Arming a Friend
[RP for zee_ali and moreinto1(if he can)]
Hsu's Lear had made a run to New York City, and Cody was able to arrange for Ziyah to hitch a ride on it for the trip to Zurich, before it went back to India to await Hsu's return. It wouldn't cost anything, and it saved Zee having to fly with all the summer tourists on a commercial flight. Cody Jean was pretty sure that Andy and Lars agreed to it just because they were so worried about her, since she still was morose and reclusive since her kidnapping by the Guild.
Since Hsu had recovered his son, Cody converted her little used room that was next to Hsu's at the Ranch into the coolest room for a seven year old boy in the history of decorating. Oh, there was no cheap plastic imitation race car bed for Hsu's boy. No way. She had a miniature Indy car fashioned into a bed, so that it would look and feel as though he were really at the track. Of course, it was completely clean, safe and just right. On one large wall, she had a mural painted with a map of the world as it was in Attila's time, and next to it, one of the modern world. Below the maps was a desk with the finest computer equipment and learning supplies, as well as shelves of books for his age in English, German and his own Chinese. On another wall, there was a large flatscreen television with all the best video equipment and games. Cody snickered when she found one called "Battle of the Huns", and, of course, she had to buy it. The rest of the room and bath were decorated for a growing, rough and tumble, boy. There were signed jerseys framed, from the biggest sports stars, and one corner held every kind of sports ball and equipment a kid could play with. She also had a shelf of popular games, including backgammon, chess and Monopoly. There were clothes in the drawers, and the best personal care products for a kid. In all, it was a great room for a prince, and the guys had fun with her, setting it all up.
When it was all done, she sighed, and told the guys that she guessed she should go home to her townhouse in the city. So her surprise, and somewhat relief, Andy vetoed that. On Hsu's orders, she was to remain at the Ranch, for her protection. Thoughtfully, the men had a loft apartment converted over the barn, so that it was the perfect private place for her. The large skylights in the kitchen/living area, as well as the fireplace and brick walls in the bedroom, delighted her. She decorated it with good, but not fancy or frilly, things. They even had a whirlpool bathtub installed, and Cody hugged Andy till he protested and pushed her away, and then she hugged Lars, and all the guys.
The men who went to pick up Zee at the airfield deliberately drove her to the ranch in a way that would be impossible for her to remember, as security was heightened to the extreme, both from Cody's kidnapping and the impending arrival of Hsu's son. Cody made arrangements with a master swordmaker in the city to have Ziyah fitted for her first sword, a gift that seemed right to her. After all, her swords were gifts from an Immortal before her, and the legacy goes forward.
As the black SUV with dark tinted windows pulled up the drive, Cody came out of the main house to greet her friend.
Hsu's Lear had made a run to New York City, and Cody was able to arrange for Ziyah to hitch a ride on it for the trip to Zurich, before it went back to India to await Hsu's return. It wouldn't cost anything, and it saved Zee having to fly with all the summer tourists on a commercial flight. Cody Jean was pretty sure that Andy and Lars agreed to it just because they were so worried about her, since she still was morose and reclusive since her kidnapping by the Guild.
Since Hsu had recovered his son, Cody converted her little used room that was next to Hsu's at the Ranch into the coolest room for a seven year old boy in the history of decorating. Oh, there was no cheap plastic imitation race car bed for Hsu's boy. No way. She had a miniature Indy car fashioned into a bed, so that it would look and feel as though he were really at the track. Of course, it was completely clean, safe and just right. On one large wall, she had a mural painted with a map of the world as it was in Attila's time, and next to it, one of the modern world. Below the maps was a desk with the finest computer equipment and learning supplies, as well as shelves of books for his age in English, German and his own Chinese. On another wall, there was a large flatscreen television with all the best video equipment and games. Cody snickered when she found one called "Battle of the Huns", and, of course, she had to buy it. The rest of the room and bath were decorated for a growing, rough and tumble, boy. There were signed jerseys framed, from the biggest sports stars, and one corner held every kind of sports ball and equipment a kid could play with. She also had a shelf of popular games, including backgammon, chess and Monopoly. There were clothes in the drawers, and the best personal care products for a kid. In all, it was a great room for a prince, and the guys had fun with her, setting it all up.
When it was all done, she sighed, and told the guys that she guessed she should go home to her townhouse in the city. So her surprise, and somewhat relief, Andy vetoed that. On Hsu's orders, she was to remain at the Ranch, for her protection. Thoughtfully, the men had a loft apartment converted over the barn, so that it was the perfect private place for her. The large skylights in the kitchen/living area, as well as the fireplace and brick walls in the bedroom, delighted her. She decorated it with good, but not fancy or frilly, things. They even had a whirlpool bathtub installed, and Cody hugged Andy till he protested and pushed her away, and then she hugged Lars, and all the guys.
The men who went to pick up Zee at the airfield deliberately drove her to the ranch in a way that would be impossible for her to remember, as security was heightened to the extreme, both from Cody's kidnapping and the impending arrival of Hsu's son. Cody made arrangements with a master swordmaker in the city to have Ziyah fitted for her first sword, a gift that seemed right to her. After all, her swords were gifts from an Immortal before her, and the legacy goes forward.
As the black SUV with dark tinted windows pulled up the drive, Cody came out of the main house to greet her friend.