The Ace of Wands (part 4 of 4)

Posted on Tue Nov 16th, 2021 @ 7:49am by Alison Bliss & Kindra Graham
Edited on on Sun Jan 23rd, 2022 @ 1:13pm

Mission: Li Shen's Bazaar
Location: Kindra's Shuttle
Timeline: enroute to Li Shen Bazaar

OOC: after 'Ten of Swords'

This revelation hit her hard. Kindra leaned back and didn't speak for several minutes. She sipped her whiskey, tried to wrap her head around what Alison had just told her… and blinked back tears. Jealousy was a destructive emotion she thought she'd learned to control, but never had she been so affected as she was in this moment. Alison had more connection to her father than Kindra ever would, even if she found him.

"I was a student at Madrassa during the war, sequestered from what was happening in the 'Verse. Freedom, justice, the cause of the outer planets… I'm embarrassed to say it was mostly academic to me then, although the tension between my three parents on the subject was palpable during my visits home. When mother was alive, anyway." Did Kinmont's soft spot for his wife get her killed? Kindra lifted her glass and was surprised to find it empty. "When I started looking for him, I began to suspect Kinmont had been a spy." So, Alison must have been a spy too. That fit with what she knew about her friend. "Do you know where Kinmont is now, or how to contact him?"

Alison picked the bottle and poured Kindra more whiskey as Kindra was talking. Then topped a bit her glass afterwards. "I haven't met him since the war." Alison shook her head slightly and then smiled sadly as she continued. "My ways of contacting him are gone with the end of Independents. The network we used collapsed. I am sorry." The blonde leaned forward and patted softly Kindra on the leg again. "Have you been looking for him?"

"Yes." Kindra squeezed Alison's hand, appreciating her comforting gesture, then released it and leaned back, relaxing into the pillows. "For the past, uh.. four months, I've been tracking down people – mostly friends of my parents – who knew Kinmont from before the war. Mostly dead ends. I followed a lead to Santo, but found the right town too late. I lost him." She shrugged and took another sip from her glass. Kindra was feeling the effects of the whiskey and really should stop, but she allowed herself to relax into that warm buzz. What was it Alden had said about Kinmont? "Maybe he just doesn't want to be found, by anybody."

Alison leaned back and thought for a moment looking at Kindra. She easily sensed all the emotions in her friend. Or was she drunk? She understood the drive and was far from dissuading Kindra from her pursuits. She made another sip of the whiskey. "Why now? Four months is not a long time to look for your father." She asked curiously.

It was a fair point. Kindra nodded. "When I was growing up, Walter and Mother didn't talk about my biological father, and the explanation Margaret gave me… turned out to be the lie they told her. I thought Kinmont didn't care." Kindra was quiet for a few moments, aware the drink could be affecting her judgement about what she chose to share… but Jonas already knew everything, and besides this was Alison, her friend. "That changed six months ago. Walter's message gave me a whole different perspective. Walter's last wish was that I find Kinmont. At first, I was so angry at Walter, I swore I wouldn't do anything he wanted. Because he anticipated Jim's patricide but did nothing to stop it. And for the lies – about Kinmont, and because Walter knew it was Jim who murdered Mother but kept it secret."

Kindra sighed. After the long talk with Alden, and now this talk with Alison, she was getting tired of discussing her personal problems. "What about you, Alison. Did you ever learn something about yourself or someone close to you, that completely changed your entire perspective on your life, decisions you'd made, or your place in the 'Verse?" She gestured expansively as if to take in the entire 'Verse and gave Alison a half-inebriated grin.

Alison smiled sadly. "Other than the bombardment of the city I grew up in and killing everyone I knew and considered the family?" She asked bitterly. She had no problem with Kindra's question or her curiosity. It was a distant even if still vivid past for Alison. Things had happened and she had dealt with them by now. She slightly shook her head. "No." She sighed and continued. "Since then I had time to get over it... well, in the way you can get over something like that. Life is hard and then you die, one friend told me."

Kindra sat up abruptly and regarded Alison with concern. She'd didn't know that the people who had raised Alison were dead, she had failed to ask about them when Alison described her childhood. "Oh, Ali. I had no idea. I'm so sorry about your family." She reached out and rubbed her friend's shoulder. She hesitated a few moments, sorting her somewhat sluggish thoughts. "True, life is hard, and everyone dies eventually. But until then, we can find joy, build family, and make our own happiness." She gave Alison's shoulder another pat, then lifted her glass, "Right now, we get to enjoy good friends, and good drink."

Alison nodded slowly. She saw Kindra's sudden change and gave her a calming smile. What had happened to her town was still very much a painful memory but Alison moved on. "It is the past. I appreciate the support but I already got over it." She concluded. Leaning back into a more comfortable position among pillows she decided to go back to Alden subject. Especially that both of them were happily intoxicated. "So... what exactly happened with Alden?"

"He kissed me." Kindra grinned, pleasant intoxication loosening her tongue just enough to confide what was the significant turning point for her. "We were on the bridge, talking. I thought he didn't want me, and I was resigned to that fate. But then he kissed me, and now I'm hopeful we'll get that second chance after all."

"Was there anything more than the kiss? Did he say anything?" Alison inquired a bit surprised that Alden did that. Funny how many women around are just falling in love for Alden but Kindra seemed to be the first to get some meaningful response.

Kindra's inebriated mind spun around Alison's question in slow-motion. That kiss - initiated by Alden and followed up by his consent to continue – had she read too much into it? Alison knew Alden better than anyone, better than Kindra. What had he actually said? "He, uh... he said I'd always be delicious to him."

She frowned and put down her glass. Kindra canted her head, one shoulder rose and fell. "Am I being foolish?"

"Foolish?" Alison frowned and shook her head. "Not at all. In fact if he initiated that, well, that is something new." She took a sip and grinned. "Unique I would say. Though 'delicious'... that is an odd word to describe relationship with a woman."

"Considering Alden's relationship with food, delicious is an apt enough description. I take it as positive." Kindra smiled, thinking of what came after the kiss, then grew serious. It was all so fresh and uncertain. Her training didn't exactly prepare her for this. "I suppose I will just wait and see how it unfolds."

"You are the master when comes to heart stuff!" Alison raised the glass feeling the buzz getting a bit overwhelming. "I think I should stop drinking, because I might not be able to return to my quarters."

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