Someone To Cling To

Writers: Cali, Patrick
Date Posted: 25th January 2007

Characters: Mosler, Kouna
Description: Mosler learns that Tippo is dead and suspects murder.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 1, day 28 of Turn 4

Mosler entered his office and went straight to the pile of reports that had just been delivered. Tippo's report was overdue, and the Hallmaster was starting to worry something had blocked his attempt at uncovering the truth of that cave. There were no reports from Tippo today, so he started to flip through the other letters that had been delivered as he sat down and took a sip of the fruit juice he'd come in with. A letter from Holder Rollif of Smooth Cove caught his eye, it was the hold Tippo was assigned to, so he opened it and started to skim the contents. He almost dropped his glass as he sat up straight in his chair. He put the juice down on the desk and tried to keep his hand from shaking as he read the letter fully this time. After a third read Mosler slammed the letter down on his desk and didn't even care that his half drunk juice had spilled onto the floor as he raced out of the room. He desperately hoped Kouna was already in her quarters for the night, he didn't want to waste time tracking her down. Kouna reached blindly for the towel as she stepped out of the shower. Finding it she first wiped her wet face before wrapping it around her body. She was so glad she had her own bathroom here. Sure, she now had a shower, the pumps for them having only been installed a few weeks before her arrival. Though if she wanted to relax she'd have to go to the bathing pools down the hall, her bath just seemed to small to her, but she usually preferred showers anyways.

She was drying her hair as she stepped out into her living room, crossing on her way to her bedroom when the door burst open and in walked Mosler, out of breath and obviously flustered. She clutched the towel around her torso a bit tighter, trying to look nonchalant in a towel. She dropped her hair towel to offer Mosler a seat.

"Whats wrong? Are you alright?" She asked as she forced him into a chair.

On a normal occasion, he would never barge into her quarters, and if he did, he would definitely excuse himself while she got dressed, but he was too upset to let it bother him right now. "Tippo is dead. I received a letter from Holder Rollif and he said that his men found him at the bottom of a cliff. That he must of fallen off." Mosler explained in spurts. Tippo had only just walked the tables last turn, and Mosler had been extremely fond of the boy as an apprentice.

"By Faranth!" Kouna's hand rushed to her mouth in surprise. She hadn't known the journeyman well, he had left before she got here, but she had heard Mosler speak of him fondly. It must have been devastating. Regaining her composure she went to a side cabinet and pulled out some wine and two glasses. She filled both and gave one to Mosler. "Here." She said pushing the glass under his nose. "Drink." She took a swig of hers and stepped into her bedroom for a moment, trowing on a pair of pants and a loose shirt. She came back and sat across from him. "Do you have the letter?" she asked, holding her hand out.

Mosler looked down at his hands, first to the one holding the still full cup of wine, and then to the other empty hand. "Shards no. I left it in the office." he explained with a shake of his hand. He looked up at Kouna and his face turned hard. "It couldn't have been an accident, he's not that foolish.
I think he found something, or was found out. I think he was _murdered_ to try and hide whatever that something was!" Kouna sat heavily into the chair across from him. Her eyes staring at him in disbelief. "You're sure?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper. She rubbed her face and drained her glass, filling it to the brim again. "Who would do that?"

"I don't' know _who_ would do that, but I'm _sure_
somebody did." Mosler said defiantly as he stood up from his chair. "I'm going to Smooth Cove Hold to figure this out. I will not let someone get away with murdering Tippo!" "Mosler wait!" Kouna grabbed his arm as he stormed toward the door. "You're upset and confused. Do you really think going to Smooth Cove will solve anything?
For all we know you could just get yourself killed!" She ignored the stinging in her eyes as tears fell unbidden from them. "Don't make go through a loss like this again. I can't." her voice was flat and low.

His anger was pushed aside for the moment as he pulled her into a hug to console her. "There there girl, I'm not going to get myself killed. I do need to think this through though, you're right." he hoped the talking would help calm her.

Kouna was hit by a set of uncontrollable sobs. She cried into his chest, letting out months worth of ill expressed pain. Finally her shoulders stilled and her breathing eased. She lifted her head from his chest, brushing weakly at the tear stain on his tunic. "I'm sorry. I stained your shirt."

Mosler chuckled at such a womanly response. "It'll wash out. Are you all right?"

Kouna sniffed and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah. I was just scared. More scared than I ever thought in my life." She looked at him, still holding her in his arms, and grinned. "Do you know how many turns its been since you held me like this?"

"A good many turns." He said quietly as he brushed a few wisps of hair out of her face as he looked down at her. It was so easy to forget about the loss of her dolphin partner and how it had affected her, and he _was_ being foolish about traipsing off to that island. It was obviously dangerous and they needed a plan... and they could formulate that in the morning. "I miss it." Kouna said, laying her head on his chest. She snaked her arms around his back, just feeling the muscles and sinew there. Why had they grown apart? She found herself asking. She had missed him all these turns.

The news of Tippo's death was finally sinking in and Mosler felt his energy seep out of him. He stood there, holding Kouna, and just enjoyed the warmth and presence of a friend. He knew it was edging on inappropriate, but they were both adults, and at that moment they both needed someone to cling to.

Last updated on the January 29th 2007

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Someone To Cling To