him."

-FIN-