**After LicheEscence, Before A Touch**

Brannin's thoughts flickered over Lilith's, she saw him smile and seemed to hear him
say to her. 'We have something for you, Lilith.. to ease any frustration you may have. 
Would you meet us in the slain hero?'

She smiled to herself slightly and moved down the stairs into her store to see what the
first apprentice had for her.

(Golden Aura) (BOUND) (Wounded) You see a peasant's daughter here.
(Red Aura) Brannin stands over a slumped form.

Brannin looked up at her and smiled as she nodded to him in greeting.


A peasant's daughter (-1) is a small female human.
A sweet young thing, she lives and plays in the Barony, the
daughter of one of the peasants.
A peasant's daughter has some small wounds and bruises.

a peasant's daughter is using:
<worn around l. wrist> a child's bracelet


Brannin looked at the girl as Lilith did. 'We where just thinking, Dark Lady....'

Lilith grined evilly as he spoke, already seeing where this would be going.

'You have given us much.. and We have not been very appretiative to your help.. so we had 
thought to give you this..'He rubbed a hand down the side of the child's cheek. 'Is she not 
a beautiful little girl?' Brannin's touch caused the girl to cry out in fear.

The Dark Lady nodded and displayed her teeth at the girl in what might be a grin.

'We are glad you think so.' Brannin seemed pleased with her approval before beckoning for 
her to follow him.

Together they walk with the girl behind them into the forest at the edge of New Lensmoor.

Setting the peasant's daughter free, Brannin backs away. 'She is yours Lilith.'

She did not hesitate, in fact, she had a barb black chain out already, flicking it like a whip
she quickly binds it about the girls middle, pinning her arms down.  The girl screamed as the
razor sharp spikes dug into her soft flesh.

'The kindest we could find' The First Apprentice explained. 'She was attempting to help an old 
begger stand to his feet when we came upon her. Such a pure heart.'

Lilith nodded at Brannin as she looked at the girl in thought.

'The beggar no longer requires help...' Brannin grinned darkly, a hint of Jvar in his eyes.

Lilith however never noticed as she dragged her blade across the child's throat, grinning in a
most sinister way the entire time. 'Good.  If he could not stand, he was to weak to live.'

Brannin nodded in agreement. 'Such was our thought.'

'Tell me child, do you fear death?' She asked the girl softly, almost soothingly. 'It will be quick, 
I am not one to toy with my prey if they have not wronged me first.'

The peasant's daughter looks blankly back at her, eyes wide in fear and shock. The girl however
didn't have time to wonder about the strange woman's words.  Fast as a striking serpent Lilith
began the ritual sacrifice of the girl, proffering her to the gods.  The girl managed only a
tiny cry before she fell dead at their feet.


Lilith smiled and Brannin closed his eyes as a bit of the girls life blood splattered upon him.
He opened his eyes once more and smiled at The Dark Lady, watching as she licked the blood from 
her blade and grinned at him.

Brannin raised an index finger and tapped his lips with it. 'She is with us.. you sent her swiftly.'

'I only toy if they have done something to me.' She said as she nodded, slipping her blade back into
her dark robes.

'Those of that purety rarely linger long between the planes.' Brannin said and Lilith nodded as he
went on. 'Though.. we will not speak with her voice.. she was so pure.'He chuckled silently before
he bowed before her, wiping a bit of blood from his forehead. 'We hope you are pleased by our gift, 
Lilith.'

Lilith nodded at Brannin.

'It is a small one, but we hope shows a hint of our appreciation for you.'Brannin grins darkly, that 
familiar glint in his eye again.

'Small or not, it pleases me.  You do seem slightly different, I see it more now than before.' She
says as she catches the glint this time.

'Oh?' He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lilith tilted her head slightly and nodded.

Brannin created a ball of light and brushed a hand over it, causing it to reflect his image in it.
He studied the image carefully. 'We do not see it.' He exstingished the light with a flick of his wrist.
'What do you see Lilith?'

She looked at him carefully and almost frowns. 'I can not quite place it, but I do feel more as if I 
were standing out here with Jvar than I did standing with you before.'

Stands silently and still at Lilith scrutiny, Brannin looked back and then frowned at her words. 'His 
will is mine own... There is not point to where We end and he begins.. his essence flows through us 
as surely as his own flows through him.. perhaps you glimpse it..'

Tilting her head at him again she seemed to think on it

'He is well difined as you know.. there is none of us within him. '

Lilith peered at him then shook her head. 'I am not sure I like it.'

Brannin seems almost struck and lowers his eyes from hers. 'We are sorry to have displeased you. If 
you wish we'll not cast our eyes upon you so that you cannot be displeased by it.' He kept his eyes 
at her feet as he spoke to her.

'No, you have not displeased me.  It is myself, not you that caused it.' Lilith explained somewhat.

Brannin looked up and searched her eyes, his stare penitrating. He cocked his head a moment, and 
tapped his chin before making a soft 'Ah..' and relaxed his gaze. 'We think we understand what troubles 
you. We will tell you something.' Brannin closed his mouth and spoke in the familiar sign with which she 
first encountered him. Brannin signed 'I am still Brannin, but so much more than before, Lilith. I do not 
feel his thoughts, or am I influenced by them as one would say in a possession. What you see before you..'
He gestured to himself. 'Is Brannin Stonwill, Jvar's First Apprentice.'

She nodded slightly as if not believing that completely.

Brannin signed on however. 'Not an automation created by the Dark Pariah.. I am not an animated corpse.. 
without my own thoughts or wants. But.. within me does flow his essence.. much like you may glimpse a 
father in the eyes of a son, for a moment. Perhaps that is what you see...'

'I did not feel you were a walking corpse, but not knowing whom I speak with, I find odd.' She didn't
find it just odd but disconcerting and found herself now unable to trust anything said or done in the 
young humans presence.

His face became slightly drawn and then relaxed, taking a deep breath and gatherd his thoughts. 'When you 
speak to me Lilith, you speak to Brannin.. ' Brannin looked up at the full moon and continued. 'Any secret 
you may tell me, or thought, I'll never reveal to another... but should Jvar ask for it, I will tell him.
I cannot do otherwise even if I should want to. His will is my will. But it has always been so.'

She nodded, clearly already having known that.

Brannin rubbed his forehead with his hand before dropping his hand down by his side and absently 
wiped the sweat off on his pantleg. Brannin signs 'So much has changed since I was a mere wounded boy.'
He chuckled silently and started out of his nolstalgic thoughts. 'I am sorry Lilith, I do not mean to 
waste your time.' The First Apprentice bowed deeply before Lilith, his dark cloak flourished as he signed,
'I am glad you have enjoyed your gift. I only wished to please.. not to cause you discomfort.'

Again the Dark Lady nodded, keeping any emtions to herself.

Brannin turned upon his heel toward New Lensmoor and walked off silently.


[Status 49/50]
To:      Lilith anonymous
From:    Anonymous
Subject: Status change: Lilith (1 feared)
Date:    Sat Jul  8 20:14:24 2000
===========================================================================
I have seen this one lull a child into her confidence only to splatter the 
welps life blood upon my armor. I have seen the patience with which see 
stalks her prey and the ferocity with which she attacks it. Very few things 
send a chill to my spine, but the thought of her anger toward me does cause 
shiver in my very bones. 
 
Stonwill