Smoke Is Clearer Than Blood

[Llkt'tudrin'wyshd]

Ydrin stood a short distance from the Avril, hands shoved deep into pockets as a lit cigarette hung loosely from his lips, smoke slowly clearing around his features. His eyes stayed riveted on the view of the setting sun before him that painted a picture of different colours in different hues across the sky as evening turned into night.

Shifting, Ydrin pulled his leather duster tighter around him as a wind brushed up against the thin material of the shirt he wore beneath the coat. Relaxing again, he let the current silence of the land around him wash through him, the fresh bite that the air carried curling around his taste buds. The pure scent of nature stung at his nose in a pleasant manner.

The scene combined to relax him, to ease from his shoulders and stress the day may have cumulated and to let his thoughts slow down.

Reaching up he removed the butt of a cigarette that was all that remained of the smoke he had been enjoying. Dropping it, he rubbed the toe of his boot along it, extinguishing it. Bending down, Ydrin picked up the butt and dropped it into a pocket before removing a new cigarette and accompanying, silver, battered Zeppo lighter. Placing the cigarette in his mouth, Ydrin flicker the cap of the lighter and ignited the flame.


[member="Zandra Tal'verda"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Her veins itched. Her skin crawled. Her head felt warm. Too warm. Withdrawal was horrible. She needed spice and she needed it now. But where could she find it? Her private stash was nearly gone. It was hard to come by out here. She pulled out a cigarette, lit it up and walked. That kid. The blond. She knew him. She knew she recognized him before. And now she knew why.

Zandra always remembered family.

She closed the distance, blowing smoke in his direction.

"'Ey there. [member="Ydrin"] , right?"

 

[Llkt'tudrin'wyshd]

"Hn."

Ydrin's revere was broken by a feminine voice and his own grunt as he twisted around to see who it was that had addressed him, hand still holding the Zeppo lighter open and lit. He cocked an eyebrow upon seeing Zandra approaching him, her own cigarette between her lips and smoke being blown in his direction.

"Hm?"

Grunting again, this time in a questioning manner, Ydrin turned to face Zandra straight on, snapping the Zeppo shut and placing it back in his pocket.

"Yeah. That's me. Why do you ask...? Er," He paused for a second, dredging up the woman's name from his memory. "Zandra?"


[member="Zandra Tal'verda"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Another long drag. Another exhale of smoke.

"I thought I knew you. We're cousins- well, second cousins. On... your mothers side, I think?"

She never forgot a face, or a name.

[member="Ydrin"]

 

[Llkt'tudrin'wyshd]

Ydrin chuckled slightly around his cigarette at Zandra's question and it wasn't a humorous chuckle but a slightly mocking one.

"My lady, I assure you, that I have absolutely no karking idea as to what you're talking about."

Copying his fellow blond, Ydrin took a long drag of his cigarette before removing it from his lips, leaving it dangling from his fingers as he breathed out a cloud of smoke.

"What are you smoking?" He smirked at Zandra as he spoke. "'Cause whatever it is, for you to jump to that conclusion, it must be something other than nicotine and tobacco?"


[member="Zandra Tal'verda"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

"Ha! I wish. Cigarettes are all I can find, unfortunately."

She grinned, looking out at the horizon. She wished she was on something. Smoking something other than cigarettes. A new addiction to replace the old. But where they were now? Unlikely.

"I remember you though. I know my kriffin' family tree inside and out. Part of the Fenni pride. The family takes itself so very seriously. You're a bastard child, you know, but still a Fenni. They wouldn' cross you off for bein' a mutt."

[member="Ydrin"]

 

[Llkt'tudrin'wyshd]

Ydrin chuckled lowly a Zandra. Despite the fact that he liked the woman's personality, that which he had seen as they hadn't had much interaction yet, Ydrin did not believe Zandra. That opinion was obvious in the smirk that he wore, twisted around the cigarette.

"I know I'm the son of a bastard, a money grubbing, lazy bastard, but not a bastard child. Not to my knowledge anyway. And, I don't meant to brag, but my knowledge is quiet extensive. So, my dear, I do not believe you."

He paused to take a second long drag from his cigarette before continuing. "So, my lady, if you wish for me to believe you, you better have some damn good proof." An arrogant chuckle fell from his lips into the evening air.


[member="Zandra Tal'verda"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Zandra shrugged. Didn't matter if his parents were married or not. An Echani marrying outside their race? Their children would be considered bastards simply for being hybrids. Unacceptable. Zandras son and daughter were bastards too, in the eyes of the Fenni family.

"Want proof?" she laughed, "I got proof. Ever look at your family tree before?"

[member="Ydrin"]

 

[Llkt'tudrin'wyshd]

"Never saw a reason ta do so, you know? I knew where I stood in life, never needed it reaffirmed."

Ydrin took a deep breathe in and held it for a while, his mind spinning in circles, before he realised the held breathe in an explosive sigh as his shoulders slumped. Twisting his body, he stared directly at Zandra before speaking.

"I still don't believe you, but as arrogant as I know myself to be, I know I can be wrong at times. What evidence can you show? Also, I will need a blood sample, for DNA comparison."


[member="Zandra Tal'verda"]