[M] Cold Dreams (IC)

[Wattz]

They were in a small tea parlor. Crimson velvet carpeting covered the room the single window covered in a thick red curtain casting the room in a dim light. Large snails their soft bodies covered in what look liked modified frocks, trays full of teacups and pots hovered beside them held aloft by unseen hands as they made their way through the parlor offering the various masked customers tea. “I chose a place that would be most pleasing to you,” Mr. Dreams said sitting across from Felicia at their own private table. He gave her a wide smile showing all of his serrated teeth his red eyes dimly glowing from behind his silvery mask.

“Or..Was it supposed to be the most frightening? I forget,” he gave an exaggerated shrug before turning his attention to a teapot on the table. “Tea?” he asked holding up the porcelain teapot which looked oddly enough like a small snail. “I think you’ll really like it,” he said his hands moving the teapot towards her cup beginning to pour. “It’s my specialty! My special tea!...special..special tea..ha ha” he chuckled at the play on words as he finished pouring hers and then his own. His gloved hand lifted the small porcelain cup to his lips as he took the first delicate sip, “mmm, delightful.”

Felicia's hair was long again, and she wore her favorite dress: a long purple gown covered in embroidery and a lace-up back. She sat up straight, gloved hands in her lap. She never took her eyes off the man before her, though she certainly wanted to. He was captivating, though not with beauty. His presence was terrifying yet commanding all the same, and Felicia found that she should not even tremble.

She dared a glance down at her cup, but the sight of snails drowning in tea made her gasp and clap her hand to her lips, shutting her eyes tight.

"It's just a dream." Her voice was muffled behind her hand, but it was clear she was on the verge of tears.

"Of course it's a dream! How else could we be upside down like this?" Mr. Dreams responded hearing her perfectly. Sure enough the table they were sitting on was now on the ceiling of the parlor though their table and chairs working as if gravity was in reverse. "Not sure what you mean by 'just a dream' if you think that means I can't harm me you really haven't been paying attention," he said dryly swirling a spoon before taking another sip of tea.

"Not that you need worry of course, if I wanted to kill you I would have done so by-" His words were interrupted by the appearance of a snail waiter it's eyes peering down at the young woman. "I'm terribly sorry madam, I seem to have given you the wrong cup," it said lifting her cup and replacing it with a snail-less cup of tea.

It nodded respectfully before slithering away leaving a thin trail of slime behind. "There you see? No harm done, have some decorum. I would think a lady of your station could keep her emotions under control," he admonished again taking another sip. "So! how have you been? Have you been enjoying the new changes to the city?" He asked giving her a wide grin showing off his serrated teeth before hiding it in another sip.

She gasped in fear at the sudden change, upside down but feeling oddly right-side up. Somehow the change in cup didn't help Felicia's appetite for tea.

And that smile of his, of Mr. Dreams', she could barely stand to look at it. Felicia kept her eyes down.

"Why... why did you do this? Why did you... did you..." But she couldn't say it. This was the man that killed her family and she could hardly bring herself to acknowledge it. Just a dream, just a dream, every bit of it. She would wake up tomorrow and they would all be alive. As tears sprang from her eyes, they fell in the opposite direction, flying up instead of slowly drifting down her cheeks.

"God, what do you want from us?"

Mr. Dreams tapped his gloved finger against the table annoyed. "Oh stop your sniveling, girl! If this is some sort of ploy to garner pity from me you're wasting your time." He sighed an annoyed sigh, " how boring you are, how predictable and small minded…I can't deny that this has been very disappointing of me." He leaned back sighing his red eyes closing briefly in contemplation. "Your mind quakes with fear and denial yet here you are begging me for answers," he opened one red eye to glare at her. "The truth is there plain to see! but you are too frightened to comprehend it, to even guess at it!" His eyes were open again his cane in his hand he was now poking her forehead with the end of it.

"Why are you so frightened of me I wonder? Because I killed your loved ones? hmm..no nothing so mundane I think. It's because of what I represent to you. I took all your little plans, the niceties you had grown used to, the familiar places and faces which you had come to rely on…and smashed it all against a wall! I am chaos and disorder in your eyes! and that terrifies you doesn't it!?" His movement's couldn't be registered by the human eye but in the next second he was inches from her face his fingers gripping her chin forcing her eyes to stare into his. His grin was impossibly big showing off all the teeth he was very aware scared her. "Would it please you to know then, that you were supposed to die that night? Another corpse to the royal pile, and the fact that you didn't has been a source of endless confusion for me." He let go of her chin leaning back into his own chair.

"Does it comfort you at all to know that I am not…infallible? And that it is not just my hand that pulls at the strings of your fate?"

In her mind she imagined herself a dead corpse on top of all the other ones. Her mother, her father, her sisters and brothers and aunts and uncles, and her the very last one, thrown on top like a rag-doll in a bloody dress.

"L-l-let go of me..." but she was trembling so bad she could hardly get any words out. She sunk back in her chair. "I didn't do... anything... to you, I mean, we didn't, no, I loved them, didn't I?"

A pile of dead bodies, one missing from the bunch.

Felicia began to cry. "Then I deserve to die!" Her words were muffled through her hands "Oh god, if Gio hadn't..." her words trailed away into enormous, ugly sobs.

Mr. Dreams tilted his head hearing the name Gio. Gio, Gio, Gio…that was not a name he was familiar with…odd. She obviously had nothing of significance to tell her about him, otherwise she would not have mentioned his name like that. "Deserve, that is a funny concept. Don't you think?"

He said twisting his cane in his hand ignoring her sobbing. "Who really gets what they deserve? Did Veingaden deserve to be plunged in eternal night? Did Rosalyn deserve to live as long as she has? Did Reximar deserve to have his life forever colored by his twin? Did I deserve to be here entertaining a crybaby little girl?" Again he began to poke her with the cane, nudging her head with the end of it.

"This world does not punish the wicked, or reward the righteous or any of that other karmic nonsense you people love to spew. There are only two kinds of people in this world my dear. Those who play the game, and those who are pulled along by its machinations, which do you think your family was? hmmm?" He laughed a harsh barking laugh.

"Well I think that's enough for tonight, do try to survive my dear. The game has twisted and turned in such delightful ways with you in it." With that he tapped his cane on the ground the sound reverberating through the dream, forcing Felicia's mind back to the waking world.

[Wattz]

A land called Nowhere….

Gio stared down at the pool of blood. It welled up from beneath a plain wooden door, and ever slowly its volume would increase. The door stood up on the sands of a beach facing the expanse of the water flooded with little silver stars. This door had no need for a wall or a house to keep it standing.

Nothing reflected in the pool of blood, not even Gio, whose patchy, garish, harlequin dress made even the gray sea giggle at the sight of him.

“Gio, do you see something?” A woman sat atop an acrobat’s perch, swinging back and forth. The strings flew high into the air, as if it were supported by the clouds. She wore an old-fashioned dress, one that had once been light blue but was now a deep gray. Her skin was a dark tan and her dark brown hair was done up in a bun.

Gio nodded, and as he did the golden bells of his hat jingled.

“The Red Handed Queen is already there.”


Veingaden.

Felicia woke up.

The sheet beneath her was soaked in sweat, and her face dripped with tears. She sat up and buried her face in her hands but tried to keep quiet; she didn’t want to alert Daniel.

The top of her head felt light once again, her hair cut short like a boy’s, and her clothing was bland and dowdy. She was in reality, but she swore she could still see the red of his eyes, could still smell the putrid scent of his breath. Felicia stood up from her bed and looked out the window. She watched the people below move around in hurried circles, their low conversations a mere hum through the window pane.

What could she do to defend herself?

Felicia ripped the sweat-soaked sheet of the bed and bundled it up in her trembling arms. She thought about washing them, but honestly had no idea how to do so, or where she could. Eventually she settled on stuffing these ones beneath the bed and finding the one spare in the dresser. Felicia put the new one on the mattress. The corners were pulling up and the surface was lumpy, but it would suffice. She resolved to not return to sleep, however, and instead sat down on her bed in the surreal atmosphere of the night.

She wasn’t quite sure if she ever wanted to sleep again.

She went into the living room to find Daniel sleeping on a pile of papers. Felicia walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him. "Daniel, wake up. You've fallen asleep."

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah took in a deep breath and released it as she began walking down the stairs. Counting her steps to keep composure she made herself walk to the fireplace. She'd heard the foot steps behind her as she was walking to the stairs. He must've unlocked the window with....a knife? Yes, that was most likely. He may have expected her to hear him, but he still attempted to keep a low profile. Perhaps he thought her own footsteps had covered his own, and perhaps if she hadn't been expecting him they would have. She heard them though. She knew he was coming. She knew he had found her. Looking into the fire she braced herself for the next few moments.

"Hello Delta...."

"I figured I gave you enough credit. You did hear me..." Delta murmured as he descended the last few steps. Slipping his bejeweled knife from its sheath, Delta stood ready as he awaited the woman to turn back towards him. Delta had known she would either be far too paranoid or far too prepared to be successfully snuck up on.

"So. Here we are again. I trust you have no idea the circumstances that led me here tonight?" Delta asked without further preamble. She wouldn't know of the Red Queen... would she? That would be... interesting if she did. If not, then he would have no reason to tell her before cutting her throat open.

"Does it matter? I know what you're here for. Isn't that what matters? If I intended to find your reasons for harming me don't you think I would have trapped you in the hallway? It's much more confined and you'd have less of a chance to escape. Here you have plenty of room and no doubt have already found several ways to escape should things go sour. It's not as if I haven't given you enough reason to harm me either. We weren't exactly on the best of terms the last time we were in eachothers presence."

Lierah sighed and turned to face Delta knowing that doing so would leave her completely open for attack. She expected it. Waited for it. Would he go for a kill? Was he that vengeful? Or would he merely incapacitate her like she and Sharron had him? Staring steadily into his eyes she placed her hands behind her back.

"Do what you came to do Delta. I'm not going to stop you."

A surprising thing happened then... Delta paused.

The thief watched the woman across the room like a caged bird eyed a hungry cat, but he was not scared, per se. Wary, perhaps, but not scared. Something about this invitation struck him as... wrong... But he did not doubt the woman's honesty, for some reason. It bothered him, the whole scenario. And he said so.

"I don't get you," he said simply. "I've met many women, hell, many PEOPLE in my lifetime, but I've never been so put off by a single person before. I. Don't. Get. You. First off, you fight like you've been trained, which is odd enough for a woman. You look out for others before yourself, not an uncommon trait by itself, but coupled with a tenacity and ability that I can barely credit my own Blades for. You have the guts to stare your captor in the face and dare him to try and apprehend you, but now you have the upper hand and yet you would sit here and take what is coming without a fight? There has to be more to it than that.

"Either you're tricking me, or you're insane," he concluded, correcting his stance to become more defensive than aggressive. Her hands behind her back suddenly had him much more wary, as if she was hiding something. THERE was the paranoid side that James knew and loved.

"Ha ha insane is something I have been called before," Lierah chuckled good naturedly, "but I think you're the one who should decide if that's true. As for my skill it comes from my father. We traveled to sell our watches. He wanted to make sure I knew how to defend myself should I get in trouble. I used to wonder myself sometimes where he learned to fight the way he did.....You needn't be afraid of me Delta. I merely wish for you to do what you came to do. I do not flee or attempt to cross you because I do not want to. The only thing that would lead to is you chasing me until I could hide or run no more. Then we'd be right back here ne staring death in the face and you wielding that death with no more mercy than a headsman. I merely chose to meet what is coming now instead of delaying it further can you blame me? I have no reason to lie to you Delta."

Sitting in a nearby chair Lierah placed her hands in her lap and stared back at Delta. Was he chaning his mind about killing her? Had he even actually cared to in the first place? Was this even about revenge?

As soon as she sat down, Delta launched two throwing knives at her. If nothing interfered, they would pin both of her arms to the chair with inches to spare. The motion was almost flawless, smooth, planned... It had been a spur of the moment choice as soon as he saw her move, though. He wanted to make sure. To be absolutely certain she would not escape... The life of one of his Blades was riding on gaining the trust of the Red Queen... and then killing her when her back was turned.

"Your foresight is... Intriguing," Delta said quietly.

Lierah closed her eyes gritted her teeth as the blades sunk into her arms pinning her to the chair. Relaxing her muscles she allowed the blades to stay where they were and the pain slowly went away as she blocked it out mentally. Lierah sighed and looked back up at Delta. He was definitely not changing his mind. It almost seemed like he had to do what he was there for. As if it would come back to bite him if he didn't. Would he have changed his mind otherwise?

"Now I am the one intrigued," Lierah said flatly, " You seem afraid of me for what I am capable of, but still you persist to attempt to kill or maim me. Now that's not entirely odd given the circumstances, but just now before I sat down you seemed like you would have rather let me go and have nothing more to do with me. There is another motive behind your actions than what I thought. Someone has sent you to harm me, haven't they? This isn't about revenge for you anymore. Perhaps it never was. It's about preventing harm from coming to you or some one you don't care to see hurt, isn't it? Who sent you Delta? At least answer me that. You already know I won't resist you. Please? Please, tell me?"

Delta stood there, the surprise not showing on his face, but it was there. She was good at reading people, apparently... Very good. It had to be a woman thing. Regardless, he could not tell her. He had to keep his word... He had to get in good... There was no other way. He had to admit, now that he was here, he didn't truly want to go through with it. That made him continue to pause, his eyes thoughtful as he slowly moved towards Lierah.

Why was he pausing? He never paused. He did his job and got out, but something was making him pause now...

"You'd look good in a dress..." Delta said quietly to himself, just barely loud enough to be heard. Then, as if surprised he'd even spoken aloud at all, his face changed to a dead-serious one and he lashed out with his dagger. The first cut went through her neck, deep. The next one went down her right arm, then followed up with a slash to her left shoulder. He finished by jabbing the dagger under her left kneecap, a quick millisecond within her body then out again. All in all, it should take days to heal at best.

Just not a white one, now... He thought grimly. Wiping his blades clean, he sheathed them again and quickly made his way out.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the split second it took Sharon to move from the bed Kain felt himself start to fall. Feebly attempting to keep his balance he found himself once more on the ground sheets cocooning around him and preventing his moving anywhere. Looking confused and helpless up at Sharon he let himself lay there.

"Um sorry what was that for again," he asked, "did I do something? 'Cause now I really need your help."

Sharon paused. So he did not remember. Was that good? Was that bad? Would it be best if he was left in oblivion? She didn't know how to feel. Her breath slowed, as if her body has made up decision for her mind. She looked at Kain. He has certainly grown. His once golden hair was now tinged with brown, but his face and eyes possessed a playful spark, and his curled lips reminded her something of a child's laughter. They were now pressed in a thin line, and his eyes spoke of confusion.

"Nothing." her voice was barely above a whisper, then cleared her throat and spoke more loudly. "It's nothing." She advanced towards him, taking quick, long strides, With her two worker's arms she slid them under the sheets that enveloped his body. She placed one arm under his neck and the other under the back of his knees, then heaved herself up. It was unconventional to have a woman lift a man like so, but now she wondered why. Men weren't so heavy as society perceived them. At least, Kain was definitely an exception.

She carried him halfheartedly before the bed, where she stood still and stared at the wall, lost in thought.

"How did you find this city?" she mumered. The question came out more like a comment. "What happened to her? Where's mother? Where is mother? How did you run away?"

Suddenly her supporting arms were gone, tucked out from underneath his weight, and he landed with a grunt upon contact with the springy mattress.

"Ooof," Kain grunted as he landed on the bed, "being a little rough aren't we? Did I do something? Does my being in the city anger you or something? I came here a long time ago when.....a long time ago..."

Kain rolled over in the bed and faced away from Sharon. The truth was he did remember all too well. He remembered the fire.

The men who brought it and how they slew everyone. His parents, the servants, everyone. Even the children weren't left alive. He'd only managed to escape when the men were attacking him own parents. He remembered his mother kissing his cheeks while they cowered in the corner being forced to watch them slowly kill his father. Her tears stained his shirt and she whispered quickly too him though he was too shocked to really listen. When his father finally stopped moving, stopped screaming the men turned to his mother laughing, smirking. She turned to him and took his face in her hands then.

"Go go now," she said talking so fast the words seemed to tremble on her lips, "you have to get out of here darling. I'll be alright. Don't worry about me. My big boy. Just run and keep running don't look back and don't try to come back, you here me? Mommy's going to be just fine. I'll come get you as soon as I can. My sweet little prince. I love you....Now go. Go!"

Kain ran then. He didn't look back he didn't stop. He could here his mother scream as he ran. He knew she had lied. She wasn't gong to be alright. She wasn't coming to get him, and she wouldn't ever see him again. Kain kept running until he got to the edge of town. There he stopped. There was someone by the creek. Hiding behind a door that had been broken off of a nearby house he watched for a few moments. It was a woman and she was carrying....something. He couldn't see it so he slowly moved out from under the door. When the woman stood up and walked away from the basket Kain could see what she'd placed in the water. It was a baby. A baby girl rested in the basket as it floated away. Following the basket down stream he kept to the brush and out of sight of anything or anyone who might follow. He followed the basket until he could tell the baby was asleep. Then he waded into the creek and grabbed he basket. She was wet from the creek, but unharmed otherwise. It took most of the night then but soon Kain made it Veingaden with the baby strapped to his back with his scarf. Sneeking into the city he decided to try and find something to eat. It was hard with a baby on his back to go unnoticed though. Finding the castle he decided to place the baby in the garden under a tree. Tht's the last place he'd seen the baby. He'd left it there just as it started to awaken. He prayed then that it would forget everything that had happened the night before and live a happy life. Was she even alive now?

Kain felt a tear run down his cheek and wipped it away with his weak trembling hands. Sniffling he snuggled in closer to the blankets.

His voice wavered, and Sharon turned to the sound of the voice, as if she had forgotten he was there. His eyes suddenly became distant for a second, then a tear floated down his cheek....it only confirmed her suspicions. She shifted herself into a comfortable position on the bed, her stockings pointed towards his face as she leaned again the bedpost on the opposite side.

"You lied."

"You remember."

"Thank you."

"Why would you save me?"

Thoughts filled her head. She looked sorrowfully at Kain, almost like a how poor puppy would regard its dead master. Her lips opened, then closed when no sound came out. And finallly,

"Why did you leave me?"

"You were a baby," Kain sighed not meeting her eyes, "I didn't want you to have a rough life. I knew the people in the castle would take you in, and their life was easier than mine was....is. I didn't want you to have to go through what I did. You deserved better. Besides I couldn't endanger you. I needed to disappear for a while and if I had you with me there was no way to do that. At least you stayed safe... I'm....sorry."

"Stop that." she snapped, and the sharpness of her voice made them both start. She tried mending the mood by continuing with a smooth tone. "You have nothing to apologize for. Actually--" she took in a deep breath. This was the first time she shared gratitude to somebody outside the royal family. "--thank--you." There. She exhaled a tide of relief. And she felt light on her feet again, as if two simple words she let out carried a million pounds.

He nodded and shrugged at the wall like he hadn't heard anything.

Silence. Now it was his turn to ignore her. Sharon hesitantly shifted her weight to the other side, unsure what would happen if sudden movements would cause him to return back to reality. The moment dragged on, and she grew impatient.

Everything happened very fast.

She reached out and captured his jaw with her left hand, spun his face to meet hers and surged forward, placing her lips over his.

I just want know what a kiss feels like. Her heart pounded with a spike of, not love, but adrenaline. I just want to know what they're goddamn talking about when their heart flutters helplessly in their chest. I just want to know what Felicia feels with Daniel. I just want something I've never had before I die.

Kain could barely think when Sharon's lips met his. It was unexpected. It was sudden. It was.....good.....SHe needed to stop. She'd get sick! She'd get sick and she might not survive!

"S-stop,"Kain gasped pushinng her back, "you'll get sick. I'm not going to let you get sick. *Cough cough hack weeze* Ugh see. Now you might get sick! J-just don't......don't do it again...............-What was that?"

"Ah," she gasped silently, catching her breath. For a moment her eyes seemed cloudy and loud, like she was recovering from a long lost dream.

From the hallow hallways the echo of a door slam shook her awake. It came from downstairs. Her blood ran cold.
Why would Leirah choose to leave at this time? She scrambled up and towards the door, unlocking it and finally took a step out.

It was like taking your first step into snow. She froze for a moment, not knowing how to proceed from there on. She felt discomfort settle into the pit of her stomach. An air of suspense creeped into the atmosphere.

With her two feet planted on the creaky wooden floor, her eyes slowly, reluctantly shifted down. And as she did, her discomfort level slid up the bar, and augmented to an universal level of horror. Her heart stopped beating.

Through the old bars, on a leather chair by the fireplace, lay a shockingly macabre Lierah. Pinned to the chair with dagger by the sleeves. By the arms. Underneath the knees. Throat's juicy center.

Too terrified to move, she choked.

Behind her was a window.

And behind the window, a red-eyed, ghastly and livid Crow nodded twistedly at her, and cocked his head closer to the thin glass

[The Imposter]

A land called Nowhere….

"He's just a child..." Gio shook his head. A shadow of the child reflected in the blood, just his feet, as if he stood on the other side.

"We were all children once." The woman clicked her tongue and shook her head. She was still swinging back and forth, gray skirt fluttering with the movement.

"Well of course, but-"

"Nobody is ever just a child." She stopped swinging, the momentum suddenly gone. They stared at one another for a long time, tension building up so strong they were afraid to look away.

"What if the Queen finds him, Telos?" Gio asked, but she did not answer.

"She will not find him," Gio answered himself. "We have very little time left."

Gio turned back to the door. He opened it slightly, just enough to let the child see the sliver of the beach on the other side.

Gio whispered his name. "Jacques?"

The young child had been aimlessly wandering the streets, familiar streets he had walked since he could in fact place one foot in front of another. By aimlessly wandering he really was on an adventure saving the princess in his imagination and finding his parents. He had lost track of time while out and about fighting monsters and helping Daniel and the others in his mind at least. The long haired child suddenly stopped before him stood a door. The door was large and attached to nothing resting right in the random path of Jacques.

If the boys mind had been more developed or if he was more intelligent he might have tried to deduce as to why the door had been there. Out of all the possibilities Jack just looked at the door blankly completely hindered in continuing his playful journey. Then it opened, only a hair but enough for the boy to see what was beyond. His eyes widened and his lips curled, could it really be true?!

The water and stars reflected in Jack's eyes, quickly the child's defenses dissipated and just as the last vanished into the cold wind he heard it.

''Jacques?''

"Oui! C'est moi! Who is it?"

The petite hand had already begun to reach out door ready to grip the doorknob. It inched closer but the moment seemingly moved slowly.

"Jacques?" Gio spoke again. He could see the shadow of the boy drawing closer, could hear his feet shuffling. "Do you have some time to spare? Have you ever been inside a dream?" He opened the door just a little more, letting him see even more the beach on the other side, along with the girl Telos still upon the swing behind him.

Gio's words were answered quickly as the boy pushed the door open and stepped inside. He had become completely enamored with the beach. It was such a change from the cold snow covered village of Veingaden. Jack's eyes first went to the girl on the swing then he saw the man who had called him.

'Yeah I have time...and a dream?'

The blonde haired youth gripped his arm uncomfortably as the memories hazily resurfaced, and how they all ended so horribly. Jacques eyes began to water as he recalled the gruesome details of his dreams.

'uhhh yes, I've been in a dream before...'

The door closed behind Jacques, and just as well, for the opening on the other side had closed. If anyone else entered, there would be terrible chaos.

"This isn't like your normal dreams," Gio said. "Well... in a way. But your dreams can lead to places like this on occasion."

"Are you happy, Jacques?" Telos said to Jacques, trying to make Gio hurry up. "Are you happy with the way things are?"

"Happy?"

Jack repeated the word quietly its two syllables clinging to the air like a bad smell. His mind thought of only a few memories that were enjoyable since the whole experience began.

"Of course not! It's terrible, th...there's those awful dreams, a...and and my parents are gone, and we...well no one ever swings, its always so cold, and even the way people smile....it...it isn't like it use to be."

Jacques brow had furrowed as he answered Telos, he didn't mean to sound angry but they way she asked the question really bothered the young boy. Realizing his expression embarrassed him and he quickly sat in the sand and tried to hide his red cheeks.

"Oh, child..." Telos floated down from the swing, then leaned down next to Jacques. "The world is nothing like it used to be. But would you like to help us? Would you like to make it better again?"

Gio leaned down next to the boy as well as smiled. "Would you like to try Telos' swing?" Before he had a chance to respond, Gio snapped his fingers and Jacques was perched atop the swing, its ropes attached safely to the stars above.

"We need your help, Jacques, to improve the dreams of all beating hearts." Gio pushed Jacques lightly to give him a head start on the swing. "This life has never been fair. We just want to make it right again."

As the two gave their plea and Jacques found himself on the swing he couldn't help but smile. The both of them were so nice and wanted to help make things better. Now he was swinging quite high and he even chuckled a bit, it seemed like it had been a long time since he laughed like this. Lizzy came to mind and he wished she could have been here as well. Jacques eyes settled on the stars above as he tried to swing higher still. The child's feet rising slightly higher after every swing.

'Of course, but what can I do? I can't snap my fingers and make magical things happen like you.'

"You know all those new friends you've been making? Well, Felicia is a friend of mine too," Gio said. "All of those people... they're very important to us. And you're just as important. All we need you to do is keep an eye on them. Tell us what they're doing. Dark forces are working upon them all, but we can't leave this place. All we have is that door to help us, and if we step outside, well..."

He looked over to the blood seeping out from the door. "The Red Handed Queen will surely find us. But witches have ways of underestimating children, Jacques. If you find out all you can about her, and if you let Felicia know of my presence, I believe it will help us restore much humanity."

"Eyes and ears...I use to be eyes for thane but once I learned about the princess I couldn't go back to him. Now I'll be the eyes and ears for you two!....wait who are you? Who am I suppose to tell the princess of? How will I let you know?'

Jacques face twisted on the swing realizing he had never got the names of the people he was with. The swinging slowed down and eventually stopped and the young blond haired boy hopped off. Looking expectantly at the jester and the lady waiting for an answer. Jacques wasn't worried or even scared but rather knew that he had to relay the right information to the princess.

"My name is Gio," he said as he extended a hand to Jacques. "She'll know who I am. Just tell her I'm still here, and that everything will be okay."

"And my name is Telos," the woman said. "She's never met me before, but let her know I am here for her. Tell her to trust as little as possible, to always be cautious, and to watch for the woman whose hands are stained with blood."

"We are but mere friends," Gio said. "There is very little else we can explain. Can you be our eyes and ears again, just as you were for Thane? Tell no one but Felicia. Do not even tell Thane. If you betray our trust Jacques... well, we cannot promise things will work out well."

Jacques shook Gio's hand and nodded excitedly, his chest puffing out even.

''I promise I will not tell anyone, this will be our secret mission!" The young lad's grin was enormous for his small body but expressed quite well the feeling of importance and joy he felt. He pulled his head back and scowled for a moment.

"I can't even tell Lizzy can I? She won't be able to try the swing will she?....I get it this is more than just fun right? Alright, I won't even tell her! I should probably be on my way now. I've got to go find Felicia!"

With that the child made his way towards the door and then stopped suddenly.

"Umm...Telos, merci for sharing your swing! ...and how will I get back here to tell you what I learn?"

"You are welcome!" Telos said with a laugh. "Thank you. Perhaps someday Lizzy can share the swing, but for now tell no one but the princess."

"If you meet us in a different location every so often, we will keep the Queen off our scent. Look for us in about a week near the south side of the market. If you are not there, we will continue to look for you. If we found you once, we can find you again." Gio opened the door just a sliver, enough for the boy to get back to the real world.

"Goodbye, Jacques."

With a nod the young boy passed through the door and found himself standing in the snowy street once more. A chilling wind bustled up in his face blowing his hair behind him wildly. The cold city giving its frosty welcome to the returning child, Jack looked behind him only to see the street, no beach, no Gio, no Telos, and no door. With a deep breath he quickly began running in the direction to Lierah's house after all he couldn't remember where the princess had moved too!

[Jacogos]

At Cinder Hall, Delta was peering over the latest page of information his Eyes and Ears had received, doing his best not to think about what he had done earlier. Delta had never had a conscience before. Never. Why was it bothering him now?

As James sighed over his thoughts, Thane entered the room, closing the door quietly behind him. The old man's eyes seemed... haunted.

"We found the remains of your fallen Blade, Delta. Or at least, what we believe used to be a Blade," Thane said quietly, a thoughtful look crossing his face as he registered recognition on Delta's face. By Thane's words, James knew that the Blade was the only person that could have been found, if the remains were so bad. "I think you know something I don't, Delta..." Thane said levelly.

Delta paused for a moment, not saying anything, staring at the sheet in front of him. Should he tell him...? A better question was could he tell him? Looking out the one window in the room, James caught sight of a single black feather falling past. Shuddering, Delta shook his head.

"I don't, Thane. The body was a mass of bones, correct?" Delta looked at his second, feigned curiosity painting his face. Thane sighed, knowing the boss was lying, but assuming he had a good reason for it.

"Indeed. It was... revolting. We had assumed nothing could die now, but apparently there are ways..." Thane shuddered just as Delta did, then turned back towards the door. "I'm sorry you can't be honest with me, Delta. I trust you know what you are doing, though... We can't have you holding back important information from us now." With that, he exited the room.

Delta got up then, moving away from the desk and sitting on his bed with his elbows resting on his knees, hands on head. This 'Queen' would drive him insane out of sheer paranoia. He needed to know a way to stop her... He needed to find a way to harm her...

He needed to gain her trust, which he had a feeling would be nigh impossible.

Growling, Delta punched the floorboards, not caring about the pain it caused his hand. He needed to find out what he had to do. He needed information... But how? There was no clues as to where this woman had come from... He was the only person he knew that had heard of or seen her. For all intents and purposes, he might have imagined the whole damn thing, if it wasn't for the dead Blade that haunted his conscience...

Standing, Delta moved towards the window, placing his right palm on the glass and supporting himself on it. Somehow, he was going to avenge that Blade... That bitch had made things personal.

[Kiall]

“No the guard woman is off limits, She has a contract with us and we will not allow a breach in it,” The hooded creature known as Sir Port whispered his bright yellow eyes staring at The Queen. They were sitting within the private office of The Singing Mandrake, bottles of every vintage lined the walls. The Queen sighed one crimson finger tapping at the wooden desk in annoyance. She so hated having to kowtow to the whims of these…creatures. But that was a necessary price for their services. “Very well and what of the other woman..Sharon, as I understand she is not in your employ."

Sir Port paused his hooded figure shifting in thought. “She has done us a fine service in the past it is true, however as you said she is not under our employ currently, and we have to question the judgement of one who would associate herself with so volatile of people,” Sir Port explained. “So while yes she does enjoy our favor, she does not enjoy our protection. Weight the importance of your mission against our displeasure. Now is there anything else?” He queried. The queen smiled, “Just one more thing. A bottle of Black Absinthe if you will be so kind.” The hooded figure gripped one of the small sphere like bottle. The inky black liquid seemed to absorb the color and light from the room in its dark depths.

The Queen examined the bottle before pulling out her own even smaller bottle. A smoky green substance resided within, if one looked closely one could almost see a face straining against the glass. It was in fact a bottled soul. Sir Port plucked the bottle with his gloved hand slowly examining it. “A thief? A bodyguard perhaps?” He queried. “One of Delta’s,” she answered with a tight lipped smile. Sir Port uncorked the bottle a faint wail of fear issuing from the lip as he sniffed it. Ohh he could smell the secrets on this one, “Exquisite,” he said pocketing the bottle in his robe as The Queen grabbed the bottle of black liquid. She nodded once as she got up making her way out of the office into the bar proper. She moved easily through the crowd heading out the door. Red eyes greeted her as she exited onto the cold street, she gave a whistle causing the birds to stir flying towards her and pulling her up into the air. They carried her aloft towards Cinder Hall.

---

Daniel snorted his eyes coming open from the shaking. “Hmm?” he groaned trying to get his brain working again his eyes blinking as he sat up. “Oh..Princess, what are you doing up?” He asked noting that it was still sleeping hours. He then noticed how frazzled she looked, and it looked like she’d been sweating. “You have a bad dream?” he asked rubbing his eyes. “Come on sit down I’ll get you something to drink,” he said offering her the chair next to him as he stood up.

He began walking towards the kitchen but stopped, noticing something on on the window shutter. He opened the note reading it carefully. Of all the…it really was just like Lierah to break into his house in the middle of the night to give him this shit! He wasn’t that angry about the incident anymore, he mused. If she wanted to make nice he certainly wasn’t going to burn that bridge.

Placing the things on the kitchen counter he poured a cup of warm milk, adding a bit of honey before stirring it in. He yawned as he made his way back to the table sitting down and placing the cup in front of the girl. “Here, something to calm your nerves. Want to tell me what the dream was about? Might make you feel better,” he said smiling sleepily.

---

Jacob continued to lay in the snow, drinking from the bottle and staring at the stars. They had moved taking the shape of constellations, right now it was depicting a strange horse with the upper half of a man shooting arrows at a large fearsome scorpion.

He giggled for no reason enjoying the scene. His keen ears picked up the sound of running footsteps and sound a young boy running towards something or another. “Oy! Ooooooy!” He cried out standing up finally. He stumbled his footing unsteady after laying down for so long. “What’s yer hurry friend?” he asked taking a big gulp from the bottle.

[AliceMalice15]

Leirah groaned as she sat up slowly removing the blades from her body. To her it felt as if every part of her body had been stabbed. Her nerves were on fire. Nothing she couldn't force herself to ignore. Standing up she supported herself on the chair. When Leirah finally noticed Sharon at the stairs she gave a half-hearted smile and attempted to chuckle coughing up a bit of blood. Collapsing back into the chair she let out a loud sigh letting her pain go with it. the less she could feel the better.

"I look a right mess," she said trying to relax the already tense mood of Sharon, "don't I? Heh sorry. I'll be alright though. Death isn't an option right now remember? Just get me a bucket of hot water, a needle some thread and a cloth. I'll be up and about in no time. No worries."

None but the fact of someone else pulling Delta's strings. He was dangerous enough without someone else using him as a pawn.

'You'd look nice in a dress,' he'd said.

Where had that come from? Was that supposed to mean something? Then again it could just be a trick. A lure to take her off track. Right? Lierah closed her eyes and leaned her head back. Nothing made sense.

--------------------------------------------

Kain coughed wetly as he slowly crawled his way to Sharon and did his best to stand up on his shaky legs. When he saw Lierah below and heard her speak to Sharon the words barely registered. Before he could stop to think or perhaps it was before Sharon could stop him, he couldn't care less, Kain ascrambled down stairs practically breaking his neck to get to the bottom. There he crawled on his hands and knees to Lierah.

"Oh gods what happened," he said weakly, "who did this?! Y-you're bleeding everywhere!"

Kain could hear Lierah saying something to try and calm him, but it just sounde like a garbled mess. He was going to pass out. Lying down on the floor he gave Leirah what he meant to be a stern look but came out more of a weak grimace.

"You owe me an explanation," he said as the world faded gently into black.

[Wattz]

Felicia sat down across from Daniel and wrapped the mug around her hands. It was just warm enough so that she could place her palms on the ceramic without being burned. She was still trembling, and she had to clamp her hands down hard to keep the liquid from spilling over. Looking down at the steaming liquid, she could have sworn she felt a tickle on her hand, like that of a snail crawling across skin. Felicia brushed at the back of her palm and sat back, tucking down hands beneath her armpits.

“I’m not even sure if it was a dream. He was there, Daniel. It was him. I mean, he said it was a dream, but I can still feel it, even now. I can even smell it, smell the blood on his teeth. And he was laughing and saying… these horrible things….”

“…how boring you are, how predictable and small minded…”

Horrible, but true. How could Felicia deny how very true Mr. Dreams’ words were? Now was not the time to dwell on his frightening advances.

“I think he’s planning something. I think he wants us to know that he has more tricks. He’s backing us up into a corner, and he’s not the only one out there, and there’s nothing we can do about it.” Felicia spoke faster and faster, trying to hurry before she began crying again. She had already been mocked once for her tears tonight.

"I think you should run, Daniel."

[kagomri]

Sharon grabbed the bucket of hot water, a cloth, needle and thread.
"Don't. Move." she hissed, noiselessly tip toeing closer to the Leirah. Inside the hidden breast pocket of her dress, she produced a small pocket knife. She raised her hand and--

The blade exploded through the thin glass and pierced deep into the chest of the red eyed raven. It screamed-- a mix of bloodcurdling sounds rolled into one. Above all it was ghastly and demonic-like. Its black feathers fluttered off its wings and encompassed it, swirling like a dysfunctional tornado. It dark soft feathers twisted and spun and cackled. Its speed accelerated and then--and then abruptly, it stopped....and the bird vanished altogether.

Sharon continued gazing out the window. Without lifting her gaze, she cocked her head to the right; a gesture that she was about to say something to Leirah.

"Son of a gun, who did this to you Leirah?" She said, then softly knelt down before the brutalized Watchmaker. When she saw the throat that had been slit open, she cringed and looked away. "Never mind, don't talk. Don't move while you're at it." she muttered. Slowly, she shifted over onto her side. Dipping a perfectly white cloth into the warm water, she carefully wiped away the dark and dry clotted blood on her friend's collar bone. The red stained the white. How easily corruption spreads.

"Why don't you start sowing her fle--why don't you start sowing, Kain?"

[AliceMalice15]

Kain had just started to come around when the sound of breaking glass and what sounded somewhere between a banshee and a crow startled him in to consiousness. Sitting up slowly he watched as Sharon started to hesitantly attend to Lierah. He could see she was quite shaken and started to reach out for her.

"Why don't you start sowing her fle--why don't you start sowing, Kain?"

Kain pulled back his hand quickly. She was right Lierah needed more tending to at the moment. Reaching out once more he took the needle and thread and started to try and thread it. After pricking his finger about twice he saw Lierah's hand reach out and wait for him to give her the needle and thread.

"Lierah no," he said, "you're the one who's hurt. You just need to relax now."

"Just give me the damned needle," she rasped through her broken wind pipe, "You'll only stick yourself again."

Kain sighed and finally conceded the needle watching as Lierah quickly threaded it with a gentle smile on her face. She was being quite calm and collected for someone who had just been attacked. Accepting the needle back he got up on his knees and started to thread the needle carefully through Lierah's skin. It was odd to see the black thread against Lierah's pale skin, and the thought of it was starting to make him dizzy. Kin quickly finished up his shoddy patch job on her throat and sat back letting out a big sigh. He was glad that part was over. When he heard a raspy laugh above him he looked up to see Lierah smiling at him teasingly. How could she be so calm in this situation?

"You think about it too much and you're going to pass out again," Lierah chuckled, "don't worry so much you two. I'll be alright. Can't die from this anyway. Just do me a favor and be really careful if you have to go out anytime soon. I'm not sure if this was just about getting me out of the way or if it involves you two. All I can tell you is that my attacker wasn't here of his own will."