Saffron walks slowly, leaning heavily on his spear. Every few steps he stops, massaging his temples for a moment before moving on. He walks up the path to Hope's cottage where he normally stops by every few weeks to meditate when the noise becomes too much. He has been out of touch for longer this time, sleeping on the road, moving from place to place, and the noise came back quicker and lounder than it ever has before. His robes smeared with dust and the dried ichor of the living dead, Saffron cuts a haunted figure these days, the glinting of his jade eyes only hightening the affect. He straitens as he sees a soft glow eminating from the cottage, and tries to walk the remaining distance without leaning on his spear for support.

       The young woman is making some dinner. There's smoke or what could be steam coming out from her window. The delicious smell of a hearty venison stew wafts on over towards Saffron. It seems the good exorcist is a cook as well, and the sound of soft singing can be heard as well..

        Saffron smells to cooking food, but only so much as it registers in his head as food. Alongside the venison, Saffron feels it coming fron the house, carried on the words and tone of the song drifting in the wind. It carries a volume to it, not more powerful but infinitely /deeper/ than what he feels amongst the pesants and farmers of Silent Peaks. He has felt something similar from Orduin of the Tools and Quicksilver dreamer, but to him most of the noise just means more pressure in his head. Instincts with no outlet. Taking a deep breath before the doorway, Saffron ends his slow walk to the cottage. Rubbing his head with his free hand, he knocks on the door of the cottage and announces himself. "Faith? It's Saffron, is that you in there?"

        The voice is familiar. Kind of. Sort of. She quirks her brows and heads on over, opening the door as she peers towards Saffron and canting her head towards the side a bit to examine him closely. "I am glad to see you are all right, even with everything going on.." she says with a warm smile. It seems ordering wagons of salt is the way to this young girl's heart.

        Saffron smiles back, "I try to get myself into as much trouble as I can that I can still get out of. I learned that lesson well," he says, rubbing his eyes. "I have

not been feeling good lately, and I think I may have to leave soon. I don't know if I'll be able to come back, so I've been trying to do as much as I can for the area."

        Hope continues to look over him, smiling warmly as she motions for him to come on in. "I have some venison stew, would you care for some at least? I'd like to speak with you about one of your students, Walker of Shadows..or was it Shadow Walker? I dont remember.."

        Saffron grins at that, "Ah, Walker of Shadow, strange one that. Came to me asking for training in the Golden Janissary. I was shocked to learn what he truely was..." Saffron fidgets for a second, "But considering it was the same reason that brought me here in the first place, I couldn't turn him down." Saffron rubs his temples for a moment, "I thought it would be interesting to learn from someone like him. It gives me a little bit of hope to see something that traditionally turned it's face from creation to desire to defend it."

        "He lacks discipline. I wanted to test him, and yet when I faked my death, he still struck me.." she says matter of factly. Her expression is neutral, as she's not upset about it any more. "The council of these lands will no longer be willing to teach you, due to your affiliation with the nemissary and because of..your own changes that I hear you are undergoing. However, I am still a master of golden janissary myself, and you have proven your willingness to help here.."

        Saffron frowns ruefully, "I suppose I have been a little too free with myself and my secrets. Though it seems to me Walker lacks discipline because you faked too well." Shrugging it off, "I swore I would teach him, if discipline must be a topic, so be it. Who told you of my heritage?" Frowning, he adds, "Not that I suppose it matters, if the Masters know the whole vally might as well know." Rubbing his head again, he looks strait at Hope, "I feel it in you as well, like looking into a well without a bottom. Are you as Orduin is? A chosen of the Unconqured Sun? You two seemed to speak on equal terms."

        "As Orduin is a crafter and scholar, I am a priestess of the Unconquered Sun.." she says matter of factly, running her fingers through her hair once more as she bows her head once more. "I only told the council for their advice, but considering that half of them have been killed by Vengeful Kiss, then I have no choice but to teach you both, so that the teachings may be continued.."

        Saffron shudder's at the mention of Pyre Flame's name. "That one... I wish you luck in your struggles against him, but he is far beyond my abilities. I do not think I would survive a second encounter." He bows his head to Hope, "I do thank you for offering to continue my teachings. If you wish, I will pass along instruction to Walker if you do not want to see him."

        "No. I will have him there. I want to watch him anyway." Hope says softly as she stirs her stew and pours out two bowls. "You can rest here tonight though if you like. So..how is everything? Are you feeling..the transformation?" she asks curiously.

        Saffron shakes his head, "No, nothing like that. Just a constant pressure behind my eyes, like... like my mind is telling be to play Gateway, but I don't have a board or pieces. Like there are concepts floating in my head I just can't wrap coherent thought around." Saffron looks at Hope, "I think I'm going mad. Or if I'm not now I soon will be. That's why I might not be here much longer, there is still something I have to do while I still can." His eyes loose a bit of their focus, "It will have to be soon now. Maybe before the month is out."

        "I will need to be there when it happens. I will not have you as a danger to creation itself.." she says firmly while running her fingers through her hair. "So yeah.."

        Saffron nods, seriously, "If you wish me to, I will come for you before I leave. Orduin and Quicksilver Dreamer have also expressed a desire to accompany me." Saffron smiles ruefully, "If it comes down to it, I expect I will have the shortest reign as a danger to Creation in history."

        Hope smiles warmly and takes a deep breath. "I have a confession to make, since i know your secret. My name is not actually Faith, it was but an alias I needed to use while taking you to the hospital. You are aware of my status as one of the Sun's Chosen, and I am publicly known, so I thought you might as well know..my real name is Hope.."

        "Hope is a beautiful name, and you wear it well, giving hope to those who live here." Saffron sighs, "I hope I can live up to your expectations of me. Though I doubt I will live to regret it should I not." Shutting his eyes, he asks, "May I have some privacy for a while, I need to meditate, to shut out the noise, it is hard to concentrated with my mind rattling the bars of it's cage."