The Phoenix was so damaged, so hurt and worried and it pained the goddess, this poor bird’s flame was so weak, flickering in the wind. As a creature of hers, she felt compassion, while feeling unmitigated rage for the beast that reduced one of her creatures to this smouldering pile of ash. She sighed, reluctant to touch her but knowing that eventually the young one would need affection. Perhaps one of her own kind would help, perhaps Damon could connect to her. “Stay, “ Rhylana said after a long moment of biting her power back, she sighing and looking up as if to ask the stars themselves ‘why’. As the bird confessed her inability, Rhylana nodded, standing and pacing ever so slightly.

“Your inner flame is weak, I am certain you know this, and given your…situation, you are probably protecting yourself.” Rhylana nodded, she had been traumatised a number of times, and that being said, she understood how the bird may be trying to help herself. She did not touch the girl, but instead, she rose the temperature of the braziers, the humidity in the air, and called the stars down from the heavens that the night may burn brighter. The tides would be higher this night, but the youth did not need darkness- Rhylana could sense that, but light.

She smiled as she felt Damon at her back, knowing he was there long before he came close, feeling his innate warmth. “Pyzis, this is Damon…Damon, Pyzis, she will be joining us here in the Ivory Court.” Her voice was calm, sweet, “Damon, she shares your nature, though finds herself…new…to our area. She is to stay with us until she feels acclimated and then I will teach her the healing arts.” These secrets were not Rhylana’s to share, the abuse, though known- was Pyzis’ secret, her pain. That was something she alone could share.

“Pyzis, Damon is the captain of my guard, he protects me when I take my rest in the day and he protects those that live here. He trains the guards and tends to my Liger, Shivara. He is a large cat that will not harm any within these walls unless provoked.” No doubt the abused bird would have a small coronary if she stumbled upon the sleeping beast. He was near seven feet tall on his hind legs. “Pyzis, please, tell me where you would take your refuge, beneath the stars in the garden, the solarium, private quarters?” She looked to Damon, sighing as she knew the sorrow in her heart filled her eyes. He was as she was, of flame, of legend. The Mother of Flames, the Empress of Embers could only do so much to help the poor beast heal. The rest would be up to her.

“Within these walls resides my child, a young boy named Nikolai, Alairia, a child of wind and Damon along with the servants and numerous guards. Those of my ilk will not be harmed.” She smiled, trying to assure the girl she was safe, the white goldstone marble walls were enchanted, imbued with the mythalls needed to keep her and hers safe. The magic came easier now, and though she knew that the child of flame was hurting, she did her best to discretely strengthen the wards as well as enhance the habitat of the area.

Pyzis stared at her hands until Rhylana finished addressing her, she was ashamed that there was so much weakness within her. There was no way she would be able to step indoors tonight; fear still gripped her heart. The thought of being confined within stone walls made her breath catch. She was terrified to sleep if she closed her eyes visions of her imprisonment assailed her. Pyzis felt as if she were falling apart, until she looked up and saw the stars blazing in the sky. The beauty of them stunned her; she had the choice to stay here in the garden beneath the stars. Warmth slowly seeped beneath her skin, enveloping her and lifting her spirits slightly. 

Pyzis realized that someone had joined them. It was a man that Rhylana had introduced as Damon; he had short dark hair and blue eyes. He wore green leather armor as if there could be an attack on the sacred grounds any moment. He had a straight posture and squared shoulders revealing he took his position seriously. When she met his eyes, there was a strange pull at the fire within her, almost as if there was something familiar about him. Pyzis brushed off her leather breeches and stood. It was impolite to keep sitting no matter her state of mind when the other two were not. 

"Goddess, I would like to stay out here. The thought of being in an enclosed space……is something I can't handle tonight," she admitted to Rhylana. Then she turned to Damon "I'm Pyzis, and this is my first time here at the Ivory Court. I came because I found out that I'm linked to the Goddess here as I'm a Phoenix." 

She curtsied to him politely and hoped that she wasn't in trouble since the Goddess had sent for her Captain of the Guard. Pyzis could feel herself still trembling despite the heat; she supposed it would be a while before she felt comfortable enough to stop. She focused on her breathing and counted heartbeats trying to keep herself calm, she only hoped that no one would try touching her again anything soon. 

What he was about to see was not something that he had expected.  Damon stood at attention as he awaited instructions from his mistress since she had summoned him.  What was going on?  The grip on his bow tightened as the heaviness of aura began to weigh on him. The connection that he had with his Lady was a deeper one than ever before.  He could feel the sorrow, and yet he could still feel the spark of hope.  With arms tight to his side, Damon made a slight bow in greeting to Pyzis.  “I welcome you to the Ivory Court, miss.”  Blue eyes shifted back to Rhylana as she spoke of the newcomer.  Brows lifted in surprise to the news.  He glanced back over at the seemingly broken woman before him.  She was a phoenix. 
 
“As you so wish, mi’lady.” His voice was flat in his response.  There was no emotion that he could possibly pin point how he felt.  In all his memories, he had never met another of his kind.  They were a dying breed.  Very few were still around, and most had been taken as exotic pets that were sold to the highest bitter.  The trade was a taboo, but still done.  “You have nothing to fear while within these walls.  I have constant patrols.  If you have need of anything, do not hesitate to ask.” 
 
Damon glanced back at Rhylana to see the sorrow once more.  What could he do?  Was his presence truly going to be of any help?  The phoenix was not that good at speaking with others as it were, but trying to reassure a broken creature to rebuild….that was going to be more difficult.  The biggest issue was that Damon had no idea how to react to the presence of another of his kind.  Something felt wrong in his chest.  His heart began to ache, and he had no idea why.
 

Even with the turmoil that began to pull at him inside, there was no evidence on the surface.  He would not allow himself to be compromised with personal issues.  “If you wish to stay outside, would I recommend over by the hot spring?  There are some nice trees for you to relax by, and you can go into the heated waters to rest your body.”  It was not much advice, but he was proud of himself to being able to come up with anything.  Tears and the like were not his specialty…and they tend to make the man uncomfortable.  Whenever someone cried to him, it was usually because of a broken limb during train.  In turn, he would react by having them go to the infirmary and deal with it.  This was something completely different; this was the conversation of the 'soul.'

Life was a cruel mistress, trampling the soft of heart and the giving without mercy and without compassion. This poor bird, this poor young woman was proof enough of this, standing before the goddess broken and battered. Rhylana looked to her nervous guard, smiling, “Damon, my captain, she is not unlike you, but she has suffered greatly.” Damon surely must have met some fate in his previous incarnations.The goddess weighed upon the situation, “Pyzis, you may say here in the garden, safely, Damon will help you find a place that is safe and comfortable. For now, he is right, the heat will assist you in healing your wounds that are both without and within.” Her voice was calm, thought he anger that one of her beings was so hurt, that she had been so betrayed by a family she’d been dedicated to. It was outrageous.

Rhylana smiled, loving the fact her guard was here and understood. “Pyzis, my library is in a private wing, a guard will need to accompany you to go to it. If you wish to take a book, please leave me a note on which volume as I am still collecting and desire to know where each tome is going.” She smiled, not mentioning that certain ones would burn the hands of the thief that tried to leave the grounds with it. She looked at the pair and thought for a time, the air was warm enough, and she would protect the garden from the weather so that the youth could do well for a time.

“Pyzis, there are a number of elements to my world, I can protect you for a time, but my gardens will need water and normal weather patterns. So we will have to find you a safe place outside of my gardens at some point little one. Any of the servants will bring you anything your heart may desire.” Her words were true, concern showing in her eyes. Rhylana was a ruthless killer, and would later go to finish off whatever family remained of the sick bastard that did this, but she was not going to hurt creatures of her element. No, these rare treasures needed to be protected and this one needed to be healed.

“I am not a goddess of life or healing Pyzis, this means I cannot heal that which is truly wounded within you. I can help you and assist as long as you are within my temple. But we must work together to make you an asset to me, to my clergy, and a healer as you desperately wish to be.” her tone was sweet, though Damon would be able to pick up the subtlety within her tone. “Damon, I will be going out this eve, see to it that Alairia puts my son in my bed, that he has the plush wolf I made him, and that he is well protected. I do not know when I will return. Ember will sleep with him and Alairia.” She smiled, a smile that boded ill for those that she thought about.

"Thank you Damon, it gives me much peace of mind to know there are guards here. I will rest easy tonight if i can keep the night mares at bay. Rhylana I am grateful for your hospitality. i will rest and heal here tonight before i try to go indoors again. I fear another panic attack if I am beneath a roof so soon." she sighed as she looked around for the hot springs Damon had mentioned. It was amazing that there was enough room here for such a luxury.

Pyzis felt exhaustion seeping into her very core, it would be nice to rest near the hot springs. The warmth would relax her tense muscles along with staving off the nightmares so she may even get some sleep. With a bow to her Goddess Pyzis turned down a side path of stones. She could see the trees from where she stood and assumed that the steam rising next to them meant the hot springs. Her eyes were drawn to the many carefully cultivated plants that lined each trail. It must take hours every day to keep it so lush and beautiful. Her sight lingered on a bush full of pink azaleas, her favorite. 

The trees loomed over the steaming pools while grassy lawn surrounded each trunk. It looked like heaven on earth to Pyzis. The fear had turned into numbness, but the soreness from so much tension left her feeling utterly drained. It would take time to heal from her captivity but she was determined to do so. The man who once held her was dead, he had no way of torturing her again. She also had a feeling that if she stayed here to serve Rhylana no one else would have the chance to imprison her. If she had her own guard then no one with ill will could stay in her temple. Pyzis pondered the idea of serving the Goddess as she made her way to the base of a particularly large oak. 

Despite the weariness that held her Pyzis couldn't resist the pull of the warm waters. One of the servants stood nearby and she asked the woman for a robe. After she had the garment she went behind a tree and stripped before donning the robe. Though Pyzis had never understood the propriety of covering ones nakedness she figured others grasp it better. She moved behind a large rock before undressing and stepping into the steaming water. A sigh escaped her lips as the warmth traveled up her legs as she descended. It had been years since she had had a warm bath. Once submerged Pyzis found a spot to sit and rested her head on the side of the pool, her chocolate hair spreading out behind her. The tension in her body slowly ebbed away and Pyzis finally felt safe enough to relax.