[M] Cold Dreams (IC)

[Kiall]

Rated M for Horror and adult Themes


I hear the train a comin'
It's rollin' 'round the bend,
And I ain't seen the sunshine,
Since, I don't know when,

"Folsom Prison Blues" Johnny Cash

Dawn

Awake!, Awake, It saw the world with a million eyes and understood, for years it had gazed upon the world but lacked comprehension something kept it disconnected from Its gestalt mind, until now. What had freed it? Seven, of Seven, of Seven. Yes! That must be it, It chuckled. Memories long since hidden flashed through It’s mind, yes it was time to reclaim it’s property, that what was sworn to It long ago, but no, It still couldn’t move, the time wasn’t right was not RIPE, so It waited, watched, and dreamed.


Morning

A lightning bolt crashed to the ground in front of him knocking Daniel to the ground, his vision was blurry and he was drenched in rain, nevertheless he found himself running towards the edge of a cliff a figure was in the distance but he couldn’t make it out. As he got near the figure stepped off the cliff hurtling towards the jagged rocks below, he made a final leap and grabbed the figures small hand. Before he could pull the person up he felt the rocks give away and found himself falling down, down. “Dan!” a voice came in the darkness “DAN!” Daniel awoke with a start “huh? Wha?” he said shaking his head, he must’ve fallen asleep at his station again, “Captains coming!” the guard stationed to his right said. Daniel stood up straight hands firmly on his spear, thank Cyros for Brian he thought the captain was always a hard ass on the Feast of Plenty. The captain marched towards them a scowl on his mustachioed face. “Straighten up! This is the busiest day of the year and I’ll have no slouching!” the old captain barked, “Guardsman Daniel, you’re on escort duty assigned to Princess Felicia, do not lose her! The grand banquet is tonight and all of the royal family must be in attendance, do I make myself clear?!” “Yes Sir!” Daniel said automatically, “Good, head to the courtyard double time guardsman!”

Midday
Daniel yawned, Cyros’s ass he wished he was out at the festival, where there was music, and dancing, food, lots of ale, but no he had to stand around getting a bunch of angry glares. He got the distinct impression that Felicia didn’t like him, probably had to do with that business with her little lover boy, he had chased him all the way to the wall he even got a good shot with his spear on his bum, ha poor fool jumped ten feet in the air! The thought made him laugh.

[AliceMalice15]

Dawn

Lierah's eyes opened slowly as she woke from another sleepless night. Sittingbup she looked out her window, a small smile spreading across her face. The Feast of Plenty. It had always been her favorite day of the year. Sliding her legs over the side of the bed she slipped on her slippers and stood up. Waking into the washroom she closed the door to wash.

Morning

By the time Lierah walked out of the washroom she was fully dressed in a soft, blue dress with a tan apron over it. Pulling on her stockings and shoving her feet into a pair of brown boots she finished dressing and put her hair up in a ponytail with a yellow ribbon. Exiting her room she went downstairs into her shop. Grabbing an assortment of beautiful watches all of different shapes, sizes, and uses she stuck them in a bag and grabbed an already prepared bag with her tools and some pieces for her to build more. Pulling out her keys she walked out and locked the door behind her. Off to the festival!

Midday

Lierah smiled as she watched a couple
of children run off with one of her special "adventure finding" watches that showed them where to find fun safe spots to imagine they were going on an adventure. In truth they were more of saftey watches. They made sure that anyone holding it was in a safe area and would beep if a threatening presence was nearby. She didn't really know how it worked, but she knew that they worked. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out an old scratched up watch (http://www.myimportstore.com/store/images/Anime/KuroSebastianPocketWatchS.jpg). It was her own safety watch. Her father had made it with her when she was five. She had kept it with her all the time and still did. It didn't work anymore, but it always made her feel safe. It was like her father was in the watch keeping her safe. Not that Veingaden was unsafe, it was just a nice feeling.

[Wattz]

Midday

The heel of Felicia’s shoe sunk deep into the garden’s dirt, almost taking it off completely. She looked around nervously as she carefully extracted it, the skirt of her green dress brushing dangerously with a thorny plant. The raucous sounds of the festival made her infinitely nervous, feeling as if thousands of eyes would be judging her poor escape plan. But there would be guards in the courtyard and others attending to the royal banquet. She'd have to find a way out before they noticed she was missing.

But it wasn’t an escape plan per say. She’d be coming back, after all.

After judging the vines climbing up the walls, however, she began to question her ability to even flee the garden. How had Gio climbed the wall so easily? Perhaps there was a hole in the bottom, some other way.

Felicia wasn’t sure if she liked the thrill of escape much. It didn’t take long for the thrill to spiral into a thick, heavy fear that sat in her chest like a brick, especially after finding that the only hole in the garden wall was hardly big enough to fit her enormous dress through. After much deliberation, she unlaced her Victorian-like boots, threw them over the side, and began climbing the fragrant magnolia tree, though with much difficulty. Her arms were so weak she practically had to throw herself onto each branch. Finally coming to the top, she aimed for a bush below and… dove onto a bush.

She already missed the loving embrace of the castle. Surely a knight would escort her back inside, though. After re-lacing her boots (with some difficulty, since it had always been servants whom had done the job for her) Felicity was almost counting on the knights finding her at this point, or at least that they would escort her back to the castle. The princess was counting on the return home being the easy part.

Travelling through the streets was just as much of a nightmare. She’d always watched the festival from afar, watched as plumes of fire shot towards the sky, watched as the commoners erupted with strident merriment. It was an entirely different experience, being in the middle of it all. Felicia twisted through this labyrinth of pyromancers, trying to keep her eyes forward on the goal. Truly there must be more to gather about the outside world than simple sparks and evil.

Finally…

“Gio? Gio!” Felicia glimpsed her friend slip through the crowd, clad in his usual jester-like garb. She did her best to run, but it was more like a tapping jog. It was too familiar, this scene. Her usual dream of a decayed castle interrupted by visions of her bizarre friend. It was this familiarity that kept Felicia going forward, kept her launching through the crowd in a desperate attempt at understanding.

How could a dream end up feeling so real?

[kagomri]

Dawn

Sharon stretched her arms above her head, her back arched up and her toes cracked as she pointed them away from her body. She could feel the excitement of the day settle into the household, for the Festival was here! She preferably liked the night than the day because the dark holds many secrets that's never to be told. Perhaps this is the year she'd be whispered to.

Morning

Sharon brushed her straight icy shine red hair vigorously. There were no tasks for her that day, but she was definitely expected to arrive promptly and on time. She was almost as respected as the Royal Family was, and they had a high reputation that she was tempted to break, but she owed them a lot--everything to them for taking her in, so she had no intention to disappoint them.
Next tore a very feminine and fancy blue dress off a hanger. It embraced and emphasized the natural curves a women should have. She hated this more than anything. Why do women have to look so pretty and presentable all the time? Why not just jeans and a tee? This whole society was so screwed up.
Reluctantly, she slipped it on, grabbed her pocket watch, and headed out the door in annoyance.

Midday

"Of course dear." She said, a smile plastered on her face.
There were too many people greeting and wanting to talk to her. Too many happy grins. Too many smiles to return, each time she felt more and more fake. Responding automatically like a robot.
However the day wasn't so bad with all the free wine. It made her happiness more real, and she felt calm and a lot more sociable.
She caught a glimpse of Lierah fishing for her pocket watch, starring at it. Sharon never had a real relationship with her. Sometimes she was so lady like she wanted to strangle her my the throat. In a high talkative mood, she made her way towards her.

[Jacogos]

It was very early in the day, a few moments before the first golden rays of sun peeped over the horizon when a shadow slipped into the front gates of Veingaden. The guards never saw him, mostly because he slipped in among the masses that were coming early to attend the Feast. They would never notice one out of many. He was sure of that. And he was right; The guards never noticed.

That part was easy, though. Now inside the walls, Delta was faced with the choice of where to make his hideout, his temporary home. As he set out, Delta couldn't help but notice all of the scrumptiously perfect places he could loot. This city is very rich, he thought to himself. So very, very rich... It'll make ME very, very rich! He laughed and strolled about town, searching.

It took most of the morning, but by noontime, Delta felt he had found a suitable place. The Three Kings wasn't the greatest inn in the city, nor was it the poorest. It was exactly what he needed. Subtle, yet still comfortable. Well, when you could be comfortable in a haystack in the barn like Delta, even this was comfortable, really. He paid for a room up front to the heavyset man in charge and made his way to his room.

Once secluded in his private room, Delta checked his pack. He was sure he had brought everything, and he wasn't disappointed. Grappling hook, assorted knives, rope, whetstone, a boarding axe he had pilfered from those pirates ages ago, a few trinkets from his past, and his own homemade smoke bombs. Yes, he was ready... Looking out the window, Delta took in the sight of the feast unfolding below him. He smirked. Oh yes... This would all be perfectly amazing...

Chuckling, Delta exited the room, thinking to himself about all the riches he would make that day.

[Kiall]

Midday

Daniel headed to the garden just in time to see a single foot go over the wall. Shit! No wonder she wasn’t at the courtyard! Panicking Daniel rushed towards the wall “Nononononono!” he was gonna lose his job for sure! Clambering up the wall he jumped over landing awkwardly on his shoulder. For the next five minutes he laid there writhing in pain, this was it for him, so long cushy royal guard job if he was lucky he might be able to get his old job back as a city guard, which meant long patrols alone at night, finding the odd dead body. Still griping he managed to stumble to his feet and headed towards the city maybe if he was lucky she would stick out in the crowd!


........

She did not stick out in the crowd! The city was swarming with people and there were enough women in lavish dresses that he couldn’t pick out the princess. Alright think, where would she go? She must’ve…. Was that stall selling pocket watches? Ooh how nice he’d been meaning to get one and there seemed to be some nice ones on display.. Gah! Focus! Alright the Princess was new to the city all he had to do was keep calm and not lose his focus.

Evening

He had lost his focus. Daniel had spent all of five minutes of dedicated searching before a great thirst had him seeking out a nearby stall selling ale, after downing a pint he decided the best thing to wash down a pint of ale was with three more pints. He then promptly lost what little money he had in a ball and cup game, after stumbling around for a bit he found himself in the middle of a rousing dance and really how could say no to the pretty redhead? Just be impolite really. So now the day was almost gone and he still had no idea where he was, Cyros! Why’d she have to pick the biggest festival of the year to run off? Stumbling he headed towards the Grand amphitheater where they’d soon be performing the classic drama of the two brothers Cyros and Pokir, a lot of people were going already and it was the only idea he had really

[AliceMalice15]

Sunset

As the sun began to fall behind the walls of the city Lierah started packing her watches back into her bag. Luckily there were only a few left. When she saw the royal advisor walking towards her she waved in greeting before*racing home. She had to get changed before the dancing began! After quickly unlocking the door she flung it open, dropped the watches on the counter and ran upstairs stumbling over the top step. She was soooooooooo excited!!!!! Opening her wardrobe she pulled out her dress (http://data.whicdn.com/images/3802741/Ivory-Floral-Cuff-Sleeves-Side-Splitting-Bow-Multi-layer-Cotton-Sweet-Lolita-Dress-33842-2_large.jpg?1284010878) for the evening. Giggling she stripped out of her clothing and pulled on the silkier fabric of the evening dress which fell half way down her calves. Smiling she kicked off her boots and pulled on a pair of tan flats, threw a shaw over her shoulders, and raced down the stairs and out the door. Turning back she locked the door and jogged back towards the festival.

Evening

Lierah smiled as she headed toward the Grand Amipitheater to watch the play. This was the first time she'd actually be able to see it. Before this year she had always kept the stall up, but this year she had made up her mind to go. When she saw a guard ahead of her seeming slightly sloshed to say the least, she walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around Lierah recognized him. He was the guard who was usually with the princess.

"Hello," she said warmly, "are you going to be alright? You seem a bit upset. Oh, I'm Lierah by the way. I've seen you around before. You usually watch after Princess Felicia? Sorry I'm probably being really nosey...What's your name?"*
*

[kagomri]

Sunset

Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes.
The Carnival of fire was approaching. In just a few hours, she'll be dancing in her sexy sleek black dress around, over, and into the fire. Okay, maybe not IN the fire, although it would look as if she were. The sun brightened the day away, and now, the night was coming alive. It whispered secrets. The night was promising. She felt more energized.

Sharon pulled on a dress (http://cdn1.iofferphoto.com/img/item/191/391/298/6Yss.jpg) hastily. There was absolutely no time to waste. This was the time of year that she was anticipating. Every year. And now that it has finally arrived, she felt every nerve in her body abound in a dark, mysterious and uplifting spirit.
Earings. (http://www.coolter.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Jennifer_Lopez_FIT_earrings_conew2.jpg) Necklace. Perfect.
Sharon spun gracefully out the door.

Evening

The fireworks exploded into the sky as Sharon threw paper boat over paper boat over paper boat into the flickering fire. There was one thing that she hated about fire; it was too hot. She hated the heat. It made her sweat and feel humid, and when she feels sweaty she can't get any work done and its harder to breathe. On many occasions, she secretly curled up in the freezer(omg, humungous man), sometimes even falling asleep.

Eventually the fire seemed big enough to satisfy everyone. She smiled, got up. Slowly, she shimmied her shoulders, feeling the tingling in them long after she stopped, snaked her hips, and ballet-leaped towards it, taking big strides. Never does she stretch.
Feeling her black sleek silky fabric brush against her legs, she closed her eyes and let out an awakening sigh. Her arms above her head, ready to flow, her right hip and leg thrusted.

Her beautiful physique, only an exotic silhouette to the eyes.

[Wattz]

Evening

Hours had passed and Felicia still could not find Gio. Her exhaustion had prompted her to park herself at an empty bench. It hadn’t been difficult to find, since everyone was so busy dancing around the flames. They possessed them like demons, their silhouettes melding together on every surface. Felicia would have been more captivated if she weren’t feeling so distressed and enervated by this ridiculous chase.

A flash of jester clothes from the corner of her eye. Her head snapped in that direction, but to her dismay, she only saw a knight. Daniel, to be specific. Part of Felicia wanted to command the knight to escort her safely home, but the curiosity was just too strong. The dream had to have meant something.

Just as the princess was getting up to run, she thudded against something, nearly falling over. She looked up to see a woman in a sleek black dress. Felicia had seen the woman at the palace before, but the covers of darkness and firelight made her almost unrecognizable.

“Oh – oh dear –“ Felicia stammered, not bothering to give an apology. She had to get herself lost in the crowd before she was noticed.

[Kiall]

Evening

Still no sign of her, dammit! He might as well not even show up for work tomorrow, no doubt the whole castle was in a panic, he’d have to leave head to a new town under a different name! from behind he heard a woman say “Hello,are you going to be alright? You seem a bit upset. Oh, I'm Lierah by the way. I've seen you around before. You usually watch after Princess Felicia? Sorry I'm probably being really nosey...What's your name?" Daniel panicked, quick think of something “ha ha no I’m not him no, uhhh you never saw me okay? Official guard business, very secret you understand.”

Though come to think of it she might be able to help him, “hey just a second, how would you like to be a volunteer constable?” touching her shoulder as she turned to leave. “Don’t even answer that of course you would, now I’m currently pursuing a girl she has frizzy black hair in a bun, sort of a dark brown complexion and is in a really fancy dress.” He thought for a second about how to describe her better, “She looks a lot like Princess Felicia, but isn’t her! No just looks like her definitely not her, she’s safely back at the castle and nowhere near here!” he laughed nervously and cleared his throat, “if you see her don’t talk to her she’s very dangerous, she stole all the…bread in the royal larder, just look around the ampitheater while I check by that area with the dancing, if you see her just make a cawing noise got it? Great, go team!” then he sped off.


...........

The flickering lights of the bonfires cast everything in an orange hue, the festivities were intensifying as it grew closer and closer to midnight when the seven great candles of Veingaden would be lit. Just then Daniel saw her trying to head into the crowd “ I see you!” he cried out charging and tackling her to the ground. “I finally found you! Ha yes now we can all get this cleared up.” He said standing up and helping Felicia to her feet, “Alright let’s get our story straight, you were kidnapped by murderous bandits and I heroically gave chase murdered them all and saved you from a fire,” He said panting, “So let’s go no more sightseeing, sweet Cyros it's been a long day” he said grabbing her arm and dragging her along

Midnight

A cold breeze made him shiver, “brrr did you feel that? Where’d that come from?” he asked letting go of Felicia’s hand. With an almost audible snap the temperature plummeted and every fire went out plunging the city into darkness, before Daniel could say anything he was blasted by a howling wind knocking him off his feet, The wind shrieked and howled blocking out his cry of “Son of a Bitch!” as he was pelted with hard pieces of ice and snow which stung his face and blurred his vision. Through the howling wind he struggled to get back on his feet.

[Jacogos]

Delta was already back in his room swearing silently to himself when the blizzard hit. Most of the loot he had managed to get was stuff snagged from the free booths during the Festival of Plenty, only a few of the things actually valuable and part of someone's actual possessions.

"Who the HELL makes a festival where EVERYTHING is FREE?!?" The thief shouted to no one. At that moment, his window blew open from the blizzard's fury, covering the thief in snow in seconds. "What the hell, now?!?" Delta struggled over to the window and closed it, using a piece of wood that had came out of the wall when he punched it to board the panes together by the window handles.

Moving back, Delta looked out the window. It didn't help much, as the snow obscured almost everything from view. "... Snow? Now? Isn't it summer?" Delta stared out the window, wondering what was going on. Sighing, he returned to his loot, sorting the good from the bad and the free from the actually stolen.

This had to be the WEIRDEST city in the world.

[kagomri]

Sharon swayed her hips gently from side to side, as if possessed by the spirit of the night. It took her away on a long dreamy journey....she sighed.....
Then suddenly--
"Oh--oh dear--"
Her waist wobbled left as she was bumped into.
Her head snapped to the right, a look of surprise crossed into annoyance when she realized she's been interrupted on the perfect night of all nights. Felicia struggled to regain her balance, her face nervous and ashamed as she stared, frozen back at Sharon.

Son of a bitch!

Exasperated, she looked at her in the eyes and said through gritted teeth, "Do you require my assistance Princess Felicia?"
No smile. No friendliness in her voice. Just a monotone to mask the quiet rage burning inside. She's never spoken to her so formally. The royal family always treated her like she was their own flesh and blood, and the princesses had somewhat become a step sister to her. However, they were not that close, Sharon wouldn't allow it.

Felicia didn't seem to hear her and ran off. Sharon stared after her.
A cold, almost freezing gust of wind struck out the fire, as if someone has found the easy off switch to a light. Snow plumped onto the ground like a rain downpour, changing the whole scenery instantly.
Sharon didn't realize it, but something dark and wonderful stirred inside, something that whispered "Winter".

[AliceMalice15]

Midnight

Lierah giggled at the guard as he ran off. Obviously he had lost track of the princess. Shaking her head she kept walking towards the ampitheater. He seemed like he had things "under control". As she got closer to the ampitheater she felt a cold breeze. Cold? In the middle of summer? Something was wrong. When the city was plunged into total darkness a few seconds later Lierah gasped at the shear coldness of the sudden cold snap. How could the temperature fall so quickly?!

When the huge blast of wind slammed through the streets it was all Lierah could do to keep standing. Making her way slowly back up the street she attempted to make her way home. There was no way she was going to let herself get trapped in the ampitheater and leave her shop untended for who knows how long. When she saw the guard and princess in the street infront of her she made her way to them as quickly as possible trying not to be pelted to death by ice and snow.

"Hey let's get out of this weather," she called over the weather, "we can take shelter in my shop. This way."

Grabbing hold of their arms Lierah pulled them along with her. When they finally reached her shop Lierah quickly unlocked the door and let them in. How did this happen?

[Wattz]

“Woah!” Felicia cried out as she felt herself toppling down to the ground. She was stunned, and quite petrified. It took her a moment to realize Daniel had been the one to crash land into her, pinning her down like some sort of pig. She remained in this daze as he brought her to her feet and ran off some spiel about bandits.

She resisted his grip. “Unhand me! What is wrong with you?”

But the moment had passed. A sudden waft of cold bit her cheeks. The flames were doused immediately with ice as the wind gave a piercing scream. She could hardly hear, let alone see anything. She would have knocked clear off her feet, swept away if a stranger hadn’t grasped her arm and began leading her away.

“Where are you taking me?” Felicia shouted over the wind, but she doubted anyone could hear her. “What’s going on?”

[Kiall]

Daniel struggled to his feet and made his way towards Felicia, all the while wind howled and whistled past stinging his face. Through his blurry vision he saw the girl from the ampitheater she was heading towards them and shouting something but he couldn’t make out the words, “What!?” he shouted back still unable to hear his own voice over the wind. The girl grabbed both their hands and started leading them to what he assumed was her house. As Daniel helped Felicia inside he couldn’t help feel that something, was moving and heading towards the center of the city, towards the castle. With a great heave he managed to close the door, muting the wind outside. Panting he felt himself slide down the door onto the floor in a sitting position. “What the fuck was that? Storms don’t just come out of nowhere like that especially not in the middle of summer! I mean we could’ve died out there!”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well what is this that I can't see
With ice cold hands takin' hold of me
Well I am death, none can excel
I'll open the door to heaven or hell
"O Death" Ralph Stanley

The walls and basic structure of the palace could just be made out under the thick sheets of ice now covering it, Every piece of glass had been broken and snow now covered the throne room, The wind whistled through the quiet halls of the seemingly empty castle and the pale moonlight cast everything in a eerie glow. The only movement came from a tall lanky man in an impeccable suit (http://www.neheleniapatterns.com/assets/images/ap1301kl.jpg) and top hat, who walked briskly towards the throne, a face partially covered by a silver mask (http://www.socaldesignco.com/cart/images/P/Prom%20Night%20SilverWhiteM.jpg) peered at an icy statue which sat on the throne a pair of red eyes slitted like those of a snake regarded the now frozen king, the man then brought up his skull topped walking stick (http://www.canesgalore.com/images/9111808.jpg) with one gloved hand and tapped the kingsicle making a high pitched ringing noise that caused the man to chuckle and reveal a row of serrated shark- like teeth.

“Pretender” the man said in a voice that was both soft and dulcet and hard and raspy “you were not even my stand in, you were a fat slug feeding off the gifts I gave you!” the man laughed, “Veingaden has never chosen a ruler based on ‘gender’ or ‘age’ not until you came along, you knew didn’t you slug man? Didn’t you!?” he said laughing harder, “and speaking of family, we seem to be missing someone. Oh dear! Well that won’t do at all.” The man laughed and took a few steps back, “well as wonderful as it’s been looking at the hovel you’ve made of my home, I really must be going! Busybusybusy you know?!” With that the man snapped his fingers as he did so a loud rumbling began and a building arose from the icy ground rising with an impossible speed, smashing the castle and all of it’s frozen inhabitants the man laughed wildy as he rode the top of the rising tower, higher and higher it climbed until he could see the very edge of his city. As the man gazed out over the distance he took a deep breath and cried out in a volume that would’ve been impossible for human lungs “VEINGADEN! YOUR TRUE MASTER HAS RETURNED!”


>>>>>>
Daniel was still propping the door, partially out of concern that it would burst open if he didn’t and partially because he was too tired to get up. The girl Lierah had been unable to start a fire and Daniel had fallen into a state of half wakefulness, For what seemed like hours the storm raged on when it all of a sudden stopped, as the wind died down a fire burst into existence in the fireplace causing all three of them to jump. Rubbing his eyes Daniel stood up an opened the door, outside it was covered in snow but despite it being nighttime he could see fine the stars shown far brighter than they had ever had before, and throughout the city strange hooded men in long flowing robes prowled the streets.

“Uhh excuse me” he asked one of the nearby hooded ones, “what’s going on?” the hooded creature turned towards him and all Daniel could see were two bright yellow dots of light within a hood filled with darkness. “Aah you are confused yess? A natural state of affairs considering what has come.” It answered in a high pitched whisper, The tall hunchbacked figure walked towards him “a great change has come delicious friend, but worry not, all will be well. Yesss, all manner of things will be well!” with that the creature of indeterminate gender continued walking heading towards some unknowable goal. Daniel gently closed the door and turned back to face his two female compatriots, “I think I’m going to head outside for a bit, just wanna find out what level of hell I’ve found myself in” was this a dream? It felt like a dream. Just then he heard an echoing voice in the distance cry out “Veingaden your true master has returned!”, “oh that can’t be good,” Daniel muttered before heading out the door.

[kagomri]

She shut her eyes just as a blast of icy wind crashed into her scrunched face. It burned as if she were on fire. Around her the snow fell at an impossible speed, each snowflake big and distinct, hiding everything under a thick white sheet.
Never has it snowed in June, especially in Veingaden. This city were usually hot and humid during the spring and summer, warm in fall, and mildly chilly in winter. Usually though, winter never arrives. Despite the freezing temperature, Sharon felt an immunity to it, and instead saw the wonder of it all.
Stiffened, she rigidly bent down and scooped up snow in the palm of her hand.
It was the soft, non compactable kind. She squeezed it hard, expecting it to melt into water but instead it remained its shape. Her warmth was entirely stolen by the winter night. She wasn't aware of it, but she was slowly dieing of hypothermia. She stuttered to the nearest door but to her great dismay it was locked. Someone was definitely inside but they would never notice through the howling of the wind if she banged.

“VEINGADEN! YOUR TRUE MASTER HAS RETURNED!”
At this point her skin was greatly discolored to a pale blue, bones unyielding. Her breaths become a mare gasp for air, the cold crisp grasp of it piercing her screaming lungs. Body weak, but mind still strong and bright. True...master...?

"Help." She whispered into the darkness just as the door opened.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah sighed when they reached the saftey of her shop. Watching Daniel anxiously as he spoke to the strange cloaked creature outside Lierah made sure the fire that had Byatt into life a few moments more stayed alive.

"My apologies princess," Lierah said humbly, "I didn't mean to frighten you. I just didn't want to leave you outside in that storm. We'll be safe here....and by the sounds of it....your home won't be safe for anyone....especially you.....I can offer you both rooms if you'd like. It would be much safer for you....an I could loan you my clothing Princess it would make you less conspicuous if we have to go out in public as well........I wonder if we should go after him. I don't think it's safe out there......come on let's get you changed your dress will give you away of they're looking for you, and I have a feeling they are."

Lierah stood up and smiled at the princess extending a hand. She was worried about the guard, but she knew the princess was top priority at the moment. As soon as she was disguised they could go and make sure the guard was ok.

"I hope you don't mind my asking Princess," Lierah said softly, "but I was wondering why you were outside the castle. You don't have to tell me ofcourse. It's just that when I met your guard earlier in the street he seemed really worried.....um what is his name anyway?he never did say."

Lierah giggled softly and led the princess upstairs. She'd need to help the princess learn to be a "normal" girl. She couldn't act like a princess anymore. She had to blend in. This was going to be difficult.

[Wattz]

Everything was happening so fast that Felicia felt as if she were floating in a dream. But it was so easy, letting the stranger grab her arm, coddle her, tell her what to do. A quick rest, a change of clothes… but why?

“Wait, I don’t understand, what’s going on. What’s wrong with my home, who are yo-”

Just then, a strident voice. Authoritative, commanding, urgent. She stopped on the stairs as if searching for the source. Felicia had never heard anything like it, not even by the most powerful of royals. It had to have been far away, yet it was still so clear and pristine.

“What was that?”

The following noise was so loud it seemed like an earthquake. Felicia slowly descended the stairs. Fear rose in her chest, growing stronger and stronger. Daniel rushed out the door. His words were less than reassuring.

Veingaden, your true master has returned.

“Sir Daniel, what’s wrong, what’s happening?!” she yelled as she rushed out the door after him. Standing in the doorframe, she saw a figure in the distance, the girl clad in black, the one she’d bumped into at the festival. Doubled over in pain, it ere as if the whole scene played out in slow motion. The snow, the woman…

…the pile of rubble where a castle should have been.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah walked back to the princess and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. When she saw the other woman Lierah rushed outside and helped her into the warm shop. When she got back in she sat the woman by the fire and covered her in a thick blanket. Turning back to Felicia she sighed.

"I'm sorry Princess," she said quietly, "I-I'm afraid that your family......that voice came from the castle. Whoever it was....he just took over the city. Technically.....technically you aren't....you aren't a princess any more. Well you are, but unless this...whoever gives up his power or....well....you have no right to the throne anymore....I-I'm so sorry Princess Felicia."

Lierah bit her lip. She knew it was going to be hard for the princess to hear that she wasn't what she had been all her life. Not to mention that her entire family was dead. Lierah sighed and wrung her hands. This was bad. It was really bad.

[kagomri]

Sharon stuttered as Lierah walked her into the warm shop. She was so stiff Lierah had to somewhat force her knees to bend, she plopped solidly onto the ground next to the fire.
Teeth chattering, she managed a weak, "Th-t-thanks" as a warm blue fuzzy blanket was draped over her shoulders. Her unyielding fingers clenched it tighter to her body. She hadn't realized Princess Felicia was in the room until Lierah turned away and talked.

"I'm sorry Princess," she said quietly, "I-I'm afraid that your family......that voice came from the castle. Whoever it was....he just took over the city. Technically.....technically you aren't....you aren't a princess any more. Well you are, but unless this...whoever gives up his power or....well....you have no right to the throne anymore....I-I'm so sorry Princess Felicia."

Someone took over Veingaden? He did say that our master has returned...what in the world? She wanted to say it out loud but her voice felt trapped in her throat, stuck in locked cage, the key thrown away. Slowly, she turned her head towards the two Princesses, the muscles in her neck tensed more than they had to. Her eyes met Felicia's, pleading for answers. Where is father? she thought, foolishly hoping she could hear her inner thoughts.

[Kiall]

Daniel was stunned when he walked outside, there in the distance stood a huge tower, the largest building he’d ever seen, and it was right where the castle used to be! He could still see some tatters of it. He then noticed a girl she was kneeling over and her lips were blue, he turned when Felicia called out, “get back inside princess, you don’t wanna see this!” Lierah had rushed out and was now helping the girl into the house. Daniel followed. As they led the girl in he heard Lierah turn to the girl and offer condolences, “stop acting crazy!” he snapped “we don’t know what’s going on so stop, trying to freak the poor girl out!”then the shivering girl chimed in, “oh don’t you start, you were out there for what? Hours? You’re acting delusional.” Exasperated he rubbed his eyes, he couldn’t believe these two, acting so flippant about something so important, they were probably right of course, but now wasn’t the time to start making wild proclamations. “Look” he said turning to Lierah “Lock the door, I’m going to see what’s going on, don’t let anyone else in okay?” he turned and headed back out the door.


______________________

He shivered it was still pretty chilly out, he saw a number of people heading out towards the town square, as he raced off following them the crowd grew. They were all gathering to one place and at the center of it he could see someone but couldn’t make out what he looked like

[Jacogos]

VEINGADEN! YOUR TRUE MASTER HAS RETURNED!

Delta stopped cold when he heard the impossibly loud voice penetrate his room's walls. Now who the hell could that be...? James moved toward the window and opened it, meeting a still cold but not nearly as blizzard-y winter. Delta shook his head as he surveyed the landscape. Sudden winter in the middle of summer was definitely NOT in the touring pamphlet...

As he looked across the frozen landscape, Delta realized something that made him do a double-take. "... That tower wasn't there before..." He muttered, peering out at the ruins at the new building's feet. ".... Weird..." He moved away from the window and began to find places to hide his loot.

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

Once finished and re-outfitted in his gear, Delta returned to the streets. Well, if you could call the uniform blanket of snow across the city 'streets'. Looking around to figure out what was happening, he noticed a gathering of sorts near what he remembered was the town square. Figuring he has nothing better to do, Delta made his way through the ice-mush and blended into the crowd, trying to figure out what was going on.

[Wattz]

The sight of the tower jarred her soul, mashed her brain into a pulp. Felicia slowly obliged as she was pulled back into the house. She vaguely noticed as Sharon was brought in, away from the unforgiving blizzard. Could snow be the work of the devil just as much as fire? She sat down on the floor, not caring to take a proper seat. Lierah’s voice passed through her like a ghost, chilling her bones.

“Wh-wh-what are you talking about?” Felicia stuttered, a mix of fear and cold. “I – I – I don’t know wh-wh-what….”

Her lips stopped in their tracks, he eyes bereft of emotion, like an empty shell. This… Lierah must have been crazy, delusional. The castle’s still there, she thought to herself. This is just an illusion.

Felicia turned her head up and spoke, her voice a haunted whisper. “Where's Sir Daniel? Please. F-find him. Tell him to find Gio. Take m-m-me home. W-w-we can all go back. Daniel, me Sharon….”

[The Imposter]

The crowd of people who had gathered in the square was all a buzz with everyone trying to piece together what had happened and what was happening. The paid little attention to the petit figure that walked into the midst of them squirming around legs and calling out 'Mama! Mama!' repeatedly. The words sent the searching child back to an earlier time today. His mind flashing back to earlier in the morning as he called out those same words:

'Mama! Mama! The Frong Witch is after me! She has a magic instrument to suck out my secrets! Mama!' The boy was chased by his flowing locks of hair which we followed by their maid Selene weilding a cone and saying the most unflattering words for village children under her breath. He ran down the hall into his parent's bedroom to find his mother getting ready herself. Jacques latched on tightly around her waist trying to sell the idea of fear. 'See Mama, its in her hand! Don't let her take my secrets from my brain!' She chuckled and spoke to the maid taking the comb and dismissing her for the rest of the day. She bent down and began combing her sons hair. Making it clear that today was a family day, no running off with friends. Jacques nodded in agreement...

From that memory Jack found himself jumping to another.

'Hey Papa! Let me on your shoulders! I can't see over the crowd.' His father smiled and lifted him onto his shoulders so he could catch a glimpse of all that was taking place during the festival. Three boys quickly surrounded the two of them. One lifting up a watch....'Look Jack! The crazy watch lady gave me this! She said it warns one of danger. Now when we adventure we will never get in over our heads!' 'Pffft...Come on Edmund, we want to find danger! That is where all the good treasure is at, and princesses! They are always right in danger, right Papa?!' His father laughed and agreed with his son before they said farewell to the boys and rejoined Jacques' mother.

As little Jack was trapped in his flashback he had failed to notice that the crowd had grown silent and was all looking at the center of the square. Jack himself had stepped out away from the mob and now stood a few feet away from them which was a few feet closer to the figure standing in the middle of the square. Jacques shivered as the cold once again penetrated his being.

'Papa?! Is that you?'

The little voice called out shattering the silence that had developed.

[Kiall]

The man in the center of the ring shifted his top hat and turned towards the voice, faster than any eye could register he suddenly appeared in front of the little boy. The man knelt down until he was eye level with him, his red eyes studying the child. The man then smiled showing all of his serrated teeth “I have but one child,” he rasped “and she is far older than you.” The man continued to stare and his eyes began to glow,suddenly the boy disappeared, no puff of smoke just fazed out of existence. The man stood back up and looked into their horrified eyes, “Hello” he said to the crowd his voice suddenly soft and sophisticated. “You may call me Mr. Dreams, I rule this city now as I did years ago. You will find me to be a caring master, for one thing I have made death illegal. You can no longer die, you’re welcome! You’ll find immortality is not all it’s cracked up to be but it is certainly better than the alternative.” The creature called Mr. Dreams laughed “also you cannot leave the city, do not try it’s impossible, much like your deaths!” he giggled at his own joke.

“I know things are a bit different from what you’re used to, but we are on the precipice of a radical expansion and soon you won’t even miss the sun,” Mr. Dreams turned and began walking back to the center of the square. He turned and said “There is one important thing you must know, There is a girl Princess Felicia is her name, I want her dead. Find her and bring her to me.” he paused thinking “oh right! A bounty I forgot…Hmmm how about a wish? One wish for anyone who brings back that worthless scion of an uncaring ruler. Oh! and if I find out you've been harboring this woman….” His voice dropped in pitch “I’ll make you wish you could die!” Suddenly Mr.Dreams head turned sharply toward two men near the back, the crowd gasped as they disappeared


_____________________

Daniel groaned and opened his eyes, he was in a jungle, vines hung over his head and he could hear birds cawing in the distance, there was some guy next to him who was also stirring, and there was the kid the one who had first spoke to that creature… Mr. Dreams was it? “urrgh where the hell are we?”

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah glared at the gaurdsman as he dismissed what she had said. It was obvious that this..."new master" had taken over the castle and city. The only way to do that is to get rid of the royal family. Sighing Lierah calmed her urge to shout at him. He was trying to calm the princess. Nothing more. When he dashed once more out the door Lierah followed after him stopping at the door.

"Wait," she called after him, "where are you- ugh men."

Lierah closed the door rather loudly and locked the door tight shut. See if he'd get back in acting like that. Lierah sighed and turned to the two women in her home.

"Alright first things first," she said briskly, "let's get you both out of those clothes and into something a little warmer an dryer. Well come on. I should have something that both of you will fit into. I know it's not the fanciest clothing, but it will have to do."

Lierah tool both girls by the hand and led them upstairs to her room. Opening her armoir she began going through her clothes. She'd need to find her warmer clothes. They would still be kind of cold in this weather, but it would be warmer than what they had on. Pulling out two dresses she handed one to the princess and the other to Sharon.

"You can change in the washroom if you'd like," she said, "or you can dress in here. I'll be downstairs if you need me. Just give me a yell."

Lierah smiled sweetly and walked quickly out if the room and downstairs. Once downstairs she sat down with a big sigh. Tje fire infront of her was quite warm and Luerah began to drift to sleep.

[Wattz]

Felicia stared blankly at the dress that had been thrown at her. She was an empty shell, mumbling something about going to the washroom, then slowly shuffling off to where the woman had pointed. The door closed behind her, but the click of the lock seemed far away. She looked down at the lace and the luscious green fabric, at her prim and proper boots. She contrasted so starkly with the lumpy dark blue thing in her hands. Felicia had never really dressed herself before. How was she to undo the corset?

Her limbs felt numb as she struggled to undo the thing. Felicia had never realized how tight they were before, or how large she felt tugging at its strings. It had to have taken her at least an hour to yank it off crudely. Every action seemed numb and empty, her being bereft. She slipped the crude thing on and stepped out.

Felicia drifted downstairs like a ghost, seeing that the woman now slept in a chair next to the fireplace. She sat tentatively in another seat. She was overwrought with the need for this all to be a dream, but her eyes wouldn’t close. They seemed forced open, as if she’d never sleep again. She just kept wondering where her family and Gio had gone off to.

[kagomri]

"You can change in the washroom if you'd like," she said, "or you can dress in here. I'll be downstairs if you need me. Just give me a yell."

Sharon quickly changed into the warm white Empire silhouette. It was precious to Lierah, she knew that for sure. She heard that Princess Lierah's mother hand made it especially for her and used the finest materials. It was considered high-fashion clothes and denotes a high social status. Although she was practically made part of the Royal Family ever since they found her in the river, sleeping peacefully in a carefully hand weaved basket, she never got as many beautiful dresses as the Princesses did. Perhaps it was because she didn't value or like them as much as a proper lady should, or perhaps the villagers simply saw her as someone who's less respected, or worthy of such gifts. After all, she wasn't to inherit the power in the future. It did not matter; she didn't care that much.


She quickly slipped it on and while at it, threw open Lierah's armoire and grabbed a black velvet shawl to keep her shoulders warm. Hopefully she didn't mind; it was one that Sharon bought as a birthday gift. She wandered downstairs to the restless and sleeping princesses.

[The Imposter]

Jack was stupidfied he recalled the strange man with scary teeth standing in front of him and then he was here. Wherever here was, he had just stood up and brushed himself off when two men appeared a few feet away. Courageously he stepped towards them and heard one ask where they were. Jack exclaimed with glee at the two in response.

'Well I'm not really sure where here is sir.....but it looks like a jungle to me. Almost identical to the one I'd imagine when I read about the adventures of the old cowled knights! Wait aren't you Sir Daniel?!'

Jack was now standing over the men on the ground clearly in awe of who was with him. The child quickly skipped behind him and tried to push him to his feet. Only to stop and look at the other character who had arrived.

'Who is this fellow with you Sir Daniel? AH! Mama would have hit me already for not introducing myself. I'm Jacques Decoeur but I'm known as Jack to most.'

[Jacogos]

This guy is a nut job... Delta thought grimly as he watched the man spout a nonsensical tirade of riddles. He had made some small child disappear though, so apparently he was a POWERFUL nut job... great. Then he heard mention of a 'bounty'. To Delta, that meant 'reward' and a reward of a WISH was indeed a great reward indeed... As he thought though, he realized that the man had turned towards him, and suddenly his world went black.

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

Delta had no idea how long had passed before he awoke, blinking at the sunlight filtering down from a canopy of trees. "Urrgh where the hell are we?" He heard someone say. Jumping to his feet, Delta tried to pull his hidden knife in defense, but realized it wasn't on him. "What the f-" Delta paused as he realized he was in the presence of a guardsman and a small child. He wasn't sure which one bothered him more.

"Uhh... That's a good question." He said, looking around. He was vaguely aware of the child speaking, but he tended to ignore the little varmints. "Weren't we just in a a frozen wasteland that used to be a city?"

[Kiall]

Together we're going crazy
Together we're out of our minds
We're stuck in this cell
This personal Hell
The day that could never die!

'You're Dead' The Brains

“Huh what Sir Daniel? I don’t know who you think I am little boy but I’m not a knight, I’m a guard. The other man got up. “Weren't we just in a frozen wasteland that used to be a city” the man asked, Daniel laughed “yeah! Pretty weird day huh?” he looked around surveying the trees, “I guess we could-“ he stopped, he suddenly had an overpowering urge to move he needed to head NORTH. The other two were also starring in that direction. Seemingly in a trance they stood up and started walking in a northward direction. They walked silently and hollowed eyed for who knows how long, the man turned to the left and headed into a cave, the little boy Jack headed towards the right into a forest, and Daniel headed into a very familiar cliff top.


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


The weather had changed as quickly as the scenery, it was now overcast and he could hear thunder rumbling in the distance, what was once warm jungle was now cold flatlands. In the back of his mind he knew this couldn’t be real scenery didn’t change this quickly but still… he could feel the cold wind on his cheek slightly wet from the sea, he could even smell the ocean and the rain that was soon to come. As he reached the top he saw a girl, well young lady he supposed it was hard tell. She was blindfolded and was wearing a white shift, something a sacrifice would wear back in the old days. He stood in front of the girl and without thinking held out his hand, the girl groped for it, her hands were cold and wet and he saw that both their hands were now red with blood. “Where are we?” he said suddenly scared to speak above a soft whisper. The girl moved his head and he saw that her hair had been cut short crudely so like it had been hacked off with a knife, “We stand upon the precipice,” she whispered back “Where the voice of the thunder will be heard.” Daniel looked down at her small pale hands, “your hands our bloody” he had no idea why he said that of course they were, “Appeasement is always bloody, a sacrifice of blood and water and fire, will you travel with the lightning? Will speak with the thunder?” He couldn’t understand what she meant but she seemed to be pleading with him to do… something. Just then it began to rain a torrential downpour, a flash of lightning nearly blinded him and he let go of her hand to shield his eyes.

He uncovered his hand and saw the girl was walking perilously close to the edge of the cliff, she turned back to him. “To go forward a sacrifice must be made, in the end all things must be given over to the thunder!” He started walking towards her, and he felt a horrible uncontrollable need to…push her off! He felt himself walking closer and closer but at the last minute he turned to the side and he felt himself plummeting over the edge and towards the sea. “Interesting decision” he heard a cackling voice say, he turned his head and saw a raven flying beside him “Perhaps the war may yet be won!” the raven cawed with laughter, “but in the meantime mind your head!” Daniel looked down to see the rocks and then…darkness


-----------

Daniel yelled and bolted up, he was covered in snow. As he looked around he saw that he was back in the town square, the kid and the other man where there too also starting to stir. He made to stand up and winced, his head was pounding! Stumbling he pulled himself out of the snow and sat down on the steps of a nearby building and started rubbing his temple

[The Imposter]

Jack's quick interaction with the two grown ups didn't last very long as they began travelling the became separated. There were no words but he could tell the other two must travel down their own paths and he his. The jungle gave way to a lush forest full of vibrant greens and the smell of fresh pine. A breeze was able to penetrate the wall of trees and brush and make its way to Jacks face. It was almost calming just like his mother's voice in a bad storm. Part of him wanted to stop and enjoy the area but he was compelled to journey further and couldn't resist.

Unable to keep track of time Jack was unsure how long he had been following the compulsion but he began to notice shapes in amongst the trees at first they were sparse and far between but slowly they became more common and closer together. Unable to get a closer look he wondered until he stopped. The feeling was strange he wasn't sure if he stopped on his own or not. So he began to look around....and that is when he saw them. The shapes were people or rather statues. All in different poses some with expressions of joy and others despair and saddness. He began to scour the area. Some of the statues he recongized as people from town and others not.

'IIIAAAH!'

The scream came form his own lips as he saw two figures holding each other. There was no mistaking it, it was a statue of his parents. He began studying out the details they seemed quite happy. As he gazed at the craftmanship the breeze became stronger and Jack thought he heard something in the wind. His ears strained for it again, ah he motioned catching it again. Slowly it became stronger and audible.

'Join us Jacques, we would be ever so happy if you'd stay with us.'

The statement didn't make sense to the child but he recongized the voices, it was his parents! The realization soon became apparent and Jacques became a little scared. Was his parents the statues? The wind became stronger as did the voices and soon others joined until it was almost unbearable.

'Yes Mama! Papa! I'll do it.'

The words didn't seem like his but they escaped his mouth, he found himself making his way towards them and joining in their pose. As he adjusted himself he looked ahead and saw a frog creature just like the ones he had been dreaming about. His mind began to question whether this itself was a dream.

The devilish grin on the frogs face changed and began speaking something incomprehensible. Finally it excreted spit and began rubbing it on Jack. The liquid felt strange as it absorbed into his skin. His body began to feel heavey and he readjusted once more. As his skin began to turn to stone Jack was smiling knowing he was going to be with his parents forever. However deep in his mind he couldn't help but dismiss a great fear that was creeping in.

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

Jacques awoke startled unsure whether he should be relieved or disappointed. He tried to move to get up but his body didn't budge. His arms and legs felt extremely heavy and they were asleep as if they hadn't been moved in quite sometime. Feeling helpless he began to call out.

'Would someone please lend me a hand.'

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah's eyes opened to the scene she had left. The fire was going and the clocks were ticking rythmicly. Lierah looked up at the kucoo clock on the wall. It was the first she had made and she knew every detail by heart. That's why she knew it wasn't her clock. The hour hand was too plain and the minute hand was all wavy as well as the fact that there was no second hand. Lierah got up and looked at the grandfather clock behind her. It too was wrong. The moon face looked almost devilish and the sun was completely gone.

Lierah walked over and ran her fingers over the spot where the sun had been. This provoked a giggle from the moon who grinned over at her maliciously.

"He got scared," the moon sneered, "and he ran away. The last pace I saw him was hiding with the kucoo. Might want to check there first. Hee hee."

Lierah eyed the moon suspiciously and walked back to the kucoo clock. Knocking on the door she jumped when the kucoo shot out.

"What do you want," the kucoo asked sounding quite miffed, "I was just trying to go back to sleep."

"I-I'm sorry," she said, "do you know where the sun went?"

"Well it really depends on which one you're speaking of," the kucoo sighed, "one went below the horizon and the one that so rudely interupted my sleep went into one of your pocket watches. I haven't a clue which one and I must catch up on my sleep. Good bye and good riddance madam."

Lierah blinked in suprise when the door to the kucoo's home snapped shut. Shrugging she walked over to the line of pocket watches on the counter lifting their tops up she finally found the sun.

"Hello," she said softly, "did the moon frighten you? He can't hurt you."

The sun nodded and slid out onto the counter. Looking up at Lierah it smiled.

"All better," she said, "come on let's put you back where you were alright? And no more scaring the sun Mr. Moon."

[kagomri]

Sharon could no longer keep her eyes open. Sitting on the couch, and staring silently into the heath, her consciousness swooned again and again until she gave in. Head tilted to her left shoulder, the darkness swallowed her whole.


It stats off fast. I was longer inside my body, my protective layer of skin or shell but instead it was every element that made up me whole. Dauntlessness, independence, and head strong. A soul or spirit of night that soared through the dark heavens, pure and free. Sheer and unlimited.
I dove head first into an invisible ocean. Immediately the wind abandoned me. It was replaced by a bitter and cold feeling. My energy floated around me like a ghostly white dress that was dunked into an ocean, its elegant silk wavering and rippling hauntingly in the icy water.


A crescendo of ghastly cries filtered through my ear, echoing like a metal can. My spirit ran cold. It turned stiff yet remained supple in the rhythmic pulse of water.
"Make us whole!"
For some unexplainable reason a transparent hand grabbed and sank through hers but she couldn't pull away. Trapped by the forces of the cold liquid that were acting as her muscles now.
"We our their hunger"
"The chains that bind! the chains that bind!"
"On the steps of Parabola.."

Something twisted in her sight. A achingly familiar woman appeared, her back facing her. Her complexion was dark brown, her frizzy black hair floated like autumn leaves around her but it seemed all wrong. An urge inside of Sharon wanted to twist it into a bun. The same urge told her that if this person turned around, her eyes were to be purple almonds and lips are to pout just ever so slightly.


The cold painfully empty environment had embraced her in a trance; she could not think, she could not move, she could not speak. However one name refused to leave her thoughts: Felicia.

And just like that, her head snapped. The chains of hands gripping her soul snapped buckled. Sharon broke free of its insidious grasp, feeling propelled advance to Princess Felicia. But she couldn't run fast enough with the water pulsing, pushing her back. Reaching out with arms, the rest of her body flailed around, hopelessly reaching the destination. With each desperate struggle the distance between them seemed to stretch farther apart.



The woman turned around. Her face was blank.

Or rather, she had no face.

[Jacogos]

Delta was drawn north like the others, only his path differed when they came to a fork. He wasn't sure how long they had walked, but it had to have been quite a while. His mind was focused on heading north though, and when he moved off to the left, towards this cave in the middle of the jungle. He wasn't sure why it was there, or why he was drawn toward it, but it made sense in a vague way that he should go in.

Once inside the cave, Delta was acutely aware of someone following him. He looked behind him, but the cave seemed to swallow up any pursuer, as there was no one there. The light from the mouth of the cave was dimming now, but he could still see in front of him. Behind him fell into pitch blackness as his path deeper into the cave was lighted by some unknown source. James felt the presence again and looked behind up, but it was as if he had put on a blindfold as he turned. Moving forward again, he tried to ignore the feeling.

Didn't help.

James looked off to the side when he caught a glimmer of something, and beheld a side tunnel that led to a room full of riches galore! Crowns, gold, jewels, precious metals... Delta took a step toward it, but was aware of the presence again. Breathing down his neck. He turned and swiped at whatever it was, but hit nothing but air. Cursing, Delta kept moving, further into the cave.

And then, there were MORE riches! Right in front of him, within a chamber that was larger than belief. Piles of gold and precious objects were piled higher than the strange tower back in Veingaden.

Veingaden? What's that? James wondered as he moved toward the piles, his eyes glimmering in the light like some deranged killer. This was the prize he had wanted after so many years... So much money could be made here... So much fortune that he could milk from this chamber for ages... and only HE knew where it was!

He was aware of something growling. He didn't have the time to turn before something landed on his back and threw him into darkness.

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

James awoke with a start. He could barely feel his limbs, so cold was it outside. He worked feeling back into his body and righted himself, aware that the guard was moving away and the child was stirring as well. Delta got up as quickly as he could and moved away, hand to his head as he swore about some large animal.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah continued to move through out her home noticing all of the things out of place. This couldn't be real. Sharon and Princess Felicia were no longer there, an umbrella stand had been placed at the top of the stairs and was filled with strange umbrellas with animal heads, and there was a mirror in the middle of the hall that had people moving about in it. Lierah jumped when a loud knock came from a door that had appeared at the end of the hallway. Walking to it she slowly pulled it open. Outside stood a creature dressed in a black hooded cloak. They had been walking the streets when she was awake.

"H-hello," Lierah said timidly, "can I help you?"

"We know you have the girl," the creatures raspy voice came from the deep hood obscuring it's face, "we will come for her."

When the creatures foot shot out and kicked Lierah aside, Lierah jolted awake in her chair gasping. Sitting up she touched her side which ached like her dream had been real. Looking over she saw Sharon nearby. She seemed to be asleep. Lierah sat back again and pulled out her saftey watch. Immediately she felt calmer.

[Kiall]

Through the pounding of his own head he heard the faint cries of the boy “Would someone please lend me a hand.” Daniel stood up and stumbled to where the boy Jack was, grabbing his small hand in his own he heaved him to his feet. “You okay?” Daniel asked concerned. Looking around he noticed the other guy wasn’t here, he must have run off. Daniel opened his mouth to ask where he went back in the forest but thought better of it, it was ridiculous it had all been in his head people couldn’t share dreams. He was antsy to leave, he needed to see if the princess was alright but he couldn’t just leave the kid here. “Hey uhh Ja..kid you know where your parents live right? Can you get back home from here?”

[Wattz]

Felicia woke with a start. She was still sitting near the fireplace, but Lierah was nowhere to be found. The fire had gone out, and the air was stuffy with ash. It filled her lungs with each breath, but Felicia didn’t seem to care. It felt so natural, so calming. Felicia sat back in her chair and closed her eyes once again, feeling the light sensation of ash falling all around her like snow, listening to the overwhelming silence…

… hearing the chime of bells.

Her eyes snapped open. Gio stood before her, his usual goofy smile plastered on his face. Felicia gazed blankly, her eyes half-lidded.

“What took you so long to get here?” She rested her head on her hand and looked up at him, her voice sounding underwhelmed and tired.

“I lost you in the crowd.” Gio was chipper, almost too excited. Why was he so happy? His bright colors were muted through the gray of the ash. The twinkling of his bells began to fade. “We can’t stay here, you know. Nowhere is waiting. He’ll be coming here soon.”

She wanted to believe him, but she couldn’t. “But what happens next? How do we get out of here?”

Gio rushed over and opened the door. A rush of warmth overtook the house as rays of light peaked through the gray. Felicia stood up to look outside. Was it fire? Was it light? Was the snow gone?

But the light dissipated the moment she stepped out. Her hair was down, frizzy, blowing in the wind. Her feet were bare. Gio could be seen across the chasm, waving from the other side. A run-down castle rested on the other side, sand flowing down into the abyss. Stars came down from the sky, littering the ground. Felicia could only just make out Gio’s muffled voice, but the words were hard to discern. Envy overcame her as she looked down at her own feet. There was no sand on this side of the chasm, no stars, no castle whispering fantastic secrets.

She tried to call out to him, but she found that she couldn’t move her lips. Felicia felt a pair of hands turn her around, but her vision went blank. She became frantic, feeling almost as if her face was not there. She couldn’t even breathe. No more air, no more ash, just cold and a pair of shaking hands on her shoulders. Felicia reached out, almost too calmly, towards the face of the stranger. It was feminine, she was sure of it. The princess tilted her head and then touched her own face, only to find it was gone.

Perhaps this is for the best.

“Perhaps this is for the best.” A familiar voice. Gio’s? No, someone else’s. It was nothing like the whimsical drawl of her good friend. This voice was loud and commanding, like a pair of cymbals crashing together. Was it the man from before?

Felicia grasped the shoulders of the woman in front of her, as if begging for help. He would find them both, she was sure of it. They would never make it out alive.

[The Imposter]

Jack looked around trying to gather his surroundings. Despite the blanket of snow the place did look familiar. He nodded to Daniel and began trudging his way in the snow back towards his home. His aspirations of the thought that his parents would be home when he arrived fueled him to keep going through the cold wet snow.

Those hopes were dashed into the ground when he arrived. The door was already open and so with great joy Jack ran inside calling out to his parents. He ran through the house but found no traces of anyone. It was at this time he came to a realization: his home was in shambles. Things were broken or missing. It was as if it was pillaged by raiders. His mind quickly wondered if his parents had gathered things and then gone out to find him, or what if someone had just stolen things from his family?

The cold now had chilled him and made his hands and feet go numb he did his best to get to the fireplace and start a fire. Surprisingly the fire had taken root and burned quite strongly. He sat in front of it warming himself. Tears ran down his face and he wiped them on a sleeve. He felt so alone, where was his family and friends. The only people he really met sent him back here.

'What do I do, what do I do.'

He chanted it as if to hope that something would be unveiled if he did. He looked out to the windows and saw the white outside. His eyes rested on the candle on the windowsill.

'Maybe if I light the candles Papa et Mama will know that I am home....'

He stood up and began lighting the candles in his parent's house.

[Jacogos]

As James reentered his rented room, he realized that he had forgotten something. Something important. The problem was, he didn't know what he had forgotten. As redundant as that seems, it bothered Delta. He thought about it for a moment, but nothing came to mind. After a few minutes, he gave up and went back to his loot.

Most of the stuff was useless, as he had 'stolen' it only to find out it was free. He tossed most of that, except the few things that actually HAD some value after today was over. The rest had value, if limited depending on what it was and where he would have to sell it. He scowled. Would he be able to sell in the city? It was easy to find a place that wouldn't question where you obtained an item, but as for whether they would still be open with such odd happenings about, he didn't know.

Delta thought a little more, then gave up and decided he'd have to figure out where he could sell before bringing everything with him. He'd take a few little things with him, find out who would buy, then come back and grab the rest. Now... To decide what would be the test objects.

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

It was only as Delta was leaving the inn did he remember. It made him stop and gasp, his eyes going wide, though he had to move out into the cold before someone noticed. The bounty on the princess... That guard would know where to find her, he had no doubt.

[kagomri]

Her hands flew to Sharon's face, exploring her features. Sharon was horrified. It had to be an illusion. Yes--of course. There was no other reason to explain how a faceless person came to be....was there? Or was this all a dream? No. Surely it couldn't be--it felt too absolute. Her won hands ran through her smooth surface. Digging, twisting, searching through her skin, trying desperately cheating the illusion. Her hand dove through like a child playing with dough. But underneath there were no eyes, no mouth, no nose. It was no trick of the eye; nothing was hidden underneath. There was nothing to hide.

"Oh dear God, Felicia!" Her hand clamped over her mouth.

Slowly, Felicia's hands retreated to search on her own face. She stopped abruptly when her index finger slid down the flat surface of where her nose should be. A flash of her daunted face came into view....deep infinite eyes sockets but no eyes....and a dark black mouth dropping so long the skin around the jaw was tight and translucent.

Sharon was shooken. She didn't stop shaking because the hands on shoulders was hysterically, and somewhat violently, rocking her back and forth until only the whites of her eyes were visible.


She gasped for a breath, resurfacing into reality. Her hands gripped the chair so tightly she couldn't let go and her body was clammy with cold sweat.

[Wattz]

Felicia woke up. Her body jolted as if she’d fallen back into the chair. Her nails dug into the armrests. The echo of her fearful cry resonated in her ears. Her skin was numb as if trying to settle back into reality, feeling as if she could only roll her eyes back and forth. Sharon was already awake, looking terrified and shaken. Lierah was there as well, looking calm. The tranquility radiating from the mysterious stranger felt like an anachronism for the unease in Felicia’s bones.

“I fell asleep.” The statement was meant for Felicia, as if to reaffirm her existence. She wanted to make the distinction aloud, and to make sure the other two knew as well.

“I had the strangest dream…” she mumbled, placing a hand to her forehead. She casually passed over the rest of her face, noting that her features were still intact. Foolish, really, to assume that such a thing could have ever been real. Felicia held back the urge to describe it, if only to prevent herself from sounding ridiculous. She rubbed her delicate neck, which had only known of pillows and satin, aching at the angle which she’d slept. The world outside of plush tapestries was already taking its toll.

“I want to go home now. Please… I just want to go home.”

[Kiall]

Daniel watched the little kid run back home, As he walked through the snow back to Lierah’s house his thoughts turned to the day events. Who was that man who had so casually said he now owned the city, what was with that weird dream? How was he going to explain things to Felicia? He groaned this was too much for him, he was just a palace guard meant to just stand around entrances and look mean. He didn’t know how he was going to take care of himself much less a whole other person.

He stopped at the front of the shop and knocked on the door, “Open up its me,” Slowly Lierah opened the door and made a face at him, being a mature person Daniel stuck his tongue out. He turned towards Felicia how was sitting on one of the chairs and had recently woken up, good she need the rest he thought. He sat down across from her and smiled reassuringly, “You doing okay?” he said trying to sound calm, oohh this was going to be awkward. “We need to talk,” he said while looking pointedly at the other two and jerking his head in a ‘leave us alone’ kind of motion. “Princess I have reason to believe your family is…” no longer with us? Deceased? In a small farmhouse in the countryside? “…dead” he almost whispered the word, “and the person who did it, knows you’re alive and is hunting you” he continued. “We’re gonna have to lie low for awhile, I’ll start looking for a way out of here, and as soon as we can we’ll go, you have family in some of the neighboring kingdoms you’ll be safe I promise.” He reassured, “It’s going to be tough for awhile but I’ll be with you, I’m not gonna let anything happen to you I swear,” he promised trying to fake a confidence he did not feel.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah gave a nod when the guard gav the signal to get out of the room. Obviously she had been right. Resisting the temptation to give him an "I told you so" look and return the tongue sticking out she'd just received, Lierah waved to Sharon to follow her into the back where she made clocks. Ofcourse this room was filled with the soft whirring and ticking of dozens of clocks. They ranged anywhere from grndfather to the tiniest of watches which could fit into a locket. Lierah ofcourse decided to listen at the door just to see how right she was.

“Princess I have reason to believe your family is…dead," came the guardsmens soft words, “We’re gonna have to lie low for awhile, I’ll start looking for a way out of here, and as soon as we can we’ll go, you have family in some of the neighboring kingdoms you’ll be safe I promise. It’s going to be tough for awhile but I’ll be with you, I’m not gonna let anything happen to you I swear.”

Lierah sighed and turned away from the door feeling bad for how childish she had just been. To think all of the royal family save for the one sitting in her shop front were gone, dead even, and she'd predicted it. Lierah walked farther into the mess of clocks to the middle of the large room where her desk resided. Sitting down she picked up the pocket watch she had been working on for the past few days. The queen had requested it be made for the king as a gift for his upcoming birthday. Lierah ran her fingers over the moon and stars that she had etched into the top. As well as the navigation compass and sun. Opening the watch she looked at the face which didn't show the time. Instead seven hands pointed in the directions of the compass. The hand with Felicia's name inscribed on it pointed west which was back into the front room, but the other six slid freely where ever gravity pulled them. It had almost been finished.

Lierah sighed and closed the watch placing it gently into her tool box which sat on the back of the desk. Looking around she examined the clocks around her. Their faces all had different things to tell. Lierah laid her head down on her desk completely forgetting that Sharon was in the room and closed her eyes. She remembered when she would sit like this and watch her father make clocks. How the wonderful etchings would come to life at the gentlest starch o his tools. How his big hands carefully and precicely placed the tiniest gears and wires into place. The intricate machinery that he created to do all the amazing tasks that his clocks could perform. She missed him. He had been taken from her just like Felicia's family had just been taken from her. Too early. It had been far too early.

[Wattz]

Felicia stared. She faced Daniel, but was looking past him, through him, towards the window where home once stood. She knew the stone sanctuary was no longer there, that her family no longer existed. Daniel’s words sanctified their deaths. It sunk into her core, but on a surface level she refused to process it. She remembered the day her grandfather died. Before then, she’d never seen her mother cry. Should she, too, cry? Felicia certainly wanted to, though she couldn’t even force tears.

Felicia nodded in acknowledgement, lowering her head slowly as she did so. She sighed, her eyes half-lidded, still tired. She couldn’t look at Daniel anymore, not now, not while she had nothing to say. She was numb and unable to express her sorrow. The wind howled and scraped on the panels of the rickety house. It was exhausting, letting the wind fill the silence.

She stood without a word and forced herself up the stairs. Her feet felt like weights, clanking down hard with every step she took. Felicia wasn’t quite sure where else to go, nor did she know where she was allowed to sleep. She took the first bed she laid eyes on without a second thought and slept, thankfully without dreams. Felicia spent the rest of the next few days with little to no speaking, passing through as a hollow specter.

[kagomri]

Sharon nodded, and followed Lierah halfheartedly to the next room. She was used to taking orders from the royal family, but never from the guard. In fact, he was the one usually taking orders from her.

However well she respected others privacy, she couldn't shake the curious feeling away. It had something to do with the royal family. Although she wasn't their own flesh and blood, they treated her as such. They took her in when she had nobody. They accepted her. I am part of the family. I am. And anything involving them will involve me. You can't just leave us--Lierah and I--out of this.

She pressed her left ear against the door.

“Princess I have reason to believe your family is…dead," came the guardsmens soft words, “We’re gonna have to lie low for awhile, I’ll start looking for a way out of here, and as soon as we can we’ll go, you have family in some of the neighboring kingdoms you’ll be safe I promise. It’s going to be tough for awhile but I’ll be with you, I’m not gonna let anything happen to you I swear.”
Felicia sighed.

"Bloody hell." Sharon whispered. The words came out in a mere exhale. Something inside knew it was bound to happen, it was inevitable, yet she refused to give into despair. She had faith. A major heart string cracked in her chest and abundant rage seeped through the wound. She thrashed at the weak old door cried out in anger, her fists pounding into the splintering wood. It collapsed without difficulty, but it wasn't satisfying enough. Whose fault was this? There had to be someone to blame. Anyone.

Daniel. Yes, Daniel, the bloody guard that should die.
It's not his fault.
"Then who the hell is?! YOU TELL ME!"
Looking up, her furious gaze locked in with the horrified expression of him. He was strong and muscular. But she can take him on. She slithered up, and charged head on.

Stop it.

Too abruptly did her body on it's own brake.
Suddenly she was in free fall. Her feet slipped into the air, her back rammed to wall, breath knocked out, and fell onto a firm lap(Daniel's)
----------------------------------------
A hand slapped her face.
"Good, I was getting worried. You haven't woken up in days, Sharon." said a female voice.
"L-lierah?" she croaked.

[Jacogos]

It didn't take long for James to give up on trying to find the guard. Okay, so he went back to where he remembered the little mod had formed, looked around for where he had been laying, found that, looked around for the guy, then gave up and looked for someone to sell his stuff to.

First things first, Delta had to see if his one and only contact within Veingaden was still... around, he thought, forcing himself to us the euphemism. Trying to get his bearings in the unfamiliar (now even more so because of the snow blanketing the place) area, Delta headed off towards what he thought was the southern district of the city.

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

Many hours later, Delta found himself in one of the back alleys of Veingaden, speaking with an old friend, Thane. While no longer one for Delta's line of work, Delta believed Thane could easily have made Sigma or Rho, easily. At the moment, Thane was working as Delta's inside man, though with recent events, they might as well be on equal footing now.

"I tell you, Delta, I ain't seen anythin' like this since the Great Avalanche 'round the Killall Mountains. And that wasn't during summer, mind you!"

The man was old, James mused, but he had never known a man more adept at his job. And his job was to watch and listen. Easy enough, right? You'd think so.

"So what you're telling me is... this AIN'T part of the fancy festival thing, right?" James asked.

"Right. It's the real f**king deal, my friend."

".... Well... and here I was thinking this would make a nice summer vacation spot..." Delta muttered sourly. "Okay then. Is there anyone still up and running in the underground?"

"Have ye looked around lately, Delta? Most EVERYBODY works underground as of today. Well, undersnow, at least...." He paused and shook his head. "I noticed that these weird ghost things ye see all around have been askin' after some of my more... entrepreneur-y... acquaintances, and the ones I hear asked about I don't hear from. Now of course, its still too early to tell, really, but I don't like it... my... acquaintances... are usually very prompt in their replies."

Delta frowned slightly and sighed. "Cyros damn it all... Keep askin' around... I have a room at the Three Kings if you need me. In fact..." He slipped the man a spare key. "Keep me informed. Very well informed, mind you." He gave the man a serious look

Thane returned the look with a malicious grin. "Aye, ye can count on me to do that for ye."

Delta nodded as he made to turn to leave, then paused. "Also... If you hear about this... Princess Felicia... I want to know that before anything else..." With that said, he left.

Now.... Delta thought as he made his way back to the inn. Now the real fun begins... He smirked as ideas started forming in his head. Some involving a certain bounty on a certain female noble. Oh... and money.

He could never NOT think about money.

[The Imposter]

From the street the home appeared quite lively with the candles dancing in the windows. Giving off little warmth to the cold that seemed to creep through the walls and floors and penetrate every space of the building. Jacques however was managing well enough. Despite the place being devoid of all life except for himself.

The young boy was left to himself and his own thoughts. He thought the worse of his family and the small trail of tears frozen to his face gave his true emotions away. He sat at a table with a quill in hand trying to plan something. All he knew was that he needed to survive, which meant he needed to be able to provide sustenance for himself.

After quite some time of thinking, and wandering around the house Jack found himself grinning devilishly at the piece of paper. He had figured out what he could get that everyone would want. He even wondered if his friends might be able to help. Through this he might even achieve a bigger goal, like what happened to his parents, or what really was going on in this town.

Satisfied his stomach grumbled reminding him that he was quite hungry. He wondered what would be here to eat as he wandered down one of the lengthy hallways to his home.

[Kiall]

Daniel watched Felicia leave and sighed, he didn’t know what to do for her or any of them for that matter. All this stuff was well above his pay grade and he felt like he was floundering. He heard the door crash and turned, The girl from before was screaming in rage and charged him. She apparently tripped over something soon after charging she tumbled into his lap and went limp. Daniel awkwardly pulled her up by her arms as he stood up and looked around for Lierah, “What the hell was that?” he asked to no one in particular.

______________________

Twelve Days Later

Daniel yawned as he strolled through the darkened streets, he was glad to be out of the house, his suggestion of a disguise had not gone over well, things had already been tense when he had come back saying there was no way out of the city. He enjoyed the night air and the singing of the moon, that is to say it was really singing. “de las mil y un batallas, ayudame que me puedes salvar. Quedate en mi cuento de amor. Quedate en mi cuento de amor” it sang in its deep baritone. Every couple of days the moon would change in features and mood, for now it looked like a face with a large moustache and sang in a language Daniel wasn’t familiar with. He sighed he was tired of relying on Lierah as a source of income for them. He heard the sound of shouting coming from an old meat warehouse he headed oer and peeked through the double door.

A crowd had gathered around in a circle and seemed to be watching something intently occasionally shouting in anger or joy. Daniel moved deeper into the crowd to look. Two large angry looking men were pacing every so often one would throw a flurry of blows and the other would block or dodge. This must be some sort of fighting ring he realized, Just then a fast paced pummeling knocked the smaller man back and the crowd cheered, The man still standing was calling out for a new challenger, The movement of the crowd was making his position awkward and as he moved forward he found himself in the center of the ring. How did he get himself into these messes? He thought wearily

[The Imposter]

Jacques walked the halls of the stange building he found himself in. He tried to think of how he arrived here but his thoughts were clouded. He could only focus on the voices that echoed from the direction he was going towards. The familiar voices of his parents they were alluring, calling him towards themselves. Finally after twelve days of searching he had found them, twelve long days of teaching the child how hard it was to live in the city at such a young age. His pace quickened to a fast shuffle then a jog and finally into a full sprint as the hall ended with two doors leading somewhere.

Jack's eyes quickly fell on the frog like creature in front of him, guarding the doors. It looked him over and rubbed its chin. Its lips curled devilishly as it opened one of the doors. Jack looked around the creature and into the room. Two figures sat beside each other with their backs turned but he could still make them out. It was his parents! The boy couldn't contain his joy and leapt and bounded into the room. The frog creature shutting the door as it followed the boy in. Jack hardly noticed it as it went to one side and began digging around the shelves for something. It was strange Jack couldn't really make out what else was in the room, his eyes strongly fixated on his parent's figures.

'We have been so worried about you Jacques.'

'Yes son, so very worried. We're glad you found us though.'

'Oh so glad. Now we can be a family again.'

'Yes a family....come here Jacques'

Jack's parents tones seemed strange to him, perhaps sullen was the word. He wasn't too sure how to describe it really but he pressed forward until he was quite close only feet away from the bench they sat on. The two figures turned in unison with much difficulty. Jacques didn't understand why until they had turned fully and he saw them. He couldn't help his reaction as his body convulsed and he threw up all over himself. The boy coughed and choked as tears poured from his eyes. Jacques was mortified by the sight.

His parents sat side by side with sections of their bodies sewn together. Instead of simple thread it was a thick twine dyed red from the blood that seeped from the stitching holes all over their bodies. Twistedly their heads were sewn together the twine going through his father's nose and mouth and the whole side of his mother's face.

'Oh Jacques, look you have fallen ill not being under your mother's care. Come let me help you. Join your father and I and we can be together forever.'

'Yes joined together for ever.'

Despite the grotesque image before him Jack found himself moving closer and climbing up onto their laps. His mind screamed unable to do anything outwardly only showing a soft smile. His eyes shut as he saw the frog creature approach with a large needle and the twine. He could feel his parent's as the petted him and soothed him. His mother humming an old lullaby as they began to sew Jacques to their laps. He could feel the needle puncture his flesh and the twine pull through first his back and calves then his neck, scalp, and even through an ear. Just when he thought they had finished the could feel the needle go into his lips sewing them shut then his eyes and nose. His body began to shake and all he could do was hear his mother's cooing voice saying to be still.
--------------------------

Jack woke up amidst cold sweat and warm urine. His sheets soiled if he hadn't have been alone in the house he would have been embarassed but such things had become normal everytime the young lad fell asleep. His mind reflected on the horrible dream as he got up and changed then using hot water handwashed the sheets.

He caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror and saw the small scars around his mouth, eyes, and nose where it would have appeared to have been sewn shut. He sighed deeply and cried out to the empty home home much longer he would have to go on like this. The tears running freely down his face mixing with the seeping snot from his nose. He wiped his face as a good cry and remarked that it had been twelve days.

'Cinder Hall performance auditions are today....perhaps I can juggle my way to some sustenance.'

It is quite surprising how quickly one can mature in twelve days when you must survive. Jack had used what loot he found around the ruined house to provide food for himself. He had also meet up with his friends and to his bittersweetness found that all their parents were accounted for. He also realized that he and his friends had quite the ability to find out almost anything they needed to. Except for the locations of the princess and Jack's family. They just needed organization.

'Someone at Cinder Hall will find the value in our services and help put things in order for us....Now where are those juggling balls.'

Jack spoke again to the empty home as he rummaged about looking for the small satchel of balls he use to juggle with. After find it he made his way out into the cold towards Cinder Hall.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah had barely registered the events of Sharon's outburst. It had gone by almost mechanically. She hadn't really responded other than walking into the room and lifting Sharon's limp body up to carry her upstairs. The days after that, a blur. She knew she'd taken care of Sharon, but she didn't recollect anything at all. When Sharon finally regained consiousness Lierah snapped out of her strange daze.

"Good," Lierah said bluntly, "I was starting to worry you haven't woken up in days..."

"L-lierah?" came Sharon's groggy response.

Lierah blinked twice and then her normal cheerful demeanor returned fully. Smiling at Sharon she placed a hand on her forehead. Cool.

"Good," she said, "you aren't running a fever either. I wonder what made you pass out though. Strange....well I need to head into to town and get somethings. Please don't go anywhere though. I think someone might recognize you and follow you back. That wouldn't be a good thing. Daniel seems to have already left though. I think he should know what to do though. He is after all a guard. Right?"

Lierah smiled and stood up. Walking out of the room she felt her smile drop. She was starting to run low on money. She needed something else for income, but what? Lierah sighed and headed downstairs grabbing her coat as she headed out the door.stepping out into the crisp night air she took in a deep lung full. It stung making it feel as if her lungs were on fire. Odd how such a freezing cold could feel so burning hot. The moon above sang out into the night it's only audience seeming to be the stars. Lierah started down the street. She needed to clear her head. She felt so groggy. Heading towards the old church she decided to take a walk in the graveyard. Strange how such a morbid place could calm her reeling senses.

As she got closer she could see a crowd gathered amongst the headstones. Slipping quietly into the crowd she stood on tiptoe to see what was happening. Two men crouched in the middle circling eachother. What was going on? The flash of metal in one man's hand alerted her to the knives both men were wielding. A knife fight?! In Veingaden?! When one man grunted after being stuck in the side the crowd cheered and the other man raised his blade. Victory.

"Who will face me next," he asked, "you."

Lierah blinked in shock when the man used his blade to point to her.

"Yes," he chuckled, "girl there. You will be my next opponent. I want to see how quickly you will take to make one sound. I wager it will take one nip of the blade to draw out a sound."

"Well I would ask what bet you'd place on that wager," Lierah replied venomously, "but I seem to be lacking the proper instrument for this game of chance."

"I'm sure one of these fine gentlemen will lend you a blade," the man sneared, "and if I do so win......you will be my slave."

"And if I win," Lierah hissed.

"Your wish will be my command dear maiden."

"Deal," Lierah snapped, "we'll see who's the maiden once this is over."

The man smiled and gave a sweeping bow. Stepping foreward Lierah took a blade offered to her by one of the onlookers. Immediately springing into action she stepped foreward and slashed at the man making a long cut along his cheek before he could stand from where he had bowed. The man gritted his teeth and dove at Lierah only to have her dance out of his reach at the last second. Crouching down they circled eachother watching for the others movements. The man was the first to make a move. His blade flashed out and imbedded itself in Lierah's forearm. Fortunately the nerves in her arms had been damaged from the amount of hot metal that had singed them when she would melt metal to make watches. Lierah smirked and slashed out again slicing a long line likewise in his forearm. The man gritted his teeth harder and pulled back removing his blade from Lierah's arm. Thinking quickly, Lierah ripped off a piece of her dress and bound the wound preventing it from bleeding out. This was going to be a tough fight.

[Wattz]

She wouldn’t do it. She just wouldn’t do it.

Felicia looked at her long frizzy hair in the bathroom mirror, still seething from the suggestion that Daniel had made. Cut her hair off? Dress like a boy? Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Perhaps if it hadn’t meant the loss of her hair, she might have obliged, but this was just going too far. The knight would have to hold her down and chop it off. There just had to be a better way to hide.

She sighed and looked about the room. Felicia was going crazy in this little house. It was too small, too confined. The castle was expansive, freeing, not that she was the type to explore much. But she missed the wide open space, the elegant chandeliers, the three-story tapestries. Felicia grabbed a blanket on the wall and threw it over her simple brown dress, as if it were a cloak. She’d just have to go and get fresh-air on her own.

Felicia wandered about outside in the cold for a while. The snow seemed different beneath her slippers than it had all those nights ago. It was calm, almost refreshing. That is, until the sound of yells interrupted the calm. She saw Daniel walk into a foul-smelling building. Felicia observed from a distance until the knight clambered into the center of the ring. Just what exactly was he planning on doing?

[Kiall]

Daniel looked nervously at the man he was supposed to fight. He had always been one of the bigger boys but he was also rather lazy and avoided confrontation, he certainly never intended to get into a ring fight! The man swung scoring a blow on his chest; Daniel grunted geeze this guy was fast. He continued blocking trying to stay on the defensive as the man threw blow after blow. Daniel finally threw a punch of his own scoring the man on the nose, the man yelled and threw more punches at him faster than before. Desperate Daniel tried an old guard move and sweep kicked the mans legs from under him, the big man toppled with a crash, “Winner!” a voice shouted, a strange man in a finely tailored coat with an interesting black ribbon stitched to it and top hat walked up to him, “Your winnings” the man said handing him a bag he discovered had fifty pieces of Rust gold, the man smiled “if you want more, I suggest you visit the graveyard in two days,” the man whispered to him. Daniel feeling tired but elated walked off. He balked when he saw Felicia and rushed over to her.

“Honeybunch! How are you?” he said noticing the crowd around them “you didn’t have to wait for me like that!” he said pushing her into a far off corner, “What are you doing here?” he whispered, “I told you to wait inside! There are people trying to kill you woman! As in death, as in die, as in throat slit!” He noticed some people pass him by and said in an exaggerated yell, “Why yes we can make love tonight! You didn’t have to come all this way to ask me that!” he thought maybe his understanding of what married couples talked about was a little skewed, but what could he say, he had weird parents. “You know exactly what you have to do if you want to walk around!” he continued in his loud whisper, “I know you don’t want to lose your hair but it’s the only way to make sure no one spots you!”

[kagomri]

Sharon woke up with a headache. Her room was empty and unfamiliar without Lierah, so she went out to find her. Before heading out, Daniel's words cut through her thoughts.

Princess I have reason to believe your family is…dead.

That's right. The Royal Family was dead. Sharon groaned as she recalled her enraged outburst. She should apologize to everyone. She should apologize to Daniel especially. Her head shook from side to side, dismissing the thought.
No. I can't do that. I just can't. I'll look pathetic, and I'm not ready to just accept that fact. He can hold a grudge against me for as long as he pleases. I can live with that. In fact, I couldn't care less. With the last thought she broadened her shoulders boastfully and elevated her chin. I can't--I don't have anything to be sorry for.
At the pit of her confidence sat a disapproving grudge that seemed to sigh while bring forth a heavy weight on her shoulders, dramatically sagging them down.

"Stop that." She snapped fiercely, scowling at her posture in the mirror, lengthening her back once more.

People were after to annihilate the entire family. They might spare her since she wasn't their blood, but she was still considered as part of the family and therefore taking precaution was the best choice in this situation. She placed her hair in a high bun and slipped on a dark cloak so that whoever she had to face would, hopefully, be unable to recognize her. Hopefully. It was still a big risk, but desperate times causes for desperate measures. After all, there was no more food and no money. They all needed a job.

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

“Why yes we can make love tonight! You didn’t have to come all this way to ask me that!” Daniel exclaimed, holding Felicia's delicate hands. Somehow this seemed to irritate Sharon. If you knew Daniel well enough, you'd be able to tell that he was a terrible lair. His ears were red and his face was flushed. But perhaps his excitement in meeting the princess was not exaggerated, and therefore made it believable to the audience.

"Oh no, you won't." She said, hastily grabbing her friend's hands and leading her away from the guard. "She's mine tonight." she hissed in a deep low voice. At first a look of shock came across Daniel's face, then bewilderment when she lifted her face up dangerously close to his, with the utmost fearlessness. A sign representing a indirect but bold message.
To the people crowding around them, including Felicia, it would look as if Daniel and a cloaked man were touching lips, or perhaps kissing.
Her eyes locked onto his, searching for any response, a sign of silent comprehension.

It was the first time she really looked at him. And somehow there seemed to be a difference.
A likeable different.

He understood.

Through the response of his eyes, he confirmed that this was enough to convince him of Felicia's security. He understood, intrusting her completely. She could almost feel the tense atmosphere as if it were almost tangible.

Nodding ever so slightly, she took a stunned Felicia with her on her way to the Singing Mandrake.

[Wattz]

Felicia had just barely witnessed Daniel’s defeat of the ruffian, and for a moment it confused her that a knight of his caliber should be tempted to earn a few gold pieces from a pack of men who acted like animals. She had almost forgotten that he was no longer getting paid by the kingdom, for obvious reasons. The girl had no time to be frustrated over her momentary forgetfulness before he grabbed her arm and began his rambling.

“What? Daniel, that’s repulsive!” She spoke in low yet furious whispers as she pushed away from Daniel. “I’m tired of being in that smelly little shack, and I’m not cutting my hair. There has to be another way. I’m sure my safety does rely on the length of my hair!” Felicia never felt the need to demand before. She was always lead along in lavish dresses by the hands of servants without having to say a word. But here, Felicia would fight to the death. There was no way she would ever masquerade as a boy.

Felicia was delighted to see Sharon arrive, sure that the woman would defend her honor. But instead, her response was surprising, almost difficult to watch.

"Oh no, you won't." She said, hastily grabbing her friend's hands and leading her away from the guard. "She's mine tonight."

“I beg your pardon?” Felicia’s lip curled with disgust, her eyes wide with bewilderment. The exchange between Sharon and Daniel was more than a little difficult to watch, what with them being so close together. She was grateful when Sharon finally tore away, taking Felicia along with.

“What the devil is happening around here? You’ve all gone absolutely crazy, that’s what. Getting into fights, cutting poor innocent hair, being outrageously lascivious! You – where are we going?”

Felicia’s face dropped as she looked up towards the sign, hanging off of rusty hinges and squeaking with every motion of wind. The Singing Mandrake. The lettering proved to be a poor attempt at style and grace, and instead looked like half-completed loops and unflattering angles.

[Jacogos]

Cinder Hall was an offsetting place. In one way you could call it an entertainment center for most of Veingaden. Lately, however, if was more of an information post. It had been twelve days. Nearly two weeks, Delta mused, in which many, many things had happened.

For example, he had become one of the most well informed men in the city.

It was no easy task, but somehow he had managed it, with no shortage of help from his man, Thane. It was all a matter of slowly setting up your connections. The first thing he had done was sold everything he could manage to sell. That was also no easy task, as the phantoms that had taken over most of the business in Veingaden were very... picky. He had resorted to finding the underground merchants, and that was where he started his gathering.

The few merchants he found were eager to buy and sell. Most of what Delta paid for was simple flare, clothing, weapons, and the like. Thieves stuff. What he was most interested in, though, was eyes and ears... Information gatherers. And THAT'S where this all started.

Delta quickly sat up a web of connections. He quickly knew pretty much everyone through someone else, so even if he didn't KNOW the guy, he knew of someone who did. There came complications, though, with all that knowledge. What was that, you ask? Why, simply the processing. Delta couldn't talk to everyone all the time, nor could he be around Veingaden experiencing every little thing that happened throughout the days.

That's where the eyes, ears, and sometimes mouths came into play.

Mouths had a simply job. They acted as messengers to all of Delta's extensive connections. The job paid well, and there was usually more mouths signing up than were needed. However, with efficiency needed at full output, Delta was quick to crack down on someone shirking their duty. It left room for all those who wanted in to get a shot. Only the best would stay in.

The eyes and ears were trickier. Delta had learned it like this: You can really only focus on one thing at a time for it to be truly paid attention to. Therefore, why pay someone to watch AND listen, when you could pay two to do 100% better? That was Delta's logic, at least, and it paid off. Eyes and ears worked in pairs. One was paid to watch, the eyes. The other was paid to listen, the ears.

Eyes focused on keeping their namesakes shifting from one area to the next. They were picked because they had photographic memories, and could remember a picture down to minute details after a few seconds glance. Ears didn't rely on seeing, and sometimes chose to simply go out blindfolded. This was their own discretion, though, not enforced. They focused on listening to every conversation they could hear, every little sound they could pick up. Together, eyes and ears could find loads more information than lone wanderers.

Delta had his own ways of picking out eyes, ears, and mouths, and rarely shared the knowledge. The only thing that was obvious to outsiders is that not a single one was older than sixteen. Trade secret, that. However, Thane was savvy, and it was this knowledge that led to one of the strangest encounters Delta had ever had.

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

"That one." Thane pointed at a child, who couldn't be much more than seven years old.

Delta raised an eyebrow and considered the child, then his friend. "That one? Why him?" Something about the kid tingled his memory, but he couldn't place it. Thane shrugged and looked at him again.

"Gut feelin', James. I figure you know better by now than to ignore those."

Delta nodded slightly and watched at the kid wandered into Cinder Hall, apparently here to try for the entertainment portion of the Hall's notoriety. Little did he know, he might just have signed up for a more... notable position. Delta approached Jacques slowly, studying the kid for a moment. Still no sure why he tickled the memory.

"Hey, kid. Come here for a moment." Delta said shortly, the 'asking' one in his voice underplayed by the obvious command.

[kagomri]

The Singing Mandrake was full of people. Many of them were doing what drunks did best, and that was stir up trouble. Remy had been working their for a long while now and had dealt with a lot of this typical behavior. Of course though, Remy was a little drunk himself at this time. 4 mugs of mead was in him right now and he was about as buzzed as anyone their.

Remy was sitting in front of the main door to the Mandrake at a table with 4 chairs. The table had 3 empty mugs and a couple of turkey legs completely stripped to the bone. So far, everything in the Mandrake were going well and didn't seem to be of any hassle.

Remy was supposed to be on lookout for a person wanting to work at the Mandrake. They said this person had been looking for a job and needed one. He didn't know what to expect. He thought it was going to be another sad excuse for an employee that he was going to have to watch constantly like many he's been placed with before. He sighed as he continued to drink and scout the room for any kind of violent behavior, as well as keeping an eye on the door for the new worker.

"Well, it's time for another round." He gives a hand signal to let one of the maids know that he needed another mug. The maid walks over towards him, and slides the mug to him and Remy catches it. The foam runs over the top a little bit. "Ahhhh thank you. Go ahead and run along before you get in trouble now." He says as he takes the mead and begins to chug it. He then slams his mug down and burps. He was starting to become a little hammered. The room was kind of slurring a bit while the sounds where beginning to phase in and out just a little. "Man, this stuff is a kick in the face."

As Sharon led Felicia inside the bar, she noticed a strange man standing near the entrance. His feet and hands were muscular and firm. He crossed them over each other. His eyes darted from the door to the clock to the customers at the bar, as if waiting for something to happen, or someone to be arriving.

"Excuse me Sir. Would you happen to be looking for employees?" She asked, still hiding her face behind a cloak.

He then put the mug down, leaned back in his chair to cross his arms and feet in order to get comfortable. He the rolls his neck, popping it quite a bit. He then Notices 2 people walking up towards him, two females to be accurate. He heard the woman with the cloak ask him a question. He then took another drink of his mead, wiped his mouth, and said "Hmmm, maybe we are. Are you the ones wanting a job here? If you are, I'm your interviewer." He said drunkenly as he uses his feet to kick a chair out for the both of them. "Tell me, where you from, and what's your specialty for wanting to work here? There are a lot of asses here, and you don't seem like the type that can handle asses."

As soon as he spoke, Sharon knew how to deal with a loser like him.
"Listen up bastard," she hissed under her breath, loosing her nice feminine charisma. She ripped off her hood to reveal a dark and damp tied bun sitting on the top of her head. She grabbed his shirt and thrusted him forward, neck first, then body slumped forward.
"You're the only ass here. You don't stand a chance against me."
Malice seeped through her words, and for once he seemed the slightest bit scared. She didn't want to threaten him; it was the last thing she felt up to because she was just so sick and tired of dealing with people like this--especially at this particular time. But it was too late to take them back now.
She pressed further. "Ask the damn questions." And released her grip.

He didn't like the way her words spoke, and knew that he didn't need to piss her off that bad. It was kind of creepy in a sense. He wasn't trying to make her feel bad, but he was actually giving her a test. And come to his surprise, she passed it with flying colors.

"Hahahahaha, very impressive." He said beating the table with his hand and laughing. "You really had me going there. For a woman such as yourself, you've got some courage in yah. I like that. Congratulations, you passed the mean-as-hell test." He then finally stopped laughing and had a smile on his face. He then asked the waiter for 2 more mugs of mead. The waitress said "My my my, who's your lady friend Remy?" He chuckled and said "Just someone I'm getting to know. Give me the mugs, me and her have some talking to do."

Remy then slid one of the mugs towards her, with the top of the mead fizzing out over the top of the glass a little bit. "You know, it's not often I have a drink with someone, you should drink with me. Take a load off as I interview yah." He then once again kicked the chair out for her, offering her a seat.

He then cleared his voice and took another drink. "Sorry for the throat clearing. I'm kind of sick. Anyways..." He says as he straightens up and stretches out a bit. "So, why are you looking for a job around here? You seem a little bit out of your way. I know you're mean as hell, but you know how women are treated around these parts." He then remembered a few seconds ago. "By the way, I'm sorry if you misunderstood me earlier. I was just trying to be friendly as a drunk can be hehehehe."

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah could feel her legs fatigue under her and knew she would need a win soon or she wouldn't make it. Her arms and legs as well as her face were covered in cuts, her opponent likewise. Fienting upward she drew his attention from his feet alloweing her blade to cut his Achilles tendon. As the tendon was severed the man cried out and grabbed his heel in pain. Lierah quickly tore a piece from her dress and bound the mans foot.

"Looks like," he panted, "you win....mistress."

"Don't call me that," she said beneath her breath, "I'm not your mistress. Now do yourself a favor and stay out if trouble."

"Of course princess," the man said softly leaning closer, "your wish is my word."

"No," Lierah snapped, "it's not."

"Well congratulations miss," said one of the men who had been watching, "you have won."

The man was wearing a strange black ribbon and most of his clothing was the same color shave for the golden accents he wore to add effect. In his hand he held a bag full of money. It wasn't the normal money of Viengaden, but definitely money. Lierah frowned but accepted the money anyway. It might be useful. The man with the ribbon smiled.

"If you'd like to earn more of that," he said, "I'd suggest you continue fighting in our rings. Perhaps you'd even make it *into the black ribbon society."

Lierah eyed the man warily and nodded. It might not be a bad idea. The man smiled again.

"The next one you might want to try is *the *match," he said informatively, "it's *."

Lierah gave another nod and turned around. When she found her opponent infront of her she sighed.

"I'm not getting rid of you," she frowned, "am I?"

"I can't allow my princess to be unprotected," the man chuckled, "admittedly she can take good care of herself, but I'd feel much better knowing for sure."

"Fine," Lierah sighed grudgingly, "I'm assuming you have a name?"

"My given name is Kain," the man said , "but as my life is now yours my name is whatever you wish it to be."

"Keep it up and you won't need a name," Lierah sighed, "lets go, and no more of this princess stuff. It's Lierah."

Kain smirked and bowed to Lierah causing her to roll her eyes. Walking past him she headed home. Kain followed closely behind smiling.

(I will put a cs up for Kain soon. Promise) **

[Kiall]

Daniel shifted and scratched his head, watching the two of them leave. The way Sharon had gotten so closed to his face and look she gave him made him…uncomfortable, but still Felicia would be as safe with Sharon as she would with him, after all she was more used to watching her than he was. He headed back to Lierah’s house bag of Rust Gold in hand. As he got closer he started to sing “Someone’s got a bag of Rust Gold! Someone got a bag that you know oh oh oh, someone’s got a bag of Rust Gold!” he had seen Lierah turn the corner and heading back which had prompted the singing, “Lierah and her watches can su- huh- ck itttt!” he said laughing good naturedly, it was weird but he never felt like he needed to step up and be in charge with Lierah. He was free to be his goofy self with her. He looked at the strange man following her and smirked, “You pick up another stray? I told you stop feeding em or they’ll just follow you home!” He said chuckling and showing the bag, “Anyways while you were out collecting boy toys, I got us some fundable currency!”

[The Imposter]

Jack's head shot up like a rabbit in a field as someone called out in his direction. He turned quickly and met the eyes of the man who was speaking to him. Still however he pointed to himself making sure that he was indeed the one. He recongized the man from a dream a week or so earlier and was slightly cautious as the man approached. However in Cinder Hall what hope would he have if he tried to run away?

'Yes sir?! Is there something you want?'

He began walking with the man beack to another. In his mind he could only think of what rotten luck he had to befall these two gentlemen. He tried to hold back any noticeable signs of his displeasure but the lump in his throat caused his tone to change. He would just have to agree and do whatever was asked of him. He still hadn't found his parents and wasn't about to curl up and die. In moment his demeanor changed from terror to that of defiance although it really didn't express itself very well coming from a seven year old child.

[Wattz]

“Sharon!” Felicia hissed and pulled the cloak tighter around her figure, obscuring every inch of her form. Even her face was difficult to see, but luckily the bar patrons seemed too drunk to notice much. They terrified her either way, disgustingly rowdy and with pints of ale in hand. Strangely enough, fine art littered the walls as well, and in a few spots there appeared to be artistic types looking sour about the ruffians.

“Sharon! I can’t work here, I just can’t!” she continued to hiss under her breath, out of reach from the man before them. But what she really meant was that she couldn’t work at all. “Look at how dirty it is! Plus, someone’s sure to… you know!” Felicia refrained from saying ‘recognize’ for fear of prying ears. Not to mention that working here might mean that Daniel had even more reason to…

A pair of scissors flashed through her mind, claws of the devil ready to strike with wicked precision.

Felicia hid behind Sharon as much as she could to appear shy and meek. Perhaps if this man thought her incompetent, they wouldn’t be employed! Ah, yes! Such a perfect scheme! Wily, in fact. Felicia did take pride in this moment, oh yes she did.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah stuck her tongue out at Daniel and shot a glare at Kain who just smiled and continued to follow her like a puppy.

"Actually," Kain called to Daniel, "I'm her slave. I had no choice but to follow her home. I don't mind though. She's pretty cute when she's angry."

"Oh zip it the both of you," Lierah pouted, "I'm no ones master and I told you to go home. I don't need a servant."

"But I'm going home Princess," Kain teased wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "is this not your home?"

Lierah elbowed Kain harshly in the ribs and walked hastily to the front door. Opening it she stepped inside and held it open for Daniel.

"Hurry up and get in here so I can lock him out," she said bluntly, "he isn't coming into my house."

Kain gave Lierah a shocked look and hurried to the door.

"Aw come on," he pouted, "you can't just leave and innocent man out in the cold! That's cruel!"

"Yes it would be if you were any kind of innocent," Lierah remarked, "seeing as you aren't it is completely justified."

"Please," Kain whined, "I promise I'll be good! I'll even sleep on the floor if you want! Don't leave me out here!"

Lierah narrowed her eyes and opened the door a little wider.

"Fine," she sighed, "but you are sleeping on the floor and if I catch you sneaking into mine or anyone elses bed you're going right back out."

"Thank you mistress," Kain said leaning over and kissing Lierah's cheek, "I knew you couldn't be that cruel."

"Watch it," Lierah growled a light blush appearing on her cheeks, "or I might just kick you out anyway. Come on Daniel let's get in out of this weather. We're going to have to swear this dumb oaf to secrecy. Goodness knows how long that will take."

Kain smiled and winked at Daniel over his shoulder. If the boy had thought he'd get Lierah or anyother girl in the house to himself he now knew he had some major competition. Especially with how childish he was. What was he three? *

[kagomri]

“Sharon! I can’t work here, I just can’t!” Felicia hissed before hiding behind her back.

"Excuse us for a moment." Sharon said to the interviewer.

Taking the princess's hand, she lead her to the laddies restroom. Turning on her heel, she calmly said, "Felicia. You have to cut your hair. I'll do it too. It's the only way to make sure no one recognizes us. You'll have to trust me on this." And hell, if she refused to listen them it'd only make it a whole lot harder in protecting them both while keeping her promise to Daniel. As soon as Sharon saw Felicia opened her mouth to protest, she outrageously smashed one of the mirrors with her right elbow. The glass shattered onto the floor as the pieces penetrated her skin.

Gasping in pain, she grabbed a sharp bloody slice and brought it up to her chin. Struggling under the agonizing pain, she ruggedly hacked at her dry brown hair. Sharon hoped that her drastic actions would cause her companion to realize just how serious and desperate she was.

Felicia would give in and not let her injury go in vain.

"You know, I made a bloody promise to Daniel," she said in between short burning breaths, "to protect you. I'm more than willing to accept my punishment." she said, knowing that it was the Death Penalty and he was the only guard left to execute.

[Kiall]

Walking inside he grabbed Lierah’s arm, “Can I talk to you in private for a bit?” He asked dragging her upstairs to one of the bedrooms. He closed the door and locked it before sitting down on the bed with Lierah. “Seriously Lierah where did you find that guy?” he said perplexed, “Look… I need to get something off my chest, I do not like him, and I’m not comfortable with him living here, I mean…I know this is your house and I’m grateful truly, and if it were just me I’d stomach it, but it’s not just about me.” he sighed getting to the heart of the matter, “I don’t want him finding about you know who, and even if by some miracle he was willing to keep a secret, I don’t want her hanging around him.”

He patted her back amicably, “you’re a big girl and know how to handle yourself but, You Know Who, is…delicate she’s not used to people like Kain, and knowing him he’ll smell it out like a wolf smells fresh blood and try to take advantage of her. Now while I’m perfectly fine to live and let live when it comes to me, I will throw my weight around when it comes to her, first sleazy word out of his mouth in front of her and I will beat him to a pulp and throw his ass out on the street.” He stared tone serious, “So do what you gotta do, if you don’t have the stomach to throw him out I will, just keep in mind what I said okay?” He patted her shoulder again and grinned, “Good talk!” he said with a chuckle

[Epostle]

Since Remy was drunk out of his gorde, he said in a decently loud and obnoxious tone "Where the hell yah going?" Apparently some people just couldn't handle the stress of working a job like he was working, or this was his thought at least. He couldn't stand the site of these people. He was born from a rich background, but they were all snobby and self-centered. He liked the roughness of the few that came in here, hence why they haven't been thrown out yet. The bar maids liked Remy though cause he has saved them many times over. Remy had a bad reputation of being a drunken hero and a lazy ass.
Finally after all of the commotion from the loud noises, one of the higher ups of The Mandrake Inn walked up to Remy and slammed his hand on the table, making the whole room go silent. The man said "What the hell are you doing Remy?" He said angrily. The mans fist was clenched. "You are supposed to be throwing these people out and instead you drinking on the job, AGAIN, and it's disturbing the elegant folks around them. I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you need to get your damn act together before I find someone who will!!!" The man started yelling and the people turned around and look at Remy and the man.

Remy was pissed now. "Ok, you want them outta here eh? I'm going to send them out for you." Remy gets up, cracks his neck and fingers, and begins to walk in the middle of the room where a few of the drunks were still carrying on. Remy grabs one by the back of the collar of their shirt and throws them off his chair. He grabs another one and throws him on top of the first. Then finally, Remy picked both of them up off the ground at the same time, walked to the door, and launched them out of the Mandrake. "There, yah happy now?" The rest of the drunks to head to the example and began to leave in a disorganized fashion, while the non-drunk higher social classes stayed and watched the pictures.
The man got red in the face and his heart was pacing a million miles a minute, but he knew better than to mess with Remy when he's drunk. In a low growl the man said "Sure am." The man walked away as Remy sat down, hunched over, and held his hands over his eyes.

[Wattz]

Felicia had to cover her mouth so her scream couldn’t be heard. Her eyes grew wide as she watched the blood drip from Sharon’s wounds. Why go to the trouble? Why harm herself in such a way? Hair fell to the ground in thick bunches, covering the floor with its thick dark strands. Blood droplets seemed to fly anywhere and everywhere, one even landing on the bottom of her cloak.

“What are you trying to prove?” Felicia asked quietly with a sob. She was overwhelmed by the sudden violent act, the need to run away strong. But she knew that would be just as futile. She could never survive on her own. Not now, anyways.

Should she do it?

A drop of blood fell to the floor. Felicia picked up one of the shards between her thumb and index finger.

It’s just hair, after all.

Felicia bunched the cloak up so the sharp edge wouldn’t cut her flesh. She poised it up against her own hair, frizzy but well-kempt, long but cherished.

It’s just hair.

Felicia closed her eyes and hacked through, strand by strand. Tears ran from her eyes as she did so, unsure of why she was so attached to the hair she took so much pride in. She continued to cut until she was practically bald, though it was terribly uneven with little bits and pieces sticking up at odd angles. She felt a sharp pain in her index finger on her final cut: the mirror had broken through the cloth and sliced her flesh. Felicia placed the wound near her mouth. She'd never tasted her own blood before. She wasn't even sure she'd ever gotten a scratch. Not that she could remember, anyways.

She had to take a deep breath before speaking with a wavering voice, “Are… are you happy now?”

[Jacogos]

Delta led the kid back to Thane, not quite sure what the older man was thinking at that moment. The kid seemed scared out of his mind; Delta could practically smell the piss running down the child's leg. He hoped that was just his mind conjuring stuff, and not what was really happening. Now was NOT the time to be cleaning up a mess. Nevertheless, Delta brought the potential recruit to Thane, who was studying the boy intently.

Thane was an old man, and could be considered intimidating. He wore the burn on the left side of his face proudly, a tribute to a more flamboyant past. He stood tall, as well, 6'3", though lessened by a slouch. Gray eyes studied the boy from behind grayer locks of unkempt hair. An ex-thief, Thane knew his stuff. What's more, he knew how to choose out the Eyes, Ears, and Mouths better than even Delta. Which is why this was easy for the older man.

"He's Eyes. Definitely. I can tell..." Thane smirked, crouching to look Jack in the eyes. "Yeah... He's got that look in his peepers. Come, son. Let me explain to you your job..."

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

About a half hour later, Delta watched as Thane sent the kid, who's name turned out to be Jack, out on his first errand. Without an Ear to pair him up with, Delta didn't think the boy would have a good first day, but that was up to the boy now. In any case, Delta had to get back to listening to the other runners' stories of the day. Hopefully, someone might have heard something about that fair maiden who happened to have a high price on her head...

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah gave Kain an intimidating look as Daniel pulled her upstairs earning her a cheeky wink. As the door closed behind them Lierah sighed and sat on the bed her full attention on Daniel.

“Seriously Lierah where did you find that guy?” he said perplexed, “Look… I need to get something off my chest, I do not like him, and I’m not comfortable with him living here, I mean…I know this is your house and I’m grateful truly, and if it were just me I’d stomach it, but it’s not just about me.” he sighed getting to the heart of the matter, “I don’t want him finding about you know who, and even if by some miracle he was willing to keep a secret, I don’t want her hanging around him.”

He patted her back amicably, “you’re a big girl and know how to handle yourself but, You Know Who, is…delicate she’s not used to people like Kain, and knowing him he’ll smell it out like a wolf smells fresh blood and try to take advantage of her. Now while I’m perfectly fine to live and let live when it comes to me, I will throw my weight around when it comes to her, first sleazy word out of his mouth in front of her and I will beat him to a pulp and throw his ass out on the street.” He stared tone serious, “So do what you gotta do, if you don’t have the stomach to throw him out I will, just keep in mind what I said okay?” He patted her shoulder again and grinned, “Good talk!” he said with a chuckle

"Sit down, shut up, and listen," Lierah sighed, "one don't you think I already thought about that. If so much as.....one moment."

Standing up Lierah crossed the room to the door and gave it a swift kick. A muffled moan of pain came from the other side earning a satisfied smile from Lierah. Sitting back down she smoothed out her dress and looked back at Daniel.

"Now where was I," she said, "oh yes. If so much as one lude word escapes his mouth in her presence or mine even, he will find himself in a word of pain. As for the matter of him knowing who she is. If he speaks as much as one syllable of her name to anyone outside of this house he will loose his tounge....Is that understood Kain?"

"Understood My Queen," came the scared yet still teasing reply, "your word is my law."

"Keep it up and that might mean your death too," Lierah snapped, "I told you not to call me names like that. It is Lierah."

[The Imposter]

Jack had now found himself in the employment of a Mister Delta and his partner Thane. He was told his role was simple, just observe the surroundings and then tell them what he saw, down to the minutest of details.

His main goal as given to him was to collect any info on the princess, but for today was directed to the Singing Mandrake to see what the higher artisans might know. Thane had told him that one Sir Port was quite a mysterious fellow who had a rather large share of secrets. As Jack appraoched the location chills began crawling up his spine: the creepy sign swinging on its rusty hinges, the creepy bouncer throwing people out of the Mandrake, and the creepy guys lying in a pile on the ground just outside the entrance.

He looked at the brute as the man turned and made his way back into the Mandrake. Jack stood with wide eyes trying to figure out a way to get inside. Clearly going in through the front was not going to be an option, especially with the Mandrake being an adult only locale. That is when his eyes began doing their job. On the side of the building one of the windows was open a crack. Jack's mind being still undeveloped never questioned the reason why especially with such a cold breeze outside. If he had he would perchance figure that it was to air out the room of its stench. Instead though he gallantly made his way to the window and hopped onto the small pile of snow beneath the sill. He peeked up over inside to see if it was clear which it appeared so. The ornate decorations for the rest room area seemed relatively unoccupied.

Jack's small child like frame pushed in anguish hoisting the window open, small grunts escaped his lips as he with all his might lifted. His body turned and squirmed as the window wrestled with him to open enough. In all manner of luck and chance he was able to open the window fully and found himself standing in the frame however he was facing out and not in. As his arms began to shake from the exertion and blast of cold breeze caught him in the face stealing what breath he had. In one swift moment the culmination of events resulted in young Jacques losing his footing and slipping. His chest cavity hitting the sill quite hard forcing out what little breath he had then the window fell. Jack closed his eyes bracing for the think wooden frame to smash through his spine and cripple him. Flashes of a fantastical life went through his mind.

The wood screeched against more wood as it came down and in some miracle stopped an inch away from his spine. Tears running down his face in the cold he sighed in relief, as he was spared from certain pain. As he laid for a moment to soak in the victory over certain doom the window descended the last inch trapping the intruder half inside and half outside.

If Jack had known of any curse words he would have let them out at that moment. Frustration, embarassment, rage, disappointment, and saddness flooded the juvenile as he struggled to get free his legs kicking and arms swinging. If anyone had seen the event the would have thought it quite humorous but Jack was too upset to try to find the fun in all this. What a terrible first day...

The ruckus would have alerted anyone in the bathroom and despite being outside the window he thought he could hear muffled talking. He tried to peer through the window but was unable to.

' Scuse moi....could you help me please? Please someone help me.'

The young boy pleaded to the inside of the Mandrake, if only someone would help him.

[kagomri]

“Are… are you happy now?”

Sharon didn't reply, but responded with a solemn smile. Looking into the mirror, both girls now seemed as if they had just barely survived last night's stormy boating trip. Felicia's hair was hacked so short one would question her gender. Except...her pursing lips and feminine figure easily gave her away. Sharon's hair was cropped to a short tangled brown bob. Both girls needed a shower.

"Holy crap, don't cry Felicia." she said, looking at her tear stained face. "It's only hair. If you cut it it'll keep you alive, worth the sacrifice, no?"

Being as she is, Sharon was never the shoulder to cry on for anyone simply because she never had any close friends and by nature, wasn't quite good with treating sentimental feelings. But now. Now, a pain killing feeling erupted deep inside her veins, leaving an emotional bruise she wasn't sure how to fix. Crying used to be out of the question, but now it was no longer something to neglect, but something worth considering. Perhaps it would heal the weak, impotent feeling bring forth satisfaction.

"Let's go." she said, something intelligibly sincere in her voice.

Taking her friend's hand in hers, they left the bathroom with shattered glass together.

[Kiall]

Co-Post by Detective Brownfeld and Blowfellow


There were a few gasps of surprise, and even a few cheers as the hooded figure with bright glowing eyes stepped out from the back, his cloak swirling around him looking less like clothe and more like living ink. His yellow eyes fell upon the two ladies coming out of the bathroom their hair short and frazzled from being cut, one of them caught his attention “Ah ha! These are our new employees yes?” he asked in his loud whisper to the bartender, who nodded, “Wonderful! How luscious! How scrumptious they look!” he said patting them both on the shoulder, “An interesting look,” he said running his gloved hand briefly through Felicia’s shortened hair, “Is it a new style? Perhaps? Come! Come my delicious looking friends! Sit partake of my finest vintage why don’t you!” he said motioning them towards a table near the back, and having them sit. He took a bottle from under his cloak and poured the three glasses of the dark red liquid, motioning them to taste before sipping his own.


Felicia still had a few tears to quietly shed, clinging to Sharon's hand for comfort. A solemn hiccup rested deep within her chest, but another part of her was strangely... satisfied. She felt completely different, but was also afraid that people were staring at her, judging her. Felicity kept her cloak wrapped tightly around her feminine figure, so as not to raise suspicion.

But already the two were bombarded by a yellow-eyed fool cloaked in shadowy linen. He was outgoing, almost painfully so, and Felicia shrunk behind Sharon in an attempt to stay away from his line of sight. Unfortunately, however, he managed to reach out and touch the top of her head. Felicia twitched out of his grasp, feeling suddenly protective of her well-being.

"Come my delicious looking friends! Sit partake of my finest vintage why don’t you!”

If she hadn't been so afraid of being recognized by her voice, she would have spoken up right then and there. Delicious? Who in their right mind should address another as delicious? Even so, the two sat down at his chosen table. Felicia eyed the red liquid with grateful suspicion. She was quite thirsty, especially after all those tears, but the man's glowing yellow eyes made her fearful.

At long last, Felicia raised a hand out to pick up the glass. She gave it a delicate sip, and the feeling of the wine coating throat was more than appreciated.


The hooded thing raised the glass again before setting it down, “Ah! A fine vintage, tis said to even help with nightmares and aid in restful sleeping! Hard for me to say…I don’t sleep!” he laughed a strange sound, “My manners…I have not introduced myself, I am Sir Port,” he said bowing slightly, “The owner of this fine establishment and supplier of its fine wines and beverages.” He looked at them both, “Who might you be my delicious friends?” he said looking at both, nodding as Sharon gave her name before looking at Felicia.


Panic set in as the mysterious Sir Port asked her to speak. Certainly Felicia was not a male name. But she couldn't stall, no, too suspicious. She dug in the back of her mind for a plausible name, then ended up spewing out her grandfather's name.

"F- Ferdinand..." Felicia kept her voice at a low mumble. She still wasn't quite sure how to sound like a boy, but at least the name should help some. She was, however, still hung up on what he'd just said... how he didn't sleep.

"You don't sleep?" Felicia still kept her voice at a mumble, and it appeared to be working, at least for now.


“Ferdinand!?” Sir port said taken aback though he recovered quickly, “I see…forgive me I sometimes have trouble differentiating genders, you are a fine strapping young man Ferdinand,” he said with a slight bow. “And no I do not sleep…much too busy! So many pleasures to enjoy! So much business to do! Yes! Yes!! Yessssssssss…” The creature took another sip of wine, “I have a talent you know…of knowing other peoples talents, tis a talent talent!” he chortled at his own joke before staring at Sharon, “You…you are an organizer I can see it in your eyes! You know how to delegate, how to find the people that can get things done. I could use someone like you!”

He turned to Felicia, “hmm I can sense raw potential within you…but it is so unfocused unused, like an unopened wine bottle or an unwrapped gift,” he peered closer at her face his eyes glowing, “what delectable secrets would I find? If I were to pluck them out?” He whispered before turning back, “My dear Ferdinand, I wish to speak to your friend in private, you can find your way home yes? And here a parting gift,” he said holding up a jar of honey, “A most delectable of treats but a spoonful can bring about the most delicious feelings of ecstasy, take it as a gift from your good friend Sir Port!”


Felicia recoiled further away from him, still unsettled by his demeanor. Truth be told she was grateful that Sir Port should ask her to step away, but then again she was reluctant to leave Sharon. But Sharon was tough, far tougher than the princess, and Felicia wasted no time in getting up from her chair, careful to keep the cloak close to her womanly figure. With that, she murmured a thank you and took the jar of honey with little thought, then whisked right out the door.

[kagomri]

Sharon frowned as Felicia left, but said nothing. She didn't want the princess far from her, especially far out in the open of the crowd. It could be dangerous, someone could....rip off her hood, or surprise her, causing her to scream and thus blowing up their identity--

Gritting her teeth, she focused back on her conversation with Sir Port. Felicia was totally capable of not screwing herself for at least a few minutes. There was nothing to worry about damn it. But still, Sharon remained dubious, no matter how she attempted to reassure herself.

Focus. Focus. Focus or die in this dreadful place with no food, no money, no nothing. No Felicia. No Lydia.
Daniel she didn't care much about. Well, maybe just a teeny bit for Felicia's sake.

Sir Port spoke with much conviction and a tad of keen interest. He poked her with a few questions, and she responded in a hushed tone, her answers curt, her face hovered mysteriously under a shade of darkness. She'd made the mistake of letting the light into her eyes a few seconds ago, right before he remarked his personal opinion of her potential. Then she ducked down and stayed low ever since.

Sharon reached out for her glass of fine vintage and brought it to her lips. It was a rich honey colored wine with bubbles of foam floating on its surface. Extremely exquisite and quite the cost. As she took a sip, she felt the tension eased from her shoulders.

"Well, what can I do for you Sir Port?" came a delicious, breezy sound from the base of her throat. One so rare found in Sharon.

[Kiall]

One of the cooks had gone outside taking his break to enjoy the fresh air when he saw a little kid stuck in the window. “Geeze how’d you get up there?” he asked grabbing the little boy by the shoulders and pulling hard yanking him out before placing him on the ground, “Be more careful next timeokay?” he admonished,noticing the boy’s raggedy clothes and shivering “Look…you wanna come inside for a bit? Maybe warm up? I’ll see if we got any scraps for you to eat in the kitchen,” he offered leading the boy inside.
___________

Sir Port calmly refilled their glasses before continuing. “I will soon be holding a revel in a few weeks, I have invited many nobles and well to do’s, tis important that we remember to have fun yes? Even though your old ceremonies may no longer be possible. As you can imagine such a revel requires a lot of things, the most exotic spirits!, delectable foods, performers and musicians to delight and astound us! I need someone with knack for organization, someone like you?” He asked before taking another sip of wine, “you will be payed quite handsomely of course, and perhaps…if you impress me enough, we can do business further? I am always in need of a sumptuous looking assistant with a good head for organization on her shoulders.”
_______________

Daniel rolled his eyes, good god he was not looking forward to living with that freak. Maybe if this whole fighting thing panned out he could get a house for them. “Well I’m gonna go spend my winnings Lierah, do me a favor a be discrete with what you tell him?” he said heading downstairs and walking out the door, to his surprise he saw Felicia and her hair was shorter. He ran up to her, “Look at you huh?! You finally did it I’m impressed!” he had underestimated Sharon he was amazed she was able to convince her. “Hmm we’ll need to buy you some clothes and things, but this is a big first step! And don’t worry it’ll grow back, and beside you still look good.”

[Wattz]

When Felicia saw Daniel, she put her head down shyly. With the hair gone, she felt more exposed. The snowy outside also sent a shiver down her spine. She was much, much colder than she had been before. Daniel seemed proud, almost excited to see the change. After all that pestering and after all her resistance, it must have been a relief to see her actually be compliant.

“Sharon made me do it. I hope it’s worth it…” she muttered partially to herself. “I called myself Ferdinand to some stranger, though. I… I panicked. Sharon’s in there talking to him. I think his name was Sir Port.” Felicia pointed towards the tavern she’d just exited.

Truth be told, she was worried about Sharon. Sir Port was more than a little sketchy. Sharon was tough, but this man was a complete stranger they knew nothing about. “I’m a little worried,” she admitted to Daniel as she shivered from the surrounding cold.

[kagomri]

It took its lovely time pondering about the offer. Sipping from the elegant glass cup, the hooded figure kept her head low, fingering its rough hands on the side designs.

An offer. An offer, an offer.

Finally, the hood moved up and down, as if nodding to say "Yes," or, more along the lines of "Not bad, I suppose, not all that bad."
"Sir Port," Came a muffled but distinct voice. It would not turn its head to acknowledge the man until he set the drink down and paused, his smile faded, until it knew he fully realized just how peculiar this person was, curious and just a little eager.

Now.
When it made sure no one was looking, it leaned in to Sir Port, the tip of the hood brush up his chin. Raising one hand, it uncovered her hood, dropping it back behind her neck.
Brown eyes stared up at him, so neutral it had to be an act, but somewhat so equally determined that it was truly honest.

"Call me Shanon."

[The Imposter]

The petit young Jacques managed to win favor and had secured some scraps from the kind cook. He had eagerly devoured them and gave thanks for the kindness of the stranger. His manners had gained him a treat but the cook had to go find it, such desserts were very rare in the last week and as the cook left Jack reasoned that this was the best time to venture out in a search for Sir Port. His goal this Sir Port was the owner of the Mandrake, and it didn't take long before Jack's eyes found the target. The robbed figure was speaking to another hooded individual. Jack watched the converstaion intently gathering every detail he could. The two hooded figures conversed and shared a drink, their boby languge giving off small clues to the young boy who continued to zone into the conversation. Despite being told to only watch he couldn't help but catching a few words.

'Revel'

'Performers Musicians'

'Organization'

'Further business'

'Hey kid! You're not allowed in here!'

The moment happened so quickly that Jack was delayed in processing it. His body was heaved off the ground and carried by the cook from earlier. Despite his effort Jack failed to see anymore of the two hooded figures as he was hauled back into the kitchen. Jack knew that if he had been able to stay even a second longer he would have witnessed something important, he could feel it in his bones. That some key fact had just escaped his gaze. The cook let Jack down and gave him a small wrapped package. Instructing him that it was something he made himself. After a cordial farewell Jack was released out into the streets to go back and report to Mister Thane and Mister Delta.

As he made his way back he passed the crazy watchmakers house and saw two standing close to the opened door. Neither of which were the watchmaker. Jack recongized quickly one as Daniel but the other only vaguely registered in his mind. He felt as though he should know who it was but couldn't recall a name.

Jacques found himself running towards Daniel and shouting.

'Mr.Daniel! Mr.Daniel! You're alive! I hadn't heard or seen anything so I wasn't sure if you were still alive.'

Realizing he had turned his back to the other he turned and looked up to see the stranger with the hacked hair. Jacques being one who always enjoyed his long hair couldn't help but wince slightly at the sight of the rough hack job that had been done to the stranger. Forcing a smile Jack bowed and introduced himself.

'I'm Jacques Decoeur adventurer extraordinare! Yoooou must be an escaped prisoner that Mr. Daniel is keeping under his watch....or someone that had been brutally attacked and Mr. Daniel saved you! Are you a girl or a boy? What's your name? I don't really recongize you, are you related to Mr. Daniel?'

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah sighed as Daniel rushed off leaving her alone in the house with Kain. standing up from the bed she exited the room and looked at Kain who was sitting in the hallway waiting patiently.

"My turn," he said with a goofy smile, "so what's going on between you and that Daniel character, and who is this mysterious "her" you two kept talking about?"

Lierah looked at Kain hesitantly. She hated to have to be the one to tell him. She had to do it though if he was going to stick around.

"What's going on between us is I'm letting him and his er...charge stay here too," Lierah explained, "and she's....I swear if you tell anyone or anything, even the wind, I will personally skin you alive and then cover you in salt. She is the Princess Felicia."

Kain's eye grew wide at the mention of the princesses name and his jaw dropped open. When his lips started to twist up into a wide Cheshire cat like grin Lierah got a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"No," he said eagerly, "that's not possible. This is too rich! Ah....don't worry my lips are sealed. I swear it. Oh this is exciting! Hiding fugitives not to mention the secrets and sneaking around. What an adventure already! Oh please let me help you! Come on don't leave me out! Please, please, please!!!!"

Lierah sighed and gave a hesitant nod. Kain lept up and wrapped his arms tightly around Lierah lifting her completely off the ground and twirling her about.

"Thank you thank you thank you," he said happily, "this is going to be so exciting!!!! I promise I won't disappoint you!"

Lierah twitched slightly in Kain's strong grasp and forced herself to smile. Jain instantly released her and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. This was going to be one hell of a ride.

[Kiall]

Daniel clapped Felicia on the back and smiled, “don’t worry okay? She can take care of herself, now we should probably get you some clothes,” he said when he was interrupted by the appearance of the boy Jack, “oh for..you don’t have to Mr. Daniel me anything Mr. Daniel was my father…well not really since his name wasn’t Daniel, and he was pretty informal as well come to think of it…the point is just call me Daniel or Dan,” he gestured at Felicia, “This is my cousin Ferdinand, he doesn’t talk on the account of being deaf, nasty case of Syphilis very sad, I told him to stay away from those doxies but he wouldn’t listen, I still love him though,” he said placing a hand on her shoulder before making some random gestures with his hands, “There! I just introduced you to him, anyways we were about to go to market and get some things..you can tag along or you can go into Lierah’s hous I’m sure she’d be happy to fix you up with some cookies and milk or something…” he said turning back and walking forward with Felicia, he leaned in and whispered, “I know you probably didn’t like that excuse, but it’s for the best, it’ll be a good excuse for you to avoid the ladies, and once we work on the man voice we can suddenly find a ‘cure’ or something,” before pulling back and winking with a smile.
__________________________

Sir Port clapped, “Wonderful!” before raising his glass, “A toast then! To new business ventures!” he said before sipping his wine. “Now then get some rest, we start early tomorrow meet me out here at around five? I’ll need someone to oversee the supplies of alcohol.” He reached into his robes and pulled out a box, “a gift for you! To commemorate our new business venture,” he said opening the box to reveal stockings with bright red swirls around it, the red was an unnatural yet oddly attractive shade and the swirls had a very hypnotic effect, “these are worn by the young ladies that work for me and is a sign of my favor,” he said his bright eyes looking at her, “it would please me if you wore them, take care when you do though..they are very attractive stockings.”

[Wattz]

Felicia almost betrayed Daniel’s repulsive excuse for Jacque’s nosy questions. She pursed her lips and folded her arms, keeping her back hunched downward. She never thought she’d ever feel such a lack of confidence. Usually her back was straight, wrapped in royalty and the usual expectations. Felicia turned away from Daniel even as he whispered to her an apology.

“I’m heading back,” she mumbled so Jacque couldn’t hear. Felicia would not wait for Lierah, or for anyone else to escort her. The urge to hole up and hide her hideous hair was overwhelming.

She trudged through the snow, back to the cottage, and slumped down angrily on the couch. Only now did she notice just how cold she’d been outside as the warmth of the inside mingled with her skin. Felicia sat on the couch for quite a long time, too numb to move, and absentmindedly running her fingers through the ugly tufts upon her head. She noted their different lengths and textures with her hands, day-dreaming that she could make her hair grow back if she willed it so.

[AliceMalice15]

When Felicia came back into the house Lierah, followed by Kain of course, went downstairs to see what was up. Seeing Felicia's hair Lierah's eyes went wide. Kain's reaction however trumped even that. His mouth dropped open and a gargled shriek emitted from his throat.

"Oh my GOD," he said incredulously, "what happened to your hair?! Did you have a baby cut it?! It looks horrible!"

"KAIN," Lierah shrieked, "that's a horrible thing to say! Besides it's not that ba-"

"ARE YOU FREAKING BLIND," Kain shrieked, "She looks like a dog with the mange!"

"Felicia don't listen to him," Lierah sighed knowing Felicia must hate the short cut, "he hasn't any idea what he's talking about. You look just fine. If you want I can make it a little more even. Then we can experiment a little and find a way that you think is cute. That way you don't have to hate it so much until your hair grows back."

Smiling comfortingly at Felicia, Lierah placed a warm hand on Felicia's shoulder. Kain's mouth still hung open now mostly at the fact that he'd just insulted a princess. Mumbling an excuse he left with the bag of prize money Lierah had one and left the building once outside he blushed in embarrassment and let out a large sigh. Heading off toward the market he began thinking of what he would get. He needed something to impress Lierah with and something to use as an apology gift for Felicia. Hopefully he'd have enough to get a mug of ale. Women were so difficult to impress sometimes.

[kagomri]

Sharon was suddenly tired after only two hours working at the Singing Mandrake. Perhaps it was due to the fact that it was a long day, maybe it was the unsettling grief stirring inside her, the grief building up to overwhelm her when she least expected it.

It was getting late. Sir Port would have been crazy to not excuse her from work for the rest of the night.

Nice man, but heck with Sir Port. I've never had an off day, not even with the Royals.

She carelessly slipped out of the noisy bar. Odd thing was that it was getting more crowded by the hour. An even odder fact was that no one seemed to be the least bit curious as to why a young employee would just slip out during her shift. Too fatigued to be discreet about her absence, she strolled aimlessly for a few minutes through the light snow, looking down at her shoes, at her hypnotic red and white socks. They were attractive indeed, but the style just did not fit to her liking. It was too fancy. But nevertheless, still nice warm socks, and that was all that mattered in this cold season.

"ARE YOU FREAKING BLIND," exclaimed an unfamiliar boy's voice.

Sharon yawned, and walked dead right passed him like a ghost, not even bothering to properly acknowledge that he was a guest at Leirah's. She didn't want to deal with another person, much less a stranger at the moment. It was the watch maker's daughter's place to stay after all, so she'll deal with it. "Shut up, just please, shut up." she mumbled, falling back clumsily into the nearest couch, the one furthest from the warm heath and closed her heavy eyelids.

[The Imposter]

Jack stood wide eyed looking at Daniel's cousin, his attention only swaying at the thought of getting food. His gaze moved back and fourth from Daniel and his cousin as they parted ways. Jack tried to decide on which to follow and finally settled for the meal in the crazy watchmaker's house. He arrived a few moments after everyone else.

His head peeked in past the door and he called out softly. 'Ummm...Ms. Lierah? Mr. Daniel said that you would be happy to fix me with something. Now I understand that my friends and I haven't always gotten along with you, but my friend Edmund says you aren't so bad. You even gave him a watch. It would be really kind of you to let me in, I won't even call you crazy anymore...'

Jacques hoped his plea wouldn't fall on deaf ears, it would be quite nice to have something to eat. He watched from just outside the door waiting for an invitation to come in. He was pretty sure it was the right thing to do. Thoughts of sugary treats began to flow into his head and make his mouth water. His patience being tried as he waited for an answer from the watchmaker.

[Wattz]

It took all of Felicia’s will to not burst out into tears at the stranger’s outburst. Another unfamiliar face, another day spent in the frozen badlands. Lierah’s words were comforting but difficult to grip onto, and as they bickered she took to folding her arms and keeping her head down in silence. Felicia nodded silently as the humble watchmaker offered to fix the damage. Better to look like a boy than a dog, as Kain had called her. Felicia kept her tears in her eyes and placed a head on Lierah’s shoulder.

She was grateful that Sharon was back safely, sighing in relief. Silence filled the room after Sharon’s last request until Felicia interrupted it with a feeble question.

“How was Sir Port?”

Much to Felicia’s distain, the little boy from before peaked his head into the house. She became guarded, knowing she’d have to keep up her boyish airs (if she had any) with outsiders around.

[Kiall]

Daniel watched Felicia leave and sighed, dammit he had done it again. He had hoped to spend a nice evening with her at the market but apparently she was more distraught then he thought, he really wasn’t cut out for this she was inexperienced and fragile and he could barely take care of himself. He shrugged and headed towards the market too distraught to see if Jack had followed him. At the very least he could get her some clothes, after all she need them.

__________________________________________________ ____________


I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life
Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives
I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin and fuck with the stars
You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars

This is our decision to live fast and die young
We've got the vision, now let's have some fun
Yeah, it's overwhelming but what else can we do
Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute?

Forget about our mothers and our friends
We were fated to pretend
To pretend
We were fated to pretend
To pretend


A shot rang out across the alleyway causing the woman to duck behind a nearby wall, even then she felt the bullet speed past her mere inches from her ear. Gripping her rapier (http://www.northstarzone.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/1SW-0118a.jpg) she glanced back Jet black eyes scanning the alleyway looking for her unseen attacker. Uncertain Chi Lan leaned outward to get a better look no sooner than she did another shot was fired, hot pain flared through her shoulder and she hissed moving back into her cover. She looked down at the wound, blood was gushing from her shoulder luckily it was almost impossible to tell due to her red cheongsam.

Moving quickly she headed towards a pile of boxes climbing up she head towards the roof. Her plan was to hopefully surprise Billy with an attack from above. Gripping the hilt of her sword Chi Lan raced across the cobblestone roof looking for her quarry, she turned a corner and froze she was now stand front of Billy pistol pointed directly at her, a small grin of satisfaction on his stubbly face. The shot rang out and time slowed down for Chi Lan she desperately moved her sword to block the bullet and felt it bounce off the steel blade. The next instant she was in front of him with on great swing she severed his head, the body tumbled backwards as the head rolled off into the street. Attempting to wipe the blood from her eyes with one hand she sheathed her sword and looked down at the headless body sorrow in her eyes, “rest easy my friend, I will join you soon” she whispered kneeling down and taking off the black ribbon pinned to his worn duster.
_______________________________________________

Smiling Daniel exited the store holding several men’s clothes which were baggy but should still fit her, he had tried to find as many in greens and purples as he could in hopes of easing the whole process for her, he had also bought her a box of these chocolate truffles, he had seen her eat some at the palace these probably weren’t as good as those but they might make a nice surprise. He smiled feeling much better when a head landed squarely on top of his pile of clothes….He screamed, “Wah! Ghaaaaaa! The eyes!” he tried tossing the head away and screamed incoherently trying to avoid its blank gaze, finally the head rolled off and Daniel continued to scream before running off.
____________________

Daniel shuddered and opened the door to Lierah’s house. “Oh you guys are back! Hey Jack…” he greeted heading inside towards the couch, he stopped when he noticed Sharon. “wow those are some…nice stockings,” he said looking at the strange vibrant red, he could feel himself getting lost in those hypnotic swirls, Shaking his head trying to clear it he hadn’t realized how pretty Sharon was until now, with her red hair and her lean body, he felt himself suddenly becoming self conscious. Struggling to focus back on Felicia he said, “I got you some clothes…they should fit you, I wasn't able to get your measurements before you left, I also got you these truffles,” he said offering them to her with a smile, “figured you could use a treat, they’re probably not as good as you’re used to though….”

[kagomri]

“How was Sir Port?”

Good. she wanted to reply, but what came out of her mouth was, "hhmmmood." A voice came from the front of the room, politely requesting for Leirah. She's not here right now. Stop talking. Just please stop talking. She hardly acknowledged that Daniel walked into the room, his silent shoes sweeping along the carpet. So when he commented on her stockings, his voice was suddenly so crisp and loud to her ears that she actually startled, flinching into an uncomfortable position, eyes flung open wide. "Jesus," she breathed, bringing two cold fingers to her neck to feel her rapid pulse.

Sharon could've gone back to sleep; for she was a tad too sluggish to give Daniel crap about waking people up. But instead, for some reason, she drifted out of the room, and suddenly finding herself in the dining room. On the table there was a piece of dry bread, and a large piece of butter. When did they have this? She wondered, sure that they were out of food. Too tired to shrug, she muttered something unintelligible, grabbed the bread and butter, and fell onto the couch again, one hand greasy and the other dry. Mindlessly, she ate then separately, and alternatively like a robot, staring at a drop of blood on Daniel's shirt.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah had been about to respond to Sharon's gloomy entrance when she heard a child's voice calling from the door. She recognized him. He had always been one of the few who had been intrigued with her watches, but found her too odd to come watch her make them. Smiling warmly at the child she waved him in and held up a finger to let him know to be quiet as possible. Sharon's mood had told her all she needed to know. She continued to gently run her fingers through Felicia's hair devising how she would cut it for a few moments before the door opened once again. When Daniel came in noisily she motioned for him to keep his voice down. Something didn't seem right with Sharon.

Guiding Jacques to the table she sat him down and gave him a glass of milk.

"Now I'll be right back to make you something ok," she whispered, "I just need to have a little talk with miss Sharon alright?"

Slipping around the table Lierah grabbed Sharon's hand and without letting her protest led her upstairs. Setting her down she looked at the girl. She looked quite worn out.

"Is everything alright Sharon," she asked quietly, "you look exhausted. Perhaps you should get some rest?"

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

Kain was still in the market searching when he'd spotted Daniel. Something about him made Kain feel like he needed to prove to not only Lierah but to himself that he was the better man for her. Could it be the boys status as a guard? Or perhaps his stature? No, that couldn't be it. He slouched and had funny hair. That couldn't be it. A beautiful woman like Lierah would never go for a child like him. Would she? No, she needed a knight! A knight in shining armor. Not this fool in tin foil. Kain straightened his back and puffed out his chest. He was more of a knight in shining armor than this boy. When a he heard Daniel give out a shout Kain lept into the cover of a nearby fruit cart. Who was he kidding! He was a coward. Crawling out from behind the cart Kain headed farther into the market.

A few hours later he came out with two splendid gowns for Lierah and a couple of different wig and hat choices for Felicia. Normally this stuff would cost a fortune, but that was only if you didn't know where to get it. Fortunately for Kain he knew exactly where to get it, and he still had gol to spare. Popping into a sweets store he bought a bag of truffles just in time to see Daniel leaving to head back to Lierah's hiding himself amoung the things he'd bought he went after Daniel studying to find why on earth Lierah would let Daniel into her house before she would let him in. He wasn't that magnificent.

When they reached the house Kain waited a few minutes or so after Daniel entered to make his own entrance. Opening the door he did not see Lierah anywhere. Instead there was only Felicia, Daniel, and some child who sat at the table. Feeling dejected he tossed what he had onto a chair next to the door and flopped dramatically onto the couch with a loud sigh. This wasn't working as he had planned.

[Wattz]

Felicia closed her eyes as Lierah ran her fingers through her hair. It was so comforting, to be waited on again. Or at least, it was sort of like being waited on. More like being cared for, she supposed. How long would it be before she had to start working at that filthy bar? Sharon didn’t seem too keen on answering her earlier question, so Felicia withheld yet another.

“Thank you…” she mumbled to Lierah, hoping it would make her come back.

But the calm would only last so long. Daniel came crashing in, holding a bundle in his hands. He spoke, but was definitely distracted, namely by Sharon. It was disconcerting, but Felicia accepted the clothing without a fuss. She opened the bag and saw all the greens and purples, and the cheaply made truffles, sighed, and placed it on the ground. Felicia was about to utter a thank you, when she too saw the drop of blood on his shirt.

The princess pointed to it: “Is that from the fight?”

[The Imposter]

The milk was quite warm as it made its way through the young boy. It had been so long since Jack had something so delicious. He shrugged as he put the glass back on the table. It wasn't long before Jack's eyes began to get heavy. He took another drink trying to stay awake but it seemed if anything to have no effect. He hadn't realized how tired he had become over the day and how sore he was from the whole window incident. Jack violently shook his head to try to fight off the sleep that was overtaking him.

Then in a moment it hit him. Panic flooded him quickly, he knew he shouldn't have trusted the crazy watch lady. She must have drugged the milk and her and the strange crew in her house would boil him and eat him to survive! Such childlike tendecies were still prevelant in young Jacques, that is to say to make some wild excuse for such a simple truth. Even before the conclusion could produce any sort of escape plan Jack's head hung loose as he fell asleep in the chair.

[Kiall]

Daniel looked down at the indicated droplet of blood, "Hm? oh this? oh no this from the..the head," he smiled sheepishly seeing her incomprehension, "that's...that's not important right now I'll tell you about it later."


________________________


http://8tracks.com/commodorecreazil/your-name-in-lights-at-mahogany-hall

http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqnrqvFBBQ1qilpowo1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId =AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1322211455&Signature=AYbpKYPfM6Y1Cu40mdgSmsbBXKs%3D


Four Days Later


Music and laughter echoed through the air as billows of thick red smoke rose higher, giving the room a strong though not unpleasant smell of spices, like a spicy cinnamon candy something to flare the nostrils and awaken the senses. This smoke came from several tables where flush faced men and women took deep drafts from hookah pipes laughing as the thick red smoke billowed from their mouths. Their was a general feeling of ease and joviality as people drank glasses of wine, tasted the sumptuous repast at various tables, or simply talked or dance their troubles away as the music played. Moving like a liquid shadow one hooded figure flowed through the crowd, occasionally stopping for a polite bow, or a firm handshake or greeting.

Sir Port was the perfect host, his eyes and ears attentive to the needs and wishes of his guest but never getting bogged down with one particular group. He stopped as he neared the band and they began playing. As the music played the hooded figure remained still except for his hand which had gripped a nearby chair, it was shaking and deep imprint could be seen in the wood. When the music finally stopped Sir Port looked around lurching as if heavily intoxicated. "*hic* oh Sharrrooooonn! *hic* sumptuous helper of mine! where are you? I must...*hic*...I must tell you what a wonderful..jo..job! you have done!*hic*" Sir Port hiccuped once more and began to dizzily make his way through the crowd again.

[Wattz]

Their dresses were beautiful.

Swirling laces of gold and silver trimming the finest of burgundies, of violets, of navy blues commanded the floor. Velvet and silk shimmered in the extravagant lighting, their swirling trimming only just kissing the tiled floor. The women daintily lifted gloves to their lips as they giggled politely to the men at their arms, knowing full well they had little to do but sit and look pretty.

Felicia was in a purple frock coat and trousers, her hands uncomfortably behind her back. At times her guard would drop, and her hands and stature became dainty, but she tried hard to refrain. She kept her gaze down at the floor as much as possible, if only to avoid the glorious dresses parading on display. At the very least, her hair had been cut into something more respectable, thanks to Lierah. Now she really did look the part of a young boy, though her feminine qualities lingered behind.

But she had no desire to make her way to the dance floor. Felicia stood out of the way, eyeing the dresses with longing and glaring at Sir Port’s drunkenly walk. She had to move out of the man’s way just as he came barreling along asking for Sharon.

[The Imposter]

For four days Jack had done his best to persuade his new friends to let him into the revel and for four days they refused his pleas, begging, groveling, whinning, and temper tantrums. Passing him from one to another until they got tired of watching over him. Well all of them except for Daniel's cousin, he would remain silent and Jack couldn't help but feel that the man got a sense of amusement from his over dramatic act of wails and ridiculous promises. Could the silent one see through the act? Jack wasn't able to figure it out.

The truth of the matter was after reporting the news to Thane, Jack was given a new task. Get into that revel and keep an eye on Sir Port. The premise seemed easy enough except the whole pow wow was solely an adult affair. Some of the Ears had heard that there were some kids helping out though, serving the chef or something. Jack now found himself once again on the outside looking it, literally. The hall looked fantastical from the outside and the music could be heard through the walls. Perhaps it was the fact that he wasn't allowed inside that made it all the more appealing. He made his way around the building and to his luck found an small open window leading to the basement.

Laying down against the snow was quite uncomfortable but Jack managed to push his feet through the window. They searched around sightless trying to feel out something to put his weight on. Finding a small crate he planted a foot on it and pushed the rest of his body through the window. As he came through however his foot slipped kicking the small box and falling with it unto the hard basement floor.

He muffled a sound of pain and bit his lip to hold back the tears. As he was struggling to remain composed he heard it something downstairs moving closer.

'Helloooo?'

That wasn't his voice, it was softer, more feminine. Like a girl's close to his age. He could hear the tremble in her voice as she got closer.

'Hellllloooo?! Anybody here? If you try something I'll scream! I'm a really good screamer. Th--the chef will hear me and come to see what happened.'

Jack turned his head to meet the approaching voice just as something slithered over his face. He swatted it away facing the creature hardly believing his eyes. Just like out of a story! The girl looked like any ordinary girl wearing a nice bonnet and white dress but from underneath the dress came tentacles instead of legs! Jack in his disbelief snapped at her.

'Get away from me you foul monster! I won't let you suck out my brains!!'

As the words came out he could see the expression on her face change from surprise to shock and then to saddness. Tears began to stream down her face as a sob escaped her lips.

'YOU MEANIE!! Calling me a monster!! You're heartless!!!'

She shrank away covering her face with hands and tentacles alike. Jack's mouth dropped. He had never in his life read about a monster like this. Perhaps he had spoke out of turn. Remorse filled his heart and made it heavy in his chest.

'Je m'excuse ma chérie....I've just never seen someone like you before. Please don't cry. I didn't mean it. My name is Jacques, let me help you up.'

'You really didn't mean it?'

She looked up and smiled at Jack. Jack helped her to stand on her tentacles before she asked him what he was doing down here.

'My name is Elizabeth but you can call my Lizzy. All my friends do Jacques. What are you doing here though? Did you sneak in through that window?!'

'Umm...well you see I'm on a special quest.'

'A quest?! Really? That is soo exciting! I've never been one a quest before.'

'Yeah would you like to help me? I need to get some place where I can see everything going on upstairs. Do you know of such a place?'

'Do I ever! I'll help you on your quest Jacques! Just promise to come visit me again sometime after tonight!'

Jack took out his hand and spat on it extending it to Lizzy. Who in reply did the same with a tentacle. Once they shook on it they made their way to the main floor. As they approached the door through Lizzy's look was that of deep in thought.

'Jacques....we need to get you past everyone without being seen....I know!'

As she finished speaking her tentacles began to stiffen and stretch out making her much taller. She lifted up her dress partially and motioned for him to get inside. The dress was plenty long enough and Jack obeyed although he felt rather uncomfortable with her tentacles rest on him. Now carrying her on his shoulders the two made their way out into the main hall. Lizzy whispering directions and warnings as Jacques walked not being able to see through the dress well. The sight was rather interesting as the two seemed to walk in the same manner as Sir Port was.

[AliceMalice15]

Daniel breathed deeply of the night air, looking up at the cathedral. There on the tallest tower, was where the next fighting tournament was supposed to take place. He had won quite a bit of money doing these and soon he’d be able to buy what he had his eye on, a new apartment located near the edge of the city borders. Lierah’s place was nice but it was getting too crowded he needed his own base of operations somewhere he could think. With one more sigh he walked inside.

It was surprisingly well lit and was not nearly as crowded as the other rings. Two combatants were on a small stadium and were trying to push each other off. He then turned and saw a man covered in bandages sitting on what looked like a throne. Was that the famous founder of the rings? He was currently staring intently at the two combatants how could he see when his face was bandaged like that?

Lierah stood in the ring her small figure clad in men's clothes, boys really considering her size, and a mask and cowl obscuring her identity. She knew it was not against the rules to be a female, but she didn't want to be recognized. What would Daniel, Sharon and the Princess think?! Daniel would never let her hear the end of it. Lierah was snapped out of her musings as her opponent, a skinny fellow who made her think of a rat, lunged at her trying to push her off balance. Nimbly dodging the attempt she gave him a swift kick to the back sending him sprawling through the air toward the edge of the ring. Unfortunately he managed to land just at the edge without falling off. Frowning Lierah stared her opponent down watching his every move. When he lunged again Lierah grabbed the back of his clothing and used his momentum to throw him off the edge. The man scrambled to catch the rings edge just catching it with his fingers and dangling precariously off the edge.

Lierah took her time walking to the edge of the ring where she crouched infront of her opponent. His rat like face glared up at her as he attempted to climb back into the ring. Sighing Lierah began to calmly pry the man's fingers from the ring. The man became frantic and his sweating hands started to do Lierah's job for her.

"You really should learn to fight better," she sighed to him, "the least you could have done was actually give me a challenge. Now look at you. You were clumsy and off balance the whole time and now you're dangling from the ring. Maybe next time, if there is one, you'll actually try to beat your opponent."

The man gave a cry as his fingers finally slipped from the ring and he began to fall. Reaching out Lierah caught his hand just as his hands fell out of the ring. She heard the small crowd cheer at her win and helped the man pull himself up. Dusting off her hands she turned to the assembled looking for another challenger. The more wins the more prize money. She had learned that quickly. No doubt the crowd would want her to fight again too. Heck they'd probably even volunteer someone.

Daniel's head tilted looking at the strange masked figure. He was damned quick and he seemed to know how to use his smaller size to his advantage. Taking a deep breath he stepped into the ring. “What’s with the get up?” he asked stretching, “I mean..you could trip over that cowl, just saying..” He cracked his neck widening his stance, he was much bigger than him he was confident he could take him as long as he didn’t get cocky, “good luck! May the best man win and all that.”

Lierah said nothing but inside she was *reeling. Daniel?! She was up against Daniel?! Lierah ducked farther into her cowl and crouched low in preparation for attack. She couldn't throw Daniel off?! She couldn't just leave either. She knew that wasn't an option, but the only other option was.....

Lierah shook her head and concerntrated on Daniel's movements. She had to treat this like any other fight. If she lost she lost. If Daniel lost....she'd have to be very careful. There was no way she could explain to everyone if she killed him. They'd hate her. She'd never be trusted again. What could she do?!

Daniel circled him slowly. He wasn’t particularly worried about what would happen if he fell. He had seen people pop back up from fatal wounds after only a few minutes of resting. Death seemed to have become a thing of the past and the city was becoming a hell of a lot more violent as a result. Hmm this guy was a small fella, he should use his weight against him. He bolted going low and grabbing the man by the waist and began to push him using his superior weight and height to keep him off balance.

Lierah was caught off guard by Daniel's sudden straight forward attack. It wasn't very original, but it seemed to be doing the trick for him. Grabbing hold of Daniel's shoulders Lierah flipped over his back landing just behind him and striking out with a vicious kick to his behind. Back flipping a couple of times to distance herself a little bit Lierah crouched ready to duck the next attack. Especially if he went with one similarly focused on height and weight. She wasn't going to let him win that easily. Not by a long shot.

Daniel made a surprised noise as the guy flipped over his back and kicking him from behind causing him to stubble. What the hell? Who was this guy? Daniel frowned watching the man back flip away, damn he’d have to work smart. Hmm the guy had positioned himself so he was behind the edge of the ring, he could win if he played smart. He had crouched low so he would duck out of the way. Daniel thought for a moment then grinned, he took off one of his boots and threw it hard at the man, ha ain’t no rules in this ring! He ducked and Daniel was there grabbing the guy by the scruff of the neck and hurling him towards the edge. The man teetered near it and he smiled and charged going to bull rush him into falling.

Lierah was a bit surprised when the boot came flying at her and quickly ducked out of the way. When Daniel was suddenly there throwing her back she had no way to defend against him throwing her back. Ending up near the edge she saw him coming just in time to move out of the way, dodge rolling beneath his legs. If he wasn't careful he would probably trip over her. She knew she'd have to play dirty now. He wasn't going to be as easy to fight as the others before him. Rolling into a standing position she waited for Daniel to come at her once more. This time she had a plan. Backing toward the edge she watched for him to begin his next attack. She knew one thing he'd never suspect.

Daniel smiled looking at him. He had this guy on the ropes now! Just one more trick and he’d go hurtling over the edge and he’d be the victor. He moved quick grabbing his shoulders and pushing hard, he was teetering over the edge and Daniel leaned back to give him one good shove to send him over.

Lierah allowed Daniel to push her closer to the edge knowing that he'd come rushing at her to finish her off. Grabbing his hand as he prepared to push her once more off the edge she ripped off her cowl and stared him in the eyes.

"Daniel," she said breathlessly.

Leaning in she placed her lips close to his. She could feel him standing very still and the pulse in his arm was racing. Taking the opportunity she whirled him around off the edge of the ring. Without realizing it however she had let go. Gasping she reached to attempt to grab him as he began to fall plummeting toward the ground.

"Daniel," she screamed in terror, "No!!!!"

[Jacogos]

The ball had been progressing throughout the night and Felicia had only just picked up her designated serving tray. Before she thought she could continue looking important in the corner, like a boy always at the ready to hand out some information. But she’d been caught in all her unhelpful glory, and was now struggling terribly with the silver platter, walking around with red wine sloshing in crystal cups.

On and on, she’d listen to people nagging her about her incompetence, to which she firmly replied with… well, nothing, really. Felicia was forced to bite her tongue, no matter how much she wished to lash out.

Felicia had just set her platter down for the umpteenth time. She rubbed her arm, sore from holding the damned thing up in her self-impressive fifteen-minute incriminates, if even that. Her left cuff was stained with the wine that she’d spilt, so much that it looked as if she’d killed a man. She picked up one of the wine bottles and proceeded to fill them up, but her hands shook so much from exhaustion that she had to put the thing down and wipe her hands messily on her black apron.

All the while, she kept glancing about with paranoia, worried that people could see through her masquerade, that they could smell the insecurity radiating forth. From time to time she could hear news about the tournament, about how the poor saps dropped like flies from the massive tower, and sometimes she’d hear gossip about the reigning snow storm, and of the death of the royal family.

Meanwhile, a man was entering the party, though very few noticed him at all. Like a shadow in the night, Delta creeped about the party without ever garnering more than one or two pairs of eyes at any given time. He could practically smell the wealth emanating off of the guests, a few of which of which had already lost a fortune to his greedy fingers. As such, he breathed in heavily with Jewish lust, which cause one woman to look down her nose in contempt at him. It was too bad for her that she just lost her diary, which outlined the combination to her safe back at home. Delta snickered slightly as he perused a few of the more juicy comments, then snapped the book shut and pocketed it.

The thief had been busy as of late, what with all the information he had to sort through since arriving. He had rarely gotten out of his quarters, and the only reason he was out now was to give himself a much needed break from business, in lieu of more... personal matters. As such, Delta had learned of the party through his Eyes and Ears, and he wasn't about to pass up the perfect opportunity to snitch what he could from every able-bodied noble in this shin-dig.

After he filled most of his pockets, he had to wait for his contact, who would be meeting him at the entrance at their preordained time to cart off what Delta had gotten so far. Then he would repeat, and hopefully by then he would have gotten everything of significant value. If not, well, he would be trapped in this God forsaken city a while anyway. For now, Delta let himself peruse the people for his next targets. What caught his eye was a certain boy who was, rather entertainingly he might add, failing at being a serving boy. He smirked slightly, then wondered what it was that struck him as odd about the child.

Felicia finally picked the platter back up, wine glasses filled at long last. Her arm ached, though, so she had to hold it improperly in both hands. It was easier, but she didn't have the free hand that she was required to have. Oh well. Better this than more spilled wine.

Just as she turned around, she stopped. She'd just about run into one of the patrons, a shadowy man covered in a dark cloak. For a brief moment, he reminded her of the mysterious Sir Port, though this man was infinitely calmer. She could only just see the smirk beneath his hood, and found that her heart had skipped with a moment of fear.

"Evening sir." She'd just about perfected the young boy voice from trying to copy the way Gio had spoken. Her voice cracked ever slightly, from her nerves, though, making her sound like an individual fresh into puberty. "Care for some wine?"

That was protocol, she'd been told. Don't talk to the patrons unless you found yourself accidentally face to face with one, and immediately offer them a glass. Felicia raised the tray up hopefully, because once he took one she could go about her way and stay silent again.

Delta caught the crack and, like any unsuspecting man would, took it as the crack of puberty. The boy seemed to be about that age, but honestly, it was hard to put a definite age on him. He could be short or tall for his age, depending one which Delta gave him. He eventually settled for around 16, maybe 15. He was remarkably clean-shaven, to boot. It made Delta wonder if this world that Mr. Dreams had made prevented somethings from happening in the human body. Were they aging in this world? Who knew.

Delta realized suddenly that he had been staring off into space, somewhere around the boy's left ear. In any case, he straightened and accepted a glass. "Thank you, my boy. And relax, its a party. No one's gonna bite you here, unless you look to hard down one of those pretty lady's blouses." He chuckled slightly, then patted the boy on the back, sending him along. My, what a frail thing that child was... He watched as the boy retreated. Hell, put a bit of length on his hair and Delta would be sure you could barely tell if he was a boy or a-

He paused for a moment. Scrutinizing what he had seen before, and what he might have taken for puberty's grasp on the boy's vocal chords, was he even sure now? Delta sipped from his glass once, swallowing what could barely pass for a mouthful, then set the glass down and retreated into the shadows. He would watch this one closely...

Felicia thought her stomach would fall out. She couldn't even get herself to respond back to the man, except with awkward smiles and nods. People weren't much for directly interacting with her unless it were to scold. Was she even allowed to make small talk?

Thankfully, he sent her on her way, and she gratefully obliged without so much as a 'good day, sir'. Not to mention, he seemed fooled. Felicia took this in great stride. Perhaps she really was getting the hang of being a boy.

It wasn't long before a throng of party-goers relieved her of the rest of her wine glasses. In her strange burst of confidence, Felicia felt quite fueled to replace them. She made her way to the corner, where extra glasses resided, and proceeded to fill them and place them on the platter.

Delta tailed the child for a few minutes, waiting for his chance to... What? What could he do to prove that this boy might not be a boy? He paused where he was again. Why was he even trying to prove this anyway? Who was he to question this girl, if that was what the child was, and her want to look like a boy? He pondered a moment, until a realization hit him. What girl would WANT to look like a boy? There was one girl the whole town was looking for... and what better way to hide but in plain sight...?

Delta's eyes narrowed as he saw the boy-girl child move to refill his/her glasses. No one seemed to be paying him/her any mind, so he maneuvered his way closer. He had a feeling that he had just found the Princess... but there was a chance he could be horribly wrong... If anything, Delta was thorough. He had to make sure...

"They're all too busy with their idle chit-chat, aren't they?" He said casually. He was leaning against the wall now, looking out over the crowd. He looked aside slightly to make sure he had caught the child's attention, then returned his gaze. "Too busy to realize a rat under their noses." He smirked slightly. There. He had an idea. Make him/her think that he knew his/her secret, and he/she might spill in an effort to convince him not to tell. Delta laughed silently. "They don't know a thing. But I do." He casually looked over at the child, fixing him/her in his gaze.

Felicia jumped when she heard the man's voice again, spilling crimson on the tablecloth. Why had he come all the way over here just to speak to her? And what... what could he possibly mean by that?

"I... beg your pardon... sir?" Her mind kept shouting at her, telling her to run. She should have just said she was busy and went about her way, but the curiosity was too strong, and she was frozen to the spot. "I'm sure there aren't any rats around. Sir Port keeps the place in tip-top shape."

He chuckled again. "Oh you're a sly one. But I'm on to you, boy." He gave Felicia a leveled look as he emphasized 'boy'. He dropped his voice to a whisper and gestured around the establishment. "They are all completely oblivious... but I... I know your secret." He almost hissed the last word, letting it sink in, trying to get the most out of his bluff. He had to scare him/her if he/she was going to talk. That was assuming he/she had something to talk about.

"I-" Felicia couldn't speak. She sputtered around a bit for some words, but her hands were shaking violently by this point. Impossible. He couldn't... he couldn't possibly know. Her breath caught in her throat, her hands became clammy. Felicia picked up the tray, only partially filled again. The sweat on her hands caused her to lose her grip, and the entire thing fell to the ground with a massive clatter.

"I... I have to go-" The chatter around them stopped. All eyes were on the two. Felicia turned on her heel and trotted away, trying to maintain some composure, but then breaking out into a run the moment she reached the nearest exit.

How?! She berated herself as she stumbled through the snow. Her adrenaline was so high she couldn't even tell she was cold. How could he possibly know who she was? Who could she go to now? Sharon? No, Sharon was still inside, acting the part of a servant. Daniel was the only other one she could think of. Yes, Daniel, of course! Where did he say he'd gone to? The tournament, yes! She made a dash for the tower, though she wasn't quite sure where it could be.

Delta watched the girl, for he was almost 100% certain that what she was now, leave in haste. Looking around at the people gathered, he shook his head. "Hooligans think that they can sneak into these parties... THAT one won't show up again for a while." He smiled and waited for the people to return to their conversations. Only a few spared him a second glance, as most forgot the incident within the span of a few minutes.

With that, he made to follow the girl, certain he could seal the deal on his suspicions if he just caught her saying those few choice words...

[Kiall]

He was sitting up on a grassy hill looking up at a beautiful night time sky. Daniel smiled as a star fell, though it soon to became clear it was falling towards him. His eyes widened as the bright silhouette of the girl from the cliff appeared. Bright pinpoints for eyes looked down at him and she exclaimed “Stars! remember stars! Above! Below! Before the coldest hunting ground then called! Seduced! Ensnared! A symbiote afloat our ever hungry home! nestled nested now in cedars cast down the benighted! I will be their dragon, soar and slaughter scratch in blood the memory of stars!”


____________________

“Hmm, looks like our young thief has discovered a princess on his travels,” The hooded figure of Sir Port muttered, his glowing eyes following them both as they left, his earlier drunken behavior quite forgotten. “Though this one seems to lack the heart of gold typical in most fairy tale thieves, in fact I rather suspect he would have sold it if he had it,” he said chuckling at his joke. Ah! Such a delectable bit of drama the man had added to the festivities!

Not to mention the bits he had already added from his thefts of his dear guests possessions! Ah well! What was a party if you did not lose a few things yes? His eyes then glanced at the girl with the tentacles, “ho there! Little Downsider girl! When you are done smuggling boyfriends into my party grab a tray of glasses! I seem to be missing a hostess!” He then turned his head up and laughed, the noise sounding like a dying horse coming from the depths of hell, the strangeness making several of the patrons around him visibly shudder.


______________________

The bandaged man slowly clapped, seeing the girl toss the man out. He then whispered to one of the people beside him who spoke. “In light of your victory Lierah, we are pleased to offer you an invitation to our secret society.” He then pinned a black ribbon to her chest just above her heart, and whispered directions on where to go.

__________________

Daniel woke cold, covered in snow with no idea where he was. Ugh, damn he hurt all over, wait why couldn’t he move? He looked down noticing a black ribbon attached to his clothes and some woman staring at him. “Foxstack docks in three days!” “wha-“ “Three days!” she interrupted, “be there!” and ran off. He laid there for awhile unable to move, he gasped as a loud snap resounded as his spine snapped back in the place and he got control of his limbs. He groaned, why were women always yelling at him? He thought sitting up looking around bleary eyed. Either they were yelling at him, or being weird, or throwing him off of buildings…

That’s right! He growled remembering what Lierah did. How could she!? That fucking..what the hell? He was going to wring her skinny little neck! He got up stumbling to his feet and started heading away. He recognized Felicia running his way, Prin!..” he stopped himself just in time, “Ferdinand!” He called out waving this way, “what’s going on? Why are you running? Are you okay?” he called out his mind no longer thinking about his own problems switching now into guard mode.

[Wattz]

The trek had taken some time, even at her pathetic half-run. She’d gotten lost, taking a wrfong turn, but eventually saw the tower and a familiar figure slowly standing up. Felicia couldn’t believe her luck that Daniel was already there. He was covered in snow and looked discombobulated, but Felicia was in no mood to be compassionate.

“Sir D-Daniel, help me, p-please,” she stuttered, her lips numb from the cold and the shock. She’d even forgotten her boy voice, and was clinging to the knight's arm like a security blanket. “He knows! I don’t know how, but he knows! I can’t stay here, I can’t!”

She turned around to make sure the man wasn’t there, though she had no way of seeing through the cold mist that had settled on the grounds. Felicia was near to tears, just barely suspended in her purple eyes. Her wine-soaked sleeve only added to her dropping temperature, and she shook fiercely to combat it.

[kagomri]

"*hic* oh Shannnonnn! *hic* sumptuous helper of mine! where are you? I must...*hic*...I must tell you what a wonderful..jo..job! you have done!*hic*" Sir Port hiccuped once more and began to dizzily make his way through the crowd again.

Sharon immediately dusted her apron in somewhat of an attempt, or more out of habit, intended to make her way to Sir Port. It was what she did every time one of the Royals would call her to their assistance. To her dismay, a dark red splotch starred back up at her, a stain from who knows what. Sighing, she set down the golden tray of exquisite wine in the corner, a less crowded place. Sir Port had the finest decorations and beverages in possession, and his wallet seems to only grow bigger with every new incomer.

Before she could straighten herself out, Sir Port threw a hand to the side, pushing back Felicia, whom Sharon had completely forgotten during the past hour. It had gotten so busy that she strongly buried her grief into her work, as she always does. Anything to keep her hands or body moving was something to get her mind off of the fact that---

"Ah, my apologies Sir Port. Is there anything I can do for you?" she said, a little more in an unintentional demanding fashion. Sharon smiled, hoping it would somehow compensate.

[Kiall]

Sir Port looked back at her, “Ah Shannon! My delectable little treat!” He cried placing his hands on her shoulder. “My compliments to you for a wonderful revel! You have a true gift for this!” He grabbed a passing goblet of wine drinking it down before continuing. “Now I was wondering if you would like a permanent position as my assistant? I could use someone with your organization skills! The fact that such a keen mind is wrapped in such a delicious young body is a rare treasure indeed!”
______________

Daniel frowned gripping her shoulders. “Okay just..calm down Princess! I’ll think of something,” he said softly. Damn! Someone found out, but who? How much did they know? It couldn’t be much… He then noticed her shivering, “You’re freezing!” he said pulling her against him and rubbing her arm, trying to restart her circulation. Taking of his coat he draped it around her shoulders and lead her to one of the old empty buildings.

They were close to the historical ring so most of the houses had been abandoned. He scraped off their footprints and then kicked in the door leading her into the darkened building. He closed the door, before having her sit down on one of the chairs.

Ransacking the house he found a blanket and handed it to her before looking out the window, trying to keep himself from being seen. “We’ll hunker down here for awhile see who pops up,” he whispered looking back at her, “when I think it’s clear we’ll head back home, no one knows where you’re staying right? So we’ll be fine! Just…just try to keep warm okay princess?”

[Jacogos]

After following the girl for a few minutes, Delta realized that the girl was lost. To make things more interesting, though, the snow wasn't letting up, and Delta felt himself grow cold. Swearing silently, he tried to think of a way to keep himself able to follow this girl without having to go back to his quarters for a thicker coat. Then, an idea struck him.

Searching his extensive amount of pockets, Delta pulled out something he had bought from one of those weird shopkeeper spirit things near the beginning of his horrid life here: a pure white cloak that could easily drape over his usual brown one. He wrapped himself in this new cloak and buttoned it tight, then pulled the hood up, effectively making him a figure of unblemished white. Moving after the girl again, Delta smirked at his foresight. He had known this cloak would come in handy if he wanted to sneak through the snow, but he had had no idea when he'd have to do that.

With the snow as blistering as it was, it was hard enough to see more than a few hundred feet. With his cloak on, it would be near impossible to pick Delta out unless he was within a stone's toss. And so, Delta tailed the girl. It wasn't that much longer before she found someone else, and James hunkered down within hearing range, which would be uncomfortably close for James in any normal situation.

"Prin-! Ferdinand!" the other figure yelled upon seeing the girl. Delta's ears almost twitched. No way... There was no way he was having this good of luck today. It wasn't much longer before the man, whom James pegged as her guardian, said more, “Okay just..calm down Princess!"

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Delta almost hollered. Keeping himself quiet, he waited until the two moved away into the snowstorm, and then he started laughing.

"Heh... Hehehe... Aha! AAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!" He laughed harder than he ever had before. He had found her! The Princess! He could almost shout, he had never felt such accomplishment! Turning in the snow, he sprinted off towards where he knew Cinder Hall was. Once there, he had work to do...

So VERY much work to do... Hahaha!

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah stumbled from the tower her tear reddened eyes expecting to find Daniel's crumpled body on the ground. When she found no body she was quite confused. Who would drag away a dead body? She looked around her confusion only mounting when she discovered a slight impression of a body.

"Heh... Hehehe... Aha! AAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!"

The laugh caught Lierah off guard and she watched as it's owner ran off in the opposite direction. What was he laughing at? Did he know where Daniel was? Could he have taken him? Lierah's fluttered fearfully lept at the thought. There was no way she could figure everything out on her own. She had no experience with security or being a soldier. She needed his experience to keep Felicia safe. Not mention she didn't quite mind his company. He was a bit more sensible than Kain. Glaring at the retreating man she ran after him.

"Hey," she called, "You! Wait!"

Grabbing onto the man's cloak she stopped him.

"Wait....please," she gasped, "Have you....Did you.......There was a boy....Do you know where he is?"

[Wattz]

Felicia was grateful to be out of the snow, but the house was still freezing inside. She was covered in both Daniel’s jacket and the blanket, but the cold continued to seep in and make her shiver. If only, if only the snow would melt, even a little.

“He said he knew my secret. He said he was… on to me,” Felicia managed to say between sobs. “I’d never seen him before…”

She tried to remember his face, but it had been shrouded by a hood. He was out there, she could feel it in her bones. If either of them stepped outside, if either of them dared to go home, she was absolutely certain that they’d both be caught. If a complete stranger could find out her real identity, then who else could possibly know? Was it possible that…

“…Do you think someone with us could have told him?”

[Jacogos]

James was mid-run when he was stopped in his tracks by something catching his cloak. He turned slightly and saw that it was... another woman, a pretty one at that, though for some reason she was dressed in male clothing. Were all the women deciding that they needed to be disguised nowadays? Chuckling inwardly at that, Delta faced the girl and looked over to where the man and Princess had been.

"If you mean the fellow who was hanging out in the snow over there..." His voice sounded rough, as he was disguising it out of habit after his realization. Paranoia was gripping him as he suddenly paused and wondered why this girl was asking after the guy who was with the Princess... Delta stared at the girl from under his hood, emerald eyes burrowing into hers. Either she was looking for the Princess as well... or she was with them, a partner. Delta's 'six sense' told him that it was most likely the latter... Otherwise, she would be asking after the girl... right?

In a flash, Delta's dagger (http://mimg.ugo.com/201004/41814/cuts/shadlogoth-dagger_480x360.jpg) was at her throat. "What do you know about the man and the girl he's with...? Tell me what you know or thing will get mighty painful... We can't die here, but that doesn't mean pain is nothing as well..." He smirked slightly, his teeth apparent from the blackness of the hood. Poised for an attempt to reciprocate, Delta was also widening his stance. That tower was the home of the fighting rings, and if this girl was hanging out near there in boy clothes, there was a faint chance she knew how to fight... Paranoid as he was, he wasn't about to take any chances.

[AliceMalice15]

"If you mean the fellow who was hanging out in the snow over there..."

The voice came out rough, like a sack of rocks being thrown about. Immediately Lierah became suspicious. That wasn't his true voice. False. Covered up. A secret. Staring back at the emerald eyes that bore into her bright silver ones she saw a calculation whirring behind the green facade of ignorance. Before she could withdraw from the man's vicinity she found a curved blade at her throat with the intention of making things very uncomfortable.

"What do you know about the man and the girl he's with...? Tell me what you know or thing will get mighty painful... We can't die here, but that doesn't mean pain is nothing as well..."

Lierah, pulling out her own weapon, a jet black dirk with a well made hilt, dug the much longer blade into the area just above her offenders groin. Glaring back at him she gave him a moment to analyze his position.

"Now realize," she said in a low threatening whisper, "your threat means nothing to me. First off, my body was designed to deal with such pains as childbirth. Pain is of no great consequence to me. Second, my blade is much longer and would reach your most sensitive areas a whole lot quicker. Third, you must understand that I am a watch maker and my watches are made with mercury and acid. Now if mercury enters your system it will make its way to your brain and eat it away to nothing, while the acid will burn you from the inside until you feel as though you are being boiled alive. Consider yourself lucky I have yet to run you through with my dirk as I have coated it with both."

Staring continuously into the man's eyes she awaited his reply or perhaps for him to relinquish his blade. She hoped for the latter, but the man seemed a smidgen too intelligent for that. She had a feeling he wanted that information more than anything else right now.

[Setsa]

"ho there! Little Downsider girl! When you are done smuggling boyfriends into my party grab a tray of glasses! I seem to be missing a hostess!” He then turned his head up and laughed, the noise sounding like a dying horse coming from the depths of hell, the strangeness making several of the patrons around him visibly shudder.

This was the cue for Trinity to make her presence known to those that had no clue she was even there. Ofcourse, if no one knew she was alway near Sir Port...then she was doing her job. When her employer brought attention to the girl and whoever was under her dress...it only took one single nod from him to know what to do. Walking silently and fast she in one swoop, bent down... grab the boy under the dress while making sure the girl landed on her feet. Then tossed the boy over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes while pointing to where the girl should go...back to where we came from.

Things happened so quickly for Jack, first the words from Sir Port sank into his throat with almost a stale taste. He didn't understand how he could have known what was going on. Secondly he found himself being pulled out from under Lizzy and tossed over someone's shoulder. Shock was on both his and Lizzy's face at what was happening. She called out in a desperate shrill voice as Jack was being carried away.

'You remember what you promised me Jacques!!'

The boy nodded weakly suddenly feeling sick as he was carried out of the revel. The next thing he recalled was catching a look at the person who was carrying him. 'Lieutenant Trin Trin?!' He said the words without realizing she probably had never heard that name before. Most of the boys that Jack use to play with all had crushes on the young city guard always saying she was the most heroic of all the guard.

Jack hit the snowy ground outside with a thud and looked up at her. His eyes still showing signs of fear and weakness. His mouth quivered and he spoke up.

'H-he-hey...Why are you working for the creepy Sir Port Lieutenant? He just oozes the nastiness. Tu-comprendes non?'

Trinity couldn't help but smile hearing Jack refer to her as "Trin Trin".... It's certainly was nice to still be known as Lieutenant..and to hear herself being called anything besides "bitch, the personal guard, Sir Port's personal woman..." etc. She had taken the boy down a street aways so she could talk to him; his family resting in peace.. Was great, and she knew he was a good young lad too so seeing him in that place hiding under a skirt? That certainally wasn't what his father taught him to do at all. Kneeling down into the snow, the woman's green eyes looking level into his as if inviting Jack to get lost in hers and tell Trinity everything that was weighing on his mind.

"Jacques... what you did; trying to sneak into the Mandrake un-noticed. Is something I know your late father would have highly disapproved of... Tell me, what drove you to do it? It's a dangerous place in there and certainly not a place for such a kind, strong, growing young lad that has so much potential for good."

"Well...you see, um. I need to find out exactly what Sir Port is up to....he is definitely hiding something....oooohhh"

Trinity's gaze had begun to lure Jack into spilling everything if it hadn't been for the sudden sick feeling that took over. Ever since Sir Port spoke of him he felt something gross inside. He lurched over and fell to his knees gagging. The sobs started and quickly grew to a cry then a groan and finally a shrill scream. In the process Jack had vomited something up....something moving.

The creature quickly moved away from the screaming child and began to grow until it was a little larger than Jack itself. Its large eyes were as black as coal and looked lifeless. Its form was that of a frog and Jack couldn't help but scream out 'From my dream, from my dream' over and over again until his fear caused him to pass out. Slowly the creature moved closer to the motionless boy its intentions as corrupt as its existence.

Trinity had seen things like this before when Sir Port decides to leave a more lasting impression on those who trespass or displease him. Though she had hoped Jack wouldn't have been exposed to such.. Picking up the lad and tossing him gently over her shoulder again... Her fingers worked open a small pouch; taking a good pinch of blue dust that sparkled in the starlight... One of her many things she kept nearby when working for Sir Port that he had given to her at the beginning. "Begone back to the darkness and never bother this boy again!" Tossing the dust onto the dark frog it gave a single croak and disappeared from sight.

Seeing her replacement as Port's protection for the next 12 hours, the two exchanged a nod from a distance before he went inside the Mandrake. "Let's get you home hmmm?" Trinity wanted to make sure he would be alright... making their way to where his family once resided she would hear his mumbles about the watchmaker. Maybe she would know where he lived now or any information that would help. Changing directions, the woman walked through the snow to a place she'd visit every now and then to have her own watch repaired and have some tea. Knocking on the door a few times she heard no one comming to the door "Lierah? Are you there?" Needing to warm the lad up she stepped inside and turned a lamp on just so there would be no surprises. Laying Jack down infront of the fireplace she added several more logs to get it roaring again. Covering him up with a blanket she found on the back of a chair she sat down and waited... keeping vigilent watch.

[A Setsa and Imposter co-op ]

[AliceMalice15]

Kain's head popped out of Lierah's sheets sleepily. He had been working non-stop doing anything and everything Lierah bade him do. He knew she only did it to keep him busy, but he knew he couldn't break the promise he'd made. Looking around groggily he tried to discern what had woken him. Knocking. Someone was knocking at the door. Lierah! Kain ran about the room removing all traces of his presence. He would hate to get on Lierah's bad side...or father on it than he was.

"Lierah? Are you there?"

The voice was feminine, but definitely not Lierah's, Or Sharon's for that matter. He doubted it was Felicia's because she seemed like she wouldn't speak with so much authority. She was so quiet. Frowning he tried to think of who it could be. When he heard the door creak open he crouched down defensively. This person was an intruder. What should he do? How was Lierah going to know that they were here? She had told him to make sure that Felicia wasn't discovered. Gathering his wits he crept to the stairs and looked in on the intruders. He recognized the boy, Jacques wasn't it? The woman was new to him, but still slightly familiar. Perhaps an old one nighter? Maybe an arresting officer? Most-likely the later. He needed to get her out of here.

Backing up he stood up and got ready to go downstairs. Humming amicably he rounded the corner and let out a long whistle. Smiling he walked downstairs and walked calmly down the stairs.

"Um, Jacques do you know that beautiful woman," he said flirtatiously, "You seem familiar miss. Might I have the honor of learning such a gorgeous woman's name?"

Kain stood before the woman now. Taking her hand he bowed and kissed it. Hopefully Felicia wouldn't come back anytime soon, or Lierah for that matter. The woman might decie to stay if she did. Women seemed to get really chatty around eachother.

[Jacogos]

Swearing as the dirk struck him, Delta didn't move until he was certain that the blade had not pierced the chainmail shirt that he wore always. It was close, though. She merely had to put a little more pressure on the blade. The face he made could have passed for one in pain, though. If she couldn't feel the difference between hitting flesh and hitting the chain, she would never know. In this cold as hell (wait, what?) weather, feeling wasn't exactly anyone's strong suit.

"So, you're about as dangerous as I had thought... Which is not very. Child, I've borne pains that could make your little childbirth statement seem like a walk through the Outer Ring. Ever heard of the Thief's Bane Trial? It's legendary in the guild I'm known in. Of course, you wouldn't know about the pain that Trial puts you through." He suddenly made his move that her talking had allowed him to plan out. His dagger flashed, but it wasn't across her neck. No, instead, it plunged towards her shoulder, where he would leave it if it struck.

His next movement was to grab at her dirk arm with his unarmed left hand, then twist it slightly inward, exposing the elbow towards the sky. With his now free right hand, he would bring down his palm with enough force to bend her elbow inwards, breaking the arm and effectively disarming her. This all was on the same arm who's shoulder his dagger should have plunged into. Either way, this girl was now at a disadvantage. In any case, he would keep his grip on her arm if he had it. Otherwise, he would move away and draw a new dagger, one of unimpressive make and styling. "You were saying?"

[kagomri]

And standing there frozen, Sharon felt a cold shudder run through her veins despite the fact that she was inside the Singing Mandrake. Her vision flashed and all of a sudden the color was sucked away from the world, there was nothing to enhance the images she was seeing. It was as if someone had taken this moment and turned it into a greyscale photo.

It wasn't this however, that made her heart speed up. There was something going on outside, she could feel the push of a breeze propel her forward out the front doors. Giving a vague nod to Sir Port, she hastily abandoned her work, broke through them and continued to dash forward through the snow. A bit blindly at first until she could make out two dark figures. They both at dirks, they were both at a disadvantage, but only one she knew. And only one that she immediately felt posed an dangerous threat to her even if it was indirectly.

Leirah.

"So, you're about as dangerous as I had thought... Which is not very. Child, I've borne pains that could make your little childbirth statement seem like a walk through the Outer Ring. Ever heard of the Thief's Bane Trial? It's legendary in the guild I'm known in. Of course, you wouldn't know about the pain that Trial puts you through."

And that was enough send a burst of renewed protectiveness and anger through her system. Tearing through the few meters of snow that separated them, she lunged forward, her fingers shot out in a terrifying rage to pull him back by the tips of his hood, but she was too late.

The man plunged his weapon into the watchmaker's shoulder, then twisted her arm at an impossible angle. Leirah's let out a scream, it was terrible in agony. Her dirk slipped out of her red, wet hand.

"You were sayi--"

In a swift move he was down, pinned under Sharon's weight. Sharon violently grappled his neck with her two hands, and when it wasn't enough she used her legs too, the very ones that possessed the red stockings. She seized his weapon and pointed the tip right under his Adam's apple.

"Bitch, you go to hell!" she bellowed, before it sliced his throat.


The red snow started pooling at the soles of her stockings.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah cried out in pain when the blade sliced into her shoulder burying itself within her soft flesh. Within seconds she was disarmed and in a position that placed her at a great disadvantage. She knew how to get out of it, but she wanted to keep the man from running away if he decided to do so. He seemed to have enough information to go to whomever it was after Felicia. Lierah found her musings suddenly cut short when Sharon came flying out of no where and pinned the man to the ground. Lierah, now released from the man's grip fell to the ground.

"Bitch, you go to hell!"

Sharon's words almost brought a smile to Lierah's face. Then as the man's blood ran out into the snow she remembered his words from earlier:

"...We can't die here, but that doesn't mean pain is nothing as well..."

Lierah felt an odd anger stir in her in knowing that the justice of death would not be brought to this man with such a normally fatal stroke. Standing up she grabbed her dirk and waved Sharon off of the man. Sitting heavily on his back she pressed the dirk's tip between his shoulder blades.

"Listen to me and listen to me well," she said venomously, "you will tell me everything you know and who told you who that girl was. If you to not I won't hesitate to pierce your spine and drag your paralyzed body home to shut you up....and don't entice me to do so. I may even allow you to keep your tongue if you do everything I say am I clear?"

Lierah adjusted the blade slightly being sure she would not be placed at a disadvantage again. If it took her life she would make this man regret his actions. He had attempted harm to her friends and had intended to torture her for information.z she would not let him get away with that. Not on her watch.

[Jacogos]

Out of nowhere, Delta was being attacked not by the girl he had nearly bested but by some random OTHER chick that came... out of nowhere! Swearing as best he could before the woman knocked the breath from his lungs, it was all he could do just to keep her from choking him to death. That is, until she got his dagger.

"Fuck yo-," was all he could manage before his throat was split. Air wheezed from his ruined esophagus, and his eyes rolled in the back of his head for a moment. There was a moment's pause before the crazy woman was replaced by the original one, wielding her dirk and placing it none to gently against his spine. The cold snow bothered the cut to no end, and red foam started bubbling up from his open throat.

"Ahh...!" It was all he could manage with the cut in his throat. With all the air escaping through the hole, little went past his windpipes, preventing him from speaking. He was not going to be able to get out of this one... Not alone. He adjusted slightly, seeing if there was a way out, but he found no flaw in the girl's positioning at the moment. Curses... And with the other crazy one, he was not about to get far anyway. After another attempt at speech, Delta gave up and let his body go limp, trying to get what little air he could into his lungs to stay conscious.

Why... Why did he not have anyone that knew where he was? Thane would not expect him for another... No... If his internal clock was right, Thane would probably be worried by now that he wasn't at the meeting point... There was still a chance for help if he could just stall... Until that dirk was away from his spine, however... He wasn't about to take the chance. So, he laid there.

[AliceMalice15]

Realizing that the man had no way of speaking Lierah sighed and wrapped her legs tightly around the man ensuring his continued captivity. Removing the dirk from its place in his back she untied the mask from around her neck and tied it around his neck allowing him to breathe a bit more normally. Replacing the dirk she sighed wearily.

"Now let's talk shall we?" she sighed, "Tell me your name, and how you found out about my friends. You know where this will lead if you don't.....perhaps this isn't the eight place for such things though....Sharon see if you can find some rope nearby."

Lierah looked down at her captive curiously. He was fairly handsome...for a killer. He seemed to be in his twenties and his long hair, in a ponytail at the time, barely covered the ends of scars on his neck. He'd obviously been in quite a few scraps.

'Such stories he could probably tell,' she thought silently, 'I'm sure each scar he has has some sort of story behind it. I wonder what they could be....'

[kagomri]

"Sharon see if you can find some rope nearby."

It wasn't up until this point that Sharon realized just how menacing the loving watchmaker could be. She was always such a gentle, obedient, kind and caring person that this new side of Lierah made her freeze, and caused her to take another look at just who in the world she saved.

To add onto her shock, the man did not seem to have died from his clean cut.

Impossible.

Could he be invincible? Some superhuman species? No, that wasn't possible. There was no such thing.

Sharon didn't reach for the rope, or a string of any kind. Her shoulders hunched together as if clinging to what little self warmth she had. She held them with her long fingers that seemed bonier than it had been just days ago. It was as if she was only a four year old abandoned little girl again, scared and unapproachable. Her eyes stared at the supposedly dead corpse, then at Leirah, but they glassy and went right through without actually seeing.

"L-Leirah...?" her breath was carried away by an icy blast of wind.

[Jacogos]

Elsewhere, Thane was busy pacing. Delta hadn't shown up at their preordained meeting place for almost an hour now... He was NEVER late, even if he knew there was something else that was nice to snitch. He knew that he would be able to come back for whatever it was he was after... Thane shook his head. The only plausible was, however unlikely, that the great thief was in trouble. Serious trouble. Thane swore and turned to the three dark cloaked men that stood behind him, each a good half a foot taller than the information gatherer.

"Alright boys... Our fearless leader has gotten himself stuck somewhere. Find him. Help him. Don't get yourselves killed. It took too damn long to find the likes of you, and I won't be sorry if do something stupid and die. Now go!"

The figures in front of him nodded in unison and seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye, each moving in different directions.


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

Delta growled slightly, as best as he could in any case. He could still only barely manage speech, but he was rather worried about the state of his spinal column, so he attempted nonetheless. At first he had to take in a few good breaths, seeing as how he had basically been drowning a few seconds ago. Now, though, he had a little better control of his windpipe.

"Rope won't do... you much good, sweetie." He coughed, the pain of talking making it more difficult than the actual cut. "I'm an expert... at... escaping knots..." He chuckled slightly, groaning at the pain that also caused him. "Gods be damned, would... you please... get off of me...?" He tried to shift a little, then stopped. He had heard something. He grinned. A high pitched whistle pierced the air for a mere second. Delta did his best to match the whistle, and succeeded.

A pause.

One of the cloaked men charged into Lierah, knocking her clear off of Delta and stood in place between his leader and the woman, tossing a few knives at the other woman as almost an afterthought. The man paused for another second, then tossed a few objects at Lierah. Delta closed his eyes.

The objects hit the snow and suddenly burst in a sudden display of dazzling light, easily blinding those who didn't close their eyes or look away. Using the moment to his advantage, the man scooped up Delta on his back and retreated into the snow, tossing a few more flashrocks up into the air to discourage any pursuit. The dark dressed man let out the whistle again and a few moments later, he was joined by another of the men, who would cover Delta's escape.

[Setsa]

"Um, Jacques do you know that beautiful woman," he said flirtatiously, "You seem familiar miss. Might I have the honor of learning such a gorgeous woman's name?"

Trinity recognized the man from her times in the City Guard before everything changed. His name was Kain.. the smooth talking, quick to punch if rubbed the wrong way, ladies man. Well, least that's what he told her and anyone else that would listen while in the Justice Center of the outer ring. Standing up after he kissed her hand she removed her cloak so that her identity would not be a secret in this house. "A pleasure to see you too Kain, but ofcourse you already know my name far too well." The woman's lips rose in a smile... "don't worry... I just brought Jack here after my shift at the Mandrake. Seeing as the guards and officials like myself are no longer... I have no need to question why you are here considering you mentioned Lierah, whom I am here to chat with as well." Adding another log to the fire to keep the boy warm she sat back down on the couch to show here words were true.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah was about to shush the man and *respond to Sharon when she heard the whistle. [I]Shit[I/]. Before she knew it another man came barreling into her knocking her off of her captive. Leaping up she lept over the flash-rocks and *gave chase. *The second volley of flash-rocks exploded under her feet scorching her skin and clothes. Lierah snarled in pain and continued after her quarry.She couldn't let him get away. He knew too much.

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

Kain's eyes went wide when he fully recognized Trinity. He remembered all of the times she'd arrested him...not that he'd resisted. Kain gave her a smile hiding his nervousness behind a friendly facade. It was true she had been the only person to ever listen at all to his talk, but she couldn't be trusted right now. No one could.

"Ah, Trinity," he said cordially, "it has been too long. As for Lierah's whereabouts I haven't a clue. She's been gone for a while, on errands I presume. I'm not sure when she'll be back. I can send her to you when she gets back of you'd like. Oh and Jacques let me make you some hot chocolate you must be freezing. I hope I can manage to make it as well as Lierah does. You really shouldn't be playing out in the cold for so long. You might have frozen solid if Trinity hadn't come along."

Kain made himself busy trying to make hot chocolate hoping Trinity would take it as a sign to leave. He needed to get her out of there just in case Felicia came back. If Trinity found out there was no telling what would happen or where her allegiances would lie. For all he knew she as well as all of the other guards people, besides Daniel of course, were out to find her and turn her in. Lierah would kill him if he let that happen!

[kagomri]

Sharon managed to dodge the first few knives but the last one struck her thigh and brought her down to her knees. Suddenly snow and rocks exploded in the air, brightly illuminated with a kind of yellow light that nearly blinded her is she hadn't quickly averted her gaze behind her and, even then, still had to block out the light with her cold hands. They tingled at the blast of heat, but all too soon the warmth dispersed and was replaced with an icy touch again.

When she looked up, both men were gone. And so was Lierah.

She didn't know why, but for a vulnerable moment Sharon just sat there in the blood stained snow, freezing and bleeding. Slowly, she uncurled her fingers from their unyielding fist and grabbed the nearest knife that the other man had hit her with. It slipped from her shaky grasp a few times but after she managed to hold it, she slowly got up and just....ran. Ran to Leirah's house. Ran to safety and warmth. Ran to Felicia.


The moment she got through the doorway, her knees broke down and she collapsed, feeling more rigid than she had been when she was sprinting.

"F-Felicia...Felicia..." she panted. "Someone.....s-some some one knows...." she took a big breath. " They got away. He knows to m-much, you're in danger,"

She didn't have enough breath to finish.

He's going to expose you.

[Kiall]

Daniel sighed looking out over the white expanse of the city, He leaned against the window peering out. They had been huddled there for several hours and he had seen nothing. “I think…we’re safe now Princess,” he said looking back at Felicia covered in her blankets. “Let’s try and get you back, I’m sure whoever was chasing you has given up by now.” He stood up stretching before leaning down to help her up. Taking the crook of her arm in his he lead her through the empty streets back to Lierah’s house. Daniel turned his eyes to her feeling awkward, this being the first time they had been alone together in…well ever really. “So…how have you been? We haven’t had many chances to talk since this whole mess started, how are you holding up?”

"I'm fine," she said, though her voice was shaking. She was trying her best to hide it, but the encounter still terrified her, and she was still freezing despite the coat draped over her shoulders. How, how could that stranger have possibly found out? She really just wanted to go home, and she would have said it, if she hadn't already said it hundreds of times before. I want to go home, I want to go home, even if it means I have to dig through the snow to get there.

"I just don't ever want to serve people drinks again."

Daniel nodded, “yeah…you don’t have to anymore, I’ll talk to Sharon about it.” She was obviously pretty shaken up, he wish he knew how to help… “Hey um…” he said trying to think of what to say, “I’m proud of you, ya know,” he said giving her a quick smile. “This hasn’t been easy for and you’ve handled it all pretty well. You’ve had to adapt to a lot of new things really quickly and…I’m proud you’ve been such a trooper.” It couldn’t have been easy, losing her family like that, her home, having to adapt to living a life she wasn’t used to, all the while dealing with the fact she was a wanted fugitive. “ I know I haven’t been the best caretaker…” he said scratching his head as he looked away, that was probably an understatement…”But you’ve been doing really well despite that, far better than me if I was in your shoes…so yeah…I’m really proud of you Princess.”

Felicia blushed at this, not expecting such a response. Sure, she expected grovelling, perhaps some over-exaggerated apologies for the mess they were in and how she would no longer have to lift a finger, but there was something more personal, more heart-felt, about a simple compliment. She was hardly used to such sincerity.

"Th-thank you, Sir Daniel. You're..." Here she struggled to find the right words, so they wouldn't fall stupidly off her tongue into a horrible mess. No matter how she thought of them, they always sounded off in her head, not quite right, and as soon as she'd allowed herself to say them, they still didn't sound much better. "You're a good bodyguard. I mean... I wouldn't still be here if it weren't for you, and you've been taking care of everyone, really."

Daniel grinned at her words. "Thank you princess," he said nodding, "I've been trying, don't know how good of a job i'm doing, i'm glad to be of service, even so," he said happily. "Oh and you can stop with all that Sir Daniel stuff," he teased. "I'm not a knight, i'm not even eligible for knighthood." He chuckled at a thought, "which I think may be the problem, you deserve a knight in shining armor…all you got was a palace guard in a bloodstained shirt!" he said laughing as they neared Lierah's house. "Well…anyways, go on and get changed and get warmed by the fire, i'll go into the kitchen and see if I can make you some soup okay?" He said opening the door and stepping inside.[/QUOTE]

".... i'll go into the kitchen and see if I can make you some soup okay?" Hearing a familiar voice Trinity turned her head to the now opening door that welcomed in Daniel and another younger person that was dressed in a boy sure. But everything about him? said he was most definetly a young lady in many ways. "Soup my dear Daniel....sounds like a good idea tonight indeed." Hands on her hips she gave off a big smile glad to see how well he's made it through this chaos; her eyes sparkling with happiness.

"So I brought young Jacques here to recover and was staying to have a nice chat with Lierah and get a bonus?!" She smirks and walks over to the guy giving him a big warm hug. "Good to see you Daniel...been far too long since I've seen you last."

Daniel sputtered never expecting to see her again. "No way, Trinity? Trin? how'd you get here?" He said happily clapping her back returning the hug. "Ha ha! it's good to see you Lieutenant!" he cried happily breaking the hug, examining his old friend. He grinned wryly and whistled, "Cyros's ass!…you've gained weight," he said nonchalantly before bursting into laughter at her expression. "I'm kidding i'm kidding! oh god please don't kill me for that!" He said still laughing hard.

"Ha ha..ohh thanks for looking after the kid," he said wiping a few tears from his eyes, "he just sort of…followed us home one day.." He trailed off before realizing Felicia was still there. "Oh! right this is umm," he though hard, should he tell her? If there was one person in this whole fucked up city he trusted it was his old Lieutenant, he trusted her a damn sight better than that dipshit Kain or Lierah for that matter. But then again this was a real mess, he really shouldn't drag his friend into this.

"This is my cousin Ferdinand," he said happily the lie rolling off his tongue easily. "He's really shy around beautiful women and authority figures so he's not going to say much," he said chuckling and giving Trinity a quick wink. He turned back to Felicia, "Hey Ferdinand, go on inside and get changed, i'll start making that soup for you okay?"

Felicia kept her head down, but gave an awkward nod and smile to the stranger before running up the stairs. She wanted nothing more than to be warm again, out of these ridiculous clothes. She changed hastily, throwing the stained white shit on the ground with distaste and taking care to change into something a little more comfortable. Of course, she still chose some sort of decorative shirt. Boy clothes aside, she always felt more comfortable when trying to look her best.

She looked at herself in the mirror, staring back blankly. She took a deep breath before heading back downstairs, staying clear of everyone's way.

"Oh don't worry Danny I was going to say the same thing to you...looks like that palace life made you gain weight too." Winking as she patted his chest Trinity looked over to the "boy?" who was to be his cousin. "Ah a pleasure then...don't worry about me as I can tell you many things about your cousin. From when we worked together that would even make him blush again..and perhaps make Kain's mouth gap open." Following Daniel to the kitchen helping him in preparing some soup for the house full of people. Trinity made sure no one was listening before leaning softly against the edge of the counter looking directly at Daniel. "So Danny...unless one of those new cloaked enforcers of mystery scrambled up your brain. You dam well know I know all your family history and there is no cousin remotely close to the age of the boy with breasts..." Smiling with her eyes clearly saying that he should know better than to lie to one of his most trusted friends. "Care to try again cause I have a pretty damn good guess who she is.."

[Jacogos]

The second figure noted the girl's appearance and studied her movement. She was a fighter. He'd have to be careful. Delta needed time to escape. All for the leader.

The figure lunged at the girl and attempted to take her off her feet. Quickly getting up, the special operative tossed down another volley of flashrocks, which exploded on the ground a mere second after he tossed them, directly under him. Anyone looking at him would be blinded temporarily, and if she had gotten smart by that time, he was ready for plan two. Moving towards her again after the flashrocks burst, then removed his cloak and tossed it at her, making sure its trajectory obscured him from her sight for the bare few seconds he needed.

A tall man, a mask (http://venthemiux.webs.com/-%20New%20Folder/Cowl%20of%20Shinobi.png) still hid his face. Dark black eyes peered out from the hole that allowed him to see from the mask, and he was armored in hardened leather as dark as the cloak he wore. While the cloak still hung in the air, the man darted to Leira's left side and made a sweeping kick towards her legs, intending to unbalance her again. After that, he pulled out a new object and threw that down as he had the flashrocks.

This time, snow burst everywhere, a good ten feet of snow displaced into the air so that it had to settle down again. Acting like smoke from a smoke ball, the snow obscured the man as he darted away, a different route than that one that Delta had taken. With any luck, she would forget which way Delta had gone...

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

Meanwhile, the other man set Delta down next to Thane where the old man had been waiting. Finished with his escorting, the shadowy man went back to cover their trail. With any luck, the other man had been successful. Thane chuckled slightly at the sight of his old friend, helping Delta up slowly so that the man could get his feet back.

"I... told you the... Blades would come... in handy..." Delta wheezed past his ruined throat.

"I know, I know, come now, stop talking or you'll irritate the wound. We'll head back to the hall and get you fixed up as best I can... Then you can tell me all about your little adventure, eh?" Thane chuckled again as Delta scowled, but the injured man made no objection. With that, the two began their trek to Cinder Hall, walking slowly and not directly towards their destination as they waited on the Blades to signal them that the coast was clear.

[Wattz]

The door burst open. Sharon dropped to her knees in an exhausted panic.

"F-Felicia...Felicia…. Someone.....s-some some one knows.... They got away. He knows to m-much, you're in danger."

Then silence. Felicia stood still in the shock of the moment, but eventually found movement again, diving towards her friend.

“Sharon? Sharon, what happened to you?!” She couldn’t even be bothered to disguise her voice in the presence of the stranger, who already seemed to know too much. “I know, I know, I ran from him, b-but we’re safe here, right?” Felicia tried to help Sharon to her knees, but struggled greatly under Sharon’s weight. She could hardly lift her off the ground without almost falling along with. At the very least, she managed to get Sharon fully into the house and shut the door, locking the house away from the cold.

[kagomri]

Sharon could hardly stand. She was too cold and her thigh was wounded. As Felicia slowly helped her up the knife dropped from her fingers and clanged on the ground. Slowly the two girls made their way to the nearest chair.

She collapsed down, the weight of her head balanced on her palm. Wet, auburn side bands drooped and flowed on the side of her forearms like dark veins. Sharon had nothing to say. She didn't know anything about this strange man. All she knew was that he posed an immediate threat to the Royal family and anyone in relation to them, and that Leirah was screwed, chasing after a man that was almost impossible to catch.

"You....you know." she stuttered. "You know this man. And you didn't even tell me." she shook her head in disappointment. "Sometimes I wonder if you take me for granted, Felicia. No longer a...a....slave. What am I to you now?"

And it was at the very moment she looked up into the very eyes of a strange, bulky but beautiful woman. Her clothing clearly addressed authority. She looked familiar. And then it struck--she was working for Sir Port.

For a second shock and horror overcame her emotions. Then anger. Snatching the knife, she lunged across the room in one quick stride and the blade pressed against Trinity's neck.

[The Imposter]

Jacques had been asleep the whole time because of the creature's appearance. From the slumber came an image like a painting the images were not quite clear and it seemed as though the figures moved along the page. Jacques tried to move towards them to make them out but it seemed as though he was stuck, some sort of inivisible wall held him in place. He tried to speak but his words were muffled if not totally silent. The image seemed familiar despite it being vague which caused the young blonde to furrow his brow. Was it Lierah's he wasn't sure, soon enough more figures appeared and the colours began to bled together. Something didn't seem right but Jacques couldn't figure out what.

Before he could reason anything out his heavy eyelids opened to the chit chatter of the group. His backside had been warmed quite nicely and everything felt nice and cozy that was until his eyes adjusted well enough to see the look on people's faces: fear, anger, saddness, and confusion. The people he had come to know seemed so frazzled. Not knowing why he stood up and walked towards them, then around them and inbetween them. They were so caught up in their own business that none of them seemed to notice him. His own fear had set in, it was just like the dream. He had become invisible...wait what if he had died and was now a ghost?! Tears welled up in his eyes and the crybaby Jacques could no longer hold them off.

'Je suis mort! Je suis mort! JE SUIS MORT! Waaah!'

Uncontrollably Jacques ran through the room and around the people his cries becoming increasingly louder. As his tears became a steady flow his vision blurred reminding him of the painting he had just dreamt about. In a moment the small blonde boy's out cry was silenced as he thudded against someone. The force had knocked him square down on his rearend and he looked up to see who it was he hit. Somewhat relieved that he didn't just pass through the person he saw that it was Daniel's cousin Ferdinand. Having not heard Ferdinand's true identity because of his own outburst Jack shouted with his voice still very much a whine.

'Ferdinand can you see or hear me?! I'm I dead?! Oooh please let me not be dead!'

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah did he best to diminish the effects off her attackers moves, keeping her balance fairly well and getting only getting slightly blinded by the flash rocks. When the cloak went up and obscured her vision she grabbed a pole from nearby and stuck it in to the middle of the cloak wrapping it around the end. When the masked man swept at her feet she jammed the uncovered end into the snow and swung her body feet first at the new masked man hoping to catch him off guard. When the snow exploded Lierah lost sight of everyone. Swinging to the ground she gave a frown and looked back to the ground. She could see small indentions where the others had fled. By remembering the sounds she had heard she ran in the direction she had heard the man carrying her target. When she saw him coming back her way she ducked into an alley letting him pass by. Following his fresh footsteps she quickly found more -two sets to be exact- leading in a different direction. A diversion? Only one way to find out.

Lierah sighed and pulled her hood over her head covering her face once more and set off following the new tracks. Keeping to the sides of buildings she quickly caught up with Delta and Thane being that they were taking their time. She needed to think of a way to get to the man and quick. No doubt he and his new companion were being very careful it was a miracle they hadn't caught her yet....or perhaps they had and she just wasn't aware of it yet. She hoped that wasn't the case.

Stepping out into the street where she could be plainly seen Lierah walked up to the two men letting her presence be known. There was only one was she was going to be able to solve this.

"Not very good at hiding for someone so intent on not being caught or found," she sighed, "are you? I have to admit your friends were giving me quite a run for my money though. Before you start attacking me I want to talk. I would say I promise I won't attack you, but I know your kind. If I do that then you'll take advantage of me honesty. To show you that my intentions aren't ill toward you I will sew up your throat, besides you won't find anyone in Veingaden who can actually do it right other than me. I admit I haven't actually sewn a throat up before, but I have sewn skin together tight enough to completely prevent infection. So what do you say? Do you want to talk or do you both want to be completely paralyzed until this whole thing passes and you die?"

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

"F-Felicia...Felicia..." Sharon panted. "Someone.....s-some some one knows...." she took a big breath. " They got away. He knows to m-much, you're in danger,"

Kain whirled around in surprise as Sharon came in practically spewing all of their secrets after collapsing at the door. Felicia and Daniel had gotten back a few moments before and were doing their best to keep Felicia's identity a secret still, though he had just overheard Trinity speaking to Daniel on that matter despite her attempts at secrecy. Now that was all in shambles and Lierah wasn't back to clean it all up. It was his duty to try and make things right.

Laughing nervously he turned to Trinity with a "I-just-got-caught-didn't-I" smile and scratched the back of his head.

"Well," said trying to think of something quick, "I guess you know our dirty little secret now. You-"

When Sharon lept up and pressed the knife to Trinity's throat Kain dropped the tray of hot chocolate to the ground breaking the mugs and spilling the hot fluid everywhere. Leaping over the mess her grabbed Sharon around the shoulders with one arm and grabbed the knife wielding hand with the other.

"Sharon calm down," he yelled attempting to restrain her, "Trinity won't hurt any of us.....Or at least the Trinity that I know wouldn't. Am I right Trinity or has that Trinity disappeared with the rest of the town?"

Kain looked straight at Trinity the way he always had when they had gotten very serious during their chats while he was in jail. It was a look that let Trinity know he was being very serious, very honest, and would know if she was lying. He needed the truth and he needed it now.

((sorry I promised this about two days ago but I've been busy -w-' finally got it up though :) and the drama thickens))

[Kiall]

Daniel stirred the pot of soup, he froze hearing Trinity’s words before continuing. “It’s not that I don’t trust you Trin,” he said softly looking back a guilty look on his face. “This is a huge mess I’ve gotten into and I didn’t want to drag you in as well,” Daniel rolled his eyes at Kain’s response and turned his head away focusing on the soup. The next few moments was a whirlwind of loud noises and activities. Startled Daniel turned around seeing Kain pulling Sharon off of Trinity after pulling a knife on her, and Jack screaming about being dead.

Rushing over Daniel helped restrain Sharon pulling the knife from her hand and placing it on the table. “Of course we can! I trust her a damn sight more than I trust your dumb ass!” He retorted irritated that the peace had been interrupted so suddenly. “Shutup ya ain’t dead!” He yelled turning to Jack. “Now sit down and be good before I thump ya!” he said snorting angrily. He jerked Sharon roughly out of Kain’s grasp, “I got this, go get the soup off stove.” He then slapped the back of his head, “then clean up this mess ya big lug!” Noticing Sharon’s wounded thigh he took a roll of bandages off the table and lead her outside.

“Finally a quiet spot where we can talk,” he hated sharing the house with so many people, he had to get them a new apartment. Hopefully he could still pull in enough money to do so. “sit down so I can fix your leg.” Kneeling down he unrolled the bandages and began to work. “Now first of all..who the hell gave you a knife?” He said laughing dryly. “Second what do you know about the person after the Princess?”

[Setsa]

Thanking Daniel for still to this day, backing her up when it counted the most. She gave him a nod telling her thanks with her memorizing eyes before grabbing a wet cloth from the counter and running some hot water over it and into a small bucket to clean the chocolate mess on the floor. "Don't worry so Kain.." she said while looking back into his eyes so there were no secretcy or false meaning to her words. "I am very still the same Trinity that would have a quiet moment of hot tea with you in your holding cell. And still the one who will listen to honesty and reason which has saved your hide before." Pouring some hot chocolate into a new mug, she patted his shoulder, giving of a soft smile before helping the alarmed Jacques to sit down and the table with the warm, soothing liquid.

"Easy now..you're definetly not dead.... If you were I wouldn't be here with everyone; I would be out there trying to find your killer hmmm? So drink and center yourself like you were taught." Giving the young lad a hug, Trinity removed the hot, damp washcloth from inside the bucket. Wringing it out and beginning the task of picking up the broken pieces of mugs. "You two and for anyone else listening.." knowing that Felicia was still probably within earshot. "I gave my loyalty and oath to protect and serve the royal family and the citizens of this town. Nothing has or won't ever change this...I'll willingly give my life up if it meant setting things back in order." Scrubbing the floor hard until it was clean enough to eat from, the woman threw away the broken mugs...saving one back that just had a small chip from the handle broken off and could be repaired. Emptied the dirty water from the bucket down the sink, then helped slice some bread that was set aside to go with the soup for dinner. Trinity would stay for dinner unless asked to leave, and then return back to her own home. She was glad to see Sharon so protective over the royal princess...though had wished she used a little more smarts to realize who she was before hand. Well....more than just their boss's private security.

[kagomri]

The glass mugs crashed to the ground into jagged pieces. Her knife was skillfully taken from her grip and a pair of unfamiliar hands gently held Sharon back. It wasn't the sudden change of energy in the room that surprised her, it was the hands. They felt foreign and new on her skin but the position--its placement on her wrist was....there was none other more suitable. At first, it brang up a wave of confusion. She looked up at him. His face was unfamiliar. She'd never seen it before but at the same time she sworn she could have saw him--no, perhaps felt his presence in a dream. Or another life.

His gaze met hers for a mere second, and in that limited time she found a soft assurance. It was comforting. And safe.

Daniel's roudy voice came through and Sharon looked away at Trinity, giving her a confused and apologetic nod, before he lead her away.

“sit down so I can fix your leg.” Strangely, it was Sharon who now obeyed. She sat down and Daniel unraveled his white roll of bandage.

“Now first of all..who the hell gave you a knife?” He said laughing dryly. “Second what do you know about the person after the Princess?”

At first she remained silent as he bandaged her wounded thighs. Maybe some silence would do him some good, she didn't know. But the soundless air grew louder, and more uncomfortable and Sharon cracked under its pressure.

She spoke softly. "I know he has allies. Many allies. I know he has resources."

The explosive rocks, she thought.

"His friend was hooded--" the sight of his openly slit throat filled her vision. And a rage began to build.
"I killed him." Her tone took on an abominable course. "I killed him and yet he was still able to talk." There was a look of disbelief and contempt in her eyes as she looked at him kneeling at her feet. But she didn't see him. Her stare went straight through him as if he were just made of glass.

[Jacogos]

Delta and Thane had finally escaped the furious snow of the Historical Ring and were back into the Outer Ring when James realized that someone was tailing them. Turning, Delta felt his eyes narrow as he caught sight of the woman from before. She had managed to evade the Blades yet again? Impossible! However, he caught sight of more movement behind her and he hid a smile in his cloak. No... You couldn't evade them forever.

Thane had been watching Delta as soon as the other man had turned, and when he turned as well, the old man was surprised to find that it was a woman he was leering at so... angrily.

"Well then, I see we've found your attacker," Thane murmured just as the woman began speaking to them.

Thane had to admit, the girl had quite the audacious streak. First she attacked, single-handedly by the looks of it, two specially trained operatives and kept going... Then, she managed to track them, without much trouble it seemed. Now she was demanding a parlay, under terms that she could easily incapacitate them both if they did not comply. Thane could almost laugh. In fact he did. Chuckling, Thane eyed the girl.

"You're quite the lady, ain't ya, girl? Honestly, I don't know how you're still standing, bleeding from that wound and looking like your arm is about to fall off. What is that, a fractured elbow?" Thane peered over at Delta, who nodded once. "Well its good to know my colleague gave you a bit of trouble before getting this nasty wound himself." Delta glared at him after that, but Thane went on undeterred.

"Now dear, whatever your prowess is, I can see that it is enough to deal with one thief. However..." At this point, he flourished and there were daggers with blades the size of a man's forearm in his hands. "Now you would be dealing with two. Not only that though..."

Thane whistled, a whistle that would seem very familiar to Lierah as Delta had done it just before...

The Blade behind Lierah closed in, holding a hand on her lower back and a knife to her throat. The hand, his left, on her spine was equipped with a device that could project daggers from under his wrist (think Assassin's Creed). One move and a simple twist of his wrist would send the dagger straight into her spine.

"You also have him to deal with. Now. Speak. What would you have of us? As you no doubt can see, we were in the middle of heading home before you so rudely interrupted us..." Thane kept his weapons ready, as did Delta, whose hand was already gripping the hilt of his bejeweled dagger.

[AliceMalice15]

"You're quite the lady, ain't ya, girl? Honestly, I don't know how you're still standing, bleeding from that wound and looking like your arm is about to fall off. What is that, a fractured elbow?" He peered over at her quarry, who nodded once. "Well its good to know my colleague gave you a bit of trouble before getting this nasty wound himself." Her target glared at him after that, but The man went on undeterred.

"Now dear, whatever your prowess is, I can see that it is enough to deal with one thief. However..." At this point, he flourished and there were daggers with blades the size of a man's forearm in his hands. "Now you would be dealing with two. Not only that though..."

Lierah recognized the whistle from earlier as it left the new mans lips and gasped slightly when she found a hand pressed against her spine and a knife pressed to her throat. Lierah bit her lip expecting pain to shoot up her spine and across her neck but neither happened...yet.

"You also have him to deal with. Now. Speak. What would you have of us? As you no doubt can see, we were in the middle of heading home before you so rudely interrupted us..." the man kept his weapons ready, as did Her target, whose hand was already gripping the hilt of his bejeweled dagger.

Lierah sighed and let her own dagger drop from her hand. Raising her hands in defeat she relaxed against the Blade's hand moving the dagger at her throat a bit farther away.

"Home, now that's an odd word to hear coming from a thief," Lierah sighed, "no offense. No matter, I think it would be best for all of us to get out of this cold. I no longer pose a threat to either of you so let us find shelter and talk there. Shall we?"

Lierah hoped that the thieves would find some bit of reason and agree to her proposition. They both seemed cold if not frozen as was she and the warmth of a fire would greatly increase the chance of them being a bit more amicable. Hopefully she could convince them to hold their tongues about Felicia. Even then she wasn't convinced she could trust them.

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

"Thank you Trinity," Kain whispered as she helped him clean up the mess, "I'm glad I can still trust you. Things are a little crazy right now as you can see."

Kain sighed and walked into the kitchen Removing the soup from the stove and pulling out some bowls. Ladling soup into a bowl he turned and looked at Trinity.

"Would you like some soup," he asked offering her the bowl, "I'm sure Lierah will be home soon too. I just hope she doesn't freak out like them."

[Kiall]

Eumelia had found herself a small spot of quiet amongst the many people in the Revels. It's been a few days since the festival, and honestly she wasn't quite that happy. It pained her to know she couldn't go home. Not to mention the sudden turn of events, left her dazed. She let out a tiny sigh and started to unpack her harp. She hoped that a bit of music would cheer herself up and make her a bit more alive. She set her harp in her lap and let it rest there for a moment. A chilling rush of air went by and she shivered, automatically wrapping her cloak a bit closer. And without further hesitation dainty fingers strummed the strings of the harp.

Taking in a breath of air she sang.

Driftwood is burning blue, wild walk the wall shadows
Night winds go riding by, riding by the lochie meadows
On to the break of day, close Mira stream singing:
Caidil gu la laddie, la laddie. Sleep the dark away

A scraggly boy of about fifteen, with dirt smudges on his face and raggedy clothes that looked like they had been stitched together from many different clothes moved seemingly invisible through the revels. He hovered around the banquet tables gulping down various uneaten delicacies or slurping down half empty glasses of wine. Every once in a while his eyes would glance on a pretty trinket which he would scoop up into his dirty pockets.

Jacobs’s ears caught the faint sound of music, and followed it to the girl. He listened intently to the song transfixed, until she finally stopped. He clapped a wide grin on his face, “that sure was a loverly song miss!” He said happily, before putting his hands in his pockets, “never heard that one before no sir!” He peered at the young woman curiously, “You ain’t a from around here originally ain’t ya? I gotta good memory fer faces! And I doin’t remember yers at all.”

A faint blush crept up onto the girls face. "Thank you very much" she said, giving him a fond smile. "Well you are very correct I am not from here, and that must be quite a memory you have!" Eumelia let out a small laugh and rummaged through her bag. Reaching inside she found a small packet of wrapped candy. Carefully taking it out she unwrapped the package and gave one candy to the boy. Taking one for herself she popped it into her mouth.

Slowly she started to pack away her harp. It was nearing night time and with everything finally neat and tidy she just sat there and relaxed. She motioned for the boy to sit beside her, "It's nice to meet you darling my name is Eumelia, what's yours?" Something about this boy reminded her a bit of her own little brother.

Jacob’s grin widened at the offer of the candy, “Thank you kindly ma’m!” he said popping the sweet into his mouth. Nodding at her offer he sat down beside her, “M’names Jacob! Though lots of people call me Buckrat, not sure why…” Before he could continue the sound of flapping wings caught his attention. A pitch black raven had landed a few feet away its bright red eyes regarding them both.

Picking up a rock he hurled it at the bird startling it into flying away, “Yeah! Get out of here ya damn winged rat!” He shouted after it shaking his fist. “Dayum them buzzards have been showing up everywhere now, creep things! Even for this city. Always staring too..like they’re lookin fer somethin ya know?” The boy shrugged before grinning back at her, “So! You travel a lot? I ain’t never been outside the city myself.”

"You know you don't have to be so harsh on the poor bird," she chided, "but lets hope it isn't a bad omen." The girl ruffled the younger boys hair, "You shouldn't let others call you horrible names either Jacob." Out of no where she had whipped out a cloth and started to clean his face of dirt. "To answer you question yes I do travel a lot, though now it seems impossible." Satisfied that his face was no presentable, she gave him another smile.

"It's wonderful out there and one can learn so much just by going for a walk--" Eumelia suddenly tensed up. Looking around she'd noticed that mostly everyone had somehow gone. That's odd, she thought to herself. She had a small frown on her face as she noticed even more peculiar oddities. The hand full of people seemed all to have twisted and disorientated faces. Their grins were full of broken teeth. "My mind must be playing tricks on me again," her voice trailed off into silence.

Jacob tilted his head at her words, not noticing anything particularly odd. A shiver went up his spine the kind he got whenever something odd was happening. Jacob grabbed the girl’s hand pulling her with him, “c’mon let’s go take a walk for a bit huh? Getting…stuffy in here.” He suggested leading her outside. His head turned back to give her a shy smile. He heard something fluttering overhead, a large group of ravens like the one he had swatted at were flying overhead. They were bunched together looking almost like a small cloud as they flew in a determined path. “Glad I’m not wherever they’re going, “ he remarked.


=======

Daniel nodded as she spoke, hmm..not a good sign but nothing to point out who. Could be anyone at this point, for any motive ranging from some sort of vendetta or simple greed. He one he had to get her out of her shop soon, he wasn't sure how much whoever chased her knew but he didn't want to take any chances. Besides he had a sneaking suspicion that someone had spilled the beans. Probably Kain the dipshit, but he wasn't prepared to rule out Lierah. He had never suspected her of joining a fighting ring or of being willing to kill him. "

Yeah life and death have gotten funny nowadays," he explained. "In fact just a few hours ago our dear watchmaker murdered me, threw me off a tower broke my spine, back's still a bit sore too." He finished his bandaging and sat down beside her.

"You got that bonus for working with Sir Port right? If we pool that with the money i've gotten from the rings we might be able to get ourselves a new apartment. I don't think it's safe here anymore, I've found this nice little building close to the city walls, let's get you inside and we'll talk it over okay?" He offered standing up and offering her his hand. He turned his head hearing a loud cawing. Three pitch black ravens with glowing red eyes were staring down at him. He felt a chill down his spine but looked away trying his best to ignore them, they were just birds after all.

[kagomri]

"Yeah life and death have gotten funny nowadays," he explained. "In fact just a few hours ago our dear watchmaker murdered me, threw me off a tower broke my spine, back's still a bit sore too."

Sharon looked at him in disbelief. "That is...completely unexpected to say the least." She remarked. "What had happened? Leirah would never do such irrational actions. I don't believe that you had provoked her, Daniel?" she turned to look at him, but he was already onto a new subject.

"You got that bonus for working with Sir Port right? If we pool that with the money i've gotten from the rings we might be able to get ourselves a new apartment. I don't think it's safe here anymore, I've found this nice little building close to the city walls."

Sharon didn't know if she wanted to leave Leirah's little building. To be honest she didn't know what to do with her life from here on, after the dreaded winter storm; after the death of the Royals; when the eeriness of the entire atmosphere faded in..somehow. What was there to look forward to? It just wasn't time to leave. Too many things were still unsettled, and yet, she tiredly agreed.

She rubbed her face with her hands, massaged it, and sighed. "I have. Alright, we'll do it." And paused.
"Daniel do you have any idea whatsoever where all of us moves on from here? We live in a lifeless, small town with some of the most bizarre beings I've ever encountered. Not to mention there's a theft on Felicia's throat. Whoever the scoundrel is." She knew that the last part had probably struck a cord in his heart. And for some reason she didn't feel repelled by his affection for the princess at all this time.

Sharon stood up and began to make her way back inside. She owed Trinity an apology. She felt terribly compelled to see Kain. And most of all she just wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

Caw! Caw!

Three dark raven perched on a branch and scrutinized the two with beady red eyes. An unsettling sensation creeped up and set goosebumps on Sharon's skin.

"Let's go." she said, quickly turning away and striding towards the doors.

[Setsa]

"If Lierah has a problem with me then I'd be just as shocked as you... Oh and yes, dinner sounds great thanks." Helping out to set the table the woman was quick to notice Daniel and Sharon returning from the cold outdoors. Considering the fact that she wasn't rushing after her again... must mean he talked a bit more sense into her. "If Lierah doesn't come after dinner I'm afraid I'll have to head home.... Long shift at Sir Port's tomorrow I'm afraid and all of you are here to watch after Jack anyhow." Helping to fill the young lad's bowl with soup as well as the others she took a minute to rotate and rub her shoulder from an old injury that seemed to flare up with all this cold.... Serves her right for going out without her partner back then, more than what she should have. It was against regulations to a degree...mostly for safety but she was a bit of a loner...never wanting her partner to take over just cause she was a female.

Having a meal not alone in her place was great.... Definetly something she wouldn't object to if she was asked again. The bread was soft and warm....and the soup seemed to show a secret talent of Kain's in the culinary sense. Feeling better with some nourishment she cheered up a bit...letting the thoughts of the day wash away with each spoonfull. "So Daniel....you been keeping out of trouble or have you been the same risk taker?" Someone had to break the silence at the table and she might as well take the opportunity to tease her dear firend... Winking to let him know she said such just to have a bit of fun back at him for the time he hinted louder than needed that she didn't have to wear lace undergarments that day... Dammit that was a pain to prove wrong! Sitting back in her chair with arms crossed she smirked a bit....a glint of success in her eyes.

[Jacogos]

Thane peered over at Delta. This time, the older man would leave the decision to the thief. Delta stared at Lierah for a long moment. She had not been the one to cut his throat, technically, and he doubted he could remember the face of the one who did even in a small crowd, but she was still irritating him to no end. What he wouldn't give to just send her away and leave her there. However... Something stopped him from giving the Blade the order to simply end her (or at least as close to ending as he could in this god-forsaken place). Thane must have seen the look in his eyes, for he did a quick hand signal, one that signified knocking the target unconscious to the Blades.

The world would go black for Lierah as the Blade's fist nailed her in the temple, knocking her out cold.



Delta watched in morbid silence as the girl finally began to stir again. His throat was sewn back together, thanks to Thane, but he had a feeling that the girl probably COULD do a better job of it. He wasn't about to harm his pride anymore, though. Thane stood by the door conversing with one of the Blades, informing him of what had happened and quietly instructing him of what was to be done and what was about to be done.

The girl wasn't tied, bound, gagged, or anything, but Delta knew this room better than the back of his hand. It was an indoor room, no windows to escape from. Barren except for a table, three chairs including the one Lierah occupied, and a single bookcase full of unimportant objects. He still wasn't sure why the latter was there. In any case, there was only one door, guarded on the inside by a Blade and on the outside (still inside Cinder Hall, though) by two more. Including him and Thane as well, there was no way this girl was going to escape...

As the woman opened her eyes, Delta spoke to her quietly, so as not to strain his ruined throat.

"Greetings again, m'lady... I hope Rodric didn't hurt you too bad." The lack of sympathy in his voice was quite apparent. "Nevertheless, here we are. I would tell you where 'here' was, but then I could never let you leave." He chuckled mirthlessly and sat down at the table, which was situated at an angle on the right side of the room. Her chair was in the center.

"Now. What is it that you wished to talk about?"

[Wattz]

Felicia felt unsure of what to do as the child Jacques clung to her, crying and begging for… well, she wasn’t quite sure herself. She hesitated, stammering a bit, and then bending down to pat the boy’s back as comfortingly as she possibly could as Daniel thundered with an impatient rage.

“I- it’s okay! I- I can see you! It’s okay, it was… just a dream.” Felicia continued to awkwardly pat his back, then withdrew as Trinity spoke instead. She was far more adept at this, far more capable of calming the child. Felicia felt a tug at her chest, seeing the child in such a fright. She did, however, lead Jacques over to the table, somewhere to sit, at least for now, hoping that he’d calm down for the moment. He was given soup, as was she, but she ignored it.

When Daniel suggested they move, Felicia felt… disconcerted. Sharon agreed too easily, and the sound of birds outside only added to the shiver down her back. “But… what then? If we keep moving around… won’t they just find us again? What’s the point?”

[choubead]

Returning the smile she couldn't help but laugh out loud. "It seems today is filled with more smiles than usual for me!" She said after letting out a sigh. The white haired girl followed the younger boy at his heels. Having stepped outside she relished the scent of the fresh air that came her way. Eumelia felt her uneasiness roll off her as if the cold air wanted to help relieve her of it. Looking around she admired the tall buildings that sprung from the snow sprinkled grounds.

It truly was a beautiful city she thought to herself. Not to mention this place was huge, one could find oneself in an adventure unwillingly. The sound of creaking wood came from her left, it was a swinging sign. The name caught her attention, “The Singing Mandrake.” She wondered if she could do some business there.

CAW CAW CAW

Ravens that the duo had seen before were perched on the many houses around them. Everything around her seemed to slow down as a black bird flew by in front of her face. She smelled a rancid odour even after it was gone. A feather drifted down onto the ground in front of her. Eumelia just stared at it with a wary eye. She hadn’t noticed that Jacob had walked so far away from her already.
Silence

The only thing she could hear was her own breathing. For a split second her vision turned grey and the wind picked up quite a bit. In a slight panic she cried out, "Jacob!" She ran the distance to him. She did not wanting to be alone at that moment.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah slowly returned to conscience from the Blade's blow to find herself sitting in front of the man she'd been chasing. Rubbing her temples she sat up.

"Greetings again, m'lady... I hope Rodric didn't hurt you too bad." The lack of sympathy in his voice was quite apparent. "Nevertheless, here we are. I would tell you where 'here' was, but then I could never let you leave." He chuckled mirthlessly and sat down at the table, which was situated at an angle on the right side of the room of which her chair was in the center.

Lierah did not respond not caring to provoke further small talk.

"Now. What is it that you wished to talk about?"

Finally they got down to business. Adjusting her position and the set of her breeches Lierah looked directly at the man.

"First why don't we share our names," she said flatly, "I'd rather have something to call you besides you or man or whatever else I could think to call you. I am Lucretcia. Though you may call me Luca if you so wish it, and you are?"

Lierah knew the man wouldn't give her a real name just as she hadn't given hers, but it would give them something to call each other.

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

Kain nodded at Trinity's words and turned as Sharon and Daniel entered. Sharon seemed to have calmed down and things were back to the newest form of normal. Pouring two more bowls of soup he placed them on the table for Sharon and Daniel pulling out their chairs. Walking to the door he looked about outside hoping to she Lierah approaching. That's when he saw the ravens.

CAW!

The sound was loud and sent a shiver down his spine. It was such a creepy sound. Not to mention it came from the most death associated creatures in the known universe. Creepy.

(As soon as Lierah and Delta are finished I'll post something about the ravens for her as well.)

[Kiall]

A gust of cold air blew past the white haired girl as she ran towards Jacob, kicking up a cloud of snow momentarily obscuring the image of the boy. When the snow finally cleared a robed figure stood beside the boy, a large sack slung over its shoulders. It wore a brown robe obscuring its features but oddly the hood part was a vibrant red and the hem was covered in white fluff. Jacob turned to Eumelia a frightened guilty look on his face.

“The boy tells me you are a new resident to this fair city, a traveler who has found herself trapped,” the hooded thing hissed its yellow eyes regarding her from the pitch blackness of its robe. One gloved hand reached in through the folds plucking out a small brass key enveloped in a roll of parchment. “A key to your new lodgings, the map will guide you there, you will find it warm with many of your earthly comforts already in place,” it said dropping the key and map in her hand.

It’s hooded face turned back to Jacob, “Now Buckrat boy! I have upheld my end of the contract, you will hold up yours!” Jacob looked up, “I know tha deal!” he retorted angrily, his gaze softening as he looked back at Eumelia. “I’m really sorry Eumelia, I wanted to spend more time with ya…But I doin think I’ll be able to. But at least I gotta new place for ya out of this huh?” Then when the hooded figure looked away Jacob gave her a sly grin and winked.

Opening its sack he plunged it over the boy enveloping him entirely before slinging it back over its shoulder. Strangely there was no struggle within and no sign of the boy could be seen within the burlap sack. “Well! I must be going! Enjoy your gift little girl…Ho! Ho! Ho!” The figure laughed bounding through the streets faster than any human.


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

Daniel had sat down to eat, listening vaguely to the conversation. He scoffed at Trinity’s accusation of him being a risk-taker, “Me? You’re the one who got suspended for two weeks for manhandling that poor injured man,” he said chuckling at the memory. He turned to Sharon explaining, “she though he was a drunk, turns out he had actually jumped three stories, ha ha! That’s why he was stumbling around and slurring his words!” He laughed loud and hard at the memory of her expression when she had learned the truth.

“Oohh..anyways Trin, no Palace life is cushy as all hell! You missed out, nothing to do but stand around and look mean, or escort one of the family around…” Shit he probably shouldn’t be talking about this with Felicia around. He turned hearing the princess speak. “We’ll be moving to a different part of the city Princess, they won’t be able to pinpoint us. Plus! The place I have in mind is much more populated it’ll be easier to lose ourselves in the crowd.” He explained smiling reassuringly.

“Somewhere near the edge of the city, close to the barrier I’m figuring we can find a way through there if anywhere.” He looked down noticing she hadn’t touched her soup, “come on eat up, you need to keep up your strength,” he said tapping the side of her bowl fussing over her. “Oh! Good news for you, I think we should drop the whole boy act, it’s not working that well and no one will notice another girl in the city.”

[The Imposter]

Jack listened to the stern warning of Daniel's thumps and sat queitly listening to everything. Was he hearing everything right? The Princess was here the whole time pretending to be a boy. They were going to move away from this place because someone else found out. He wanted to ask questions but Daniel's words of thumping kept him from saying anything. The words of the strange man he had saw when he first saw Sir Daniel and the other man rang in his mind: the princess for a wish....

'I wish I could find my parents...'

His voice was soft but still encapturing his youth. He took a quick look once he realized he spoke out loud to Daniel but no thumping took place. He wanted to speak further but was still cautious. The nervous energy soon becoming visible as he wiggled in his seat looking at the soup, he tried eating some but the words welling up inside of him could no longer be held in.

'Why didn't anyone tell me?!! Why did the princess hide who she was?! I know I'm a child, but that is just mean.....now everyone is moving away and going to leave me alone. You, you, you, and you are...are...are....monsters!'

His fingers pointed to everyone except Trinity. He shook his head and pulled his long blonde locks over his face. Hiding more tears as they fell down his face. If young Jacques would have understood irony he would have mentioned how he met a monster named Lizzy that was more sincere than these four. He couldn't understand why everyone would hide that from him, why pretend. Did they all think the young boy would tell others? He was reminded of his job as eyes for Thane. He thought for a second on mentioning it but knew it wasn't right, he couldn't tell anyone of the princess that strange man wanted her dead.

Still upset he peeked through his hair and grabbed his spoon continuing to eat some soup, it was pretty tasty after all.

[Jacogos]

"Lucretcia?" Delta mused to himself. Based on his observation of the woman, this was most likely not her real name. He was used to dealing with such, though, and of course she didn't trust him to use her real name. He took no offense.

"You'll know me as Delta, and him-" He gestured to his companion. "- as Thane." Thane was a name known to no one but James himself, at least in this city. He was a reclusive man at best, even during the 'normal times' not even a few months ago. Those who had done business with him would each know a different name anyway. The Blades wouldn't be talking to anyone, and the children only knew the two heads of Cinder Hall as Sir. And of course, no one outside the Thieves Guild knew the name 'Delta'. So James was quite certain that there was no backfire going on here.

"Now that that's out of the way... Lucretcia..." He almost sneered the name. "I assume whatever you have to say involves the little girl you seem to be protecting... Princess Felicia, is Thane's information is up to snuff." He knew the man's info was kosher. Thane rarely messed anything up, and if he had doubts, he'd say so.

Lierah sighed and closed her eyes in thought for a moment. How would she solve this problem? She knew threatening them would do nothing, but she had nothing to bargain with for their silence either. Perhaps they could come to some sort of an arrangement.

"Yes, you are correct," She said getting straight to the point, "our little chat will involve the things you have learned about her. I am hoping we can come to some sort of agreement between us in order to keep this a secret. So I ask this in all seriousness. What will it take, short of removing your tongues, to keep you silent?"

Lierah knew that the men wouldn't take her threat seriously being that they had removed her weapons, but she knew that if need be she could do so without a weapon. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

Delta chuckled lightly, not sure if the girl quite realized what she was suggesting.

"Oh yes, that's rich. Tell you what, girl, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret..." Delta leaned in as if he was going to whisper, a knowing grin on his face. He was still a good few feet away from her, so the motion was as pointless as acting like he was going to whisper. He didn't.

"There's a fucking wish on the line, woman!" He didn't shout, but there was a fire behind the words that said that he wasn't much up to negotiating the deal. "Anything I could ever want, I can have by turning that girl in to the madman up at the frozen tower." Delta paused, looking at the woman.

"So what on this cold icy earth could you possibly offer me to top that?"

Here Lierah had to smile and a dark chuckle escaped her lips.

"Now that is truly funny," she said smiling victoriously, "I really thought someone like you would be smarter than that. If this man- this thing, can give you one wish why stop there? Why not get more? Surely one wish would be nothing to him. He can probably make the wishes of all of us come true, and what's to say he won't just take her and kick you to the curb? No, you're smarter than that aren't you?"

Lierah's eyes bore into Delta's and she watched to see what his reaction would be. No doubt he was most interested in getting the reward and this might give her some time to get the princess moved and re-disguised. Then she'd just have to be more careful, they all would.

Delta rose an eyebrow at that, but his older partner cut him off.

"I always thought this was an interesting point," Thane interjected. "If he's powerful enough to grant us a wish to fulfill even our most wildest dream, how the hell is he not powerful enough to just find the girl himself? Nevertheless, we have discussed this before, girl. Whether the man's a joke or not, the chance, the merest glimmer of a possibility for eternal riches is certainly more than enough for the life of a single girl." Thane shrugged. "Business is business."

"Got any names for us, then? You know 'heartless bastards', 'fiends', 'cruel monsters'..." Delta said smoothly. "I'll go ahead and tell you, I've been keeping a list."

At this point Lierah's jaw was set angrily, but she decided to hold her tongue and be civil. She knew it would do nothing and she need to return home quickly. She would need to move everyone out tonight. Standing she gave the men a polite curtsy and turned to the door.

"Good evening gentlemen," she said curtly, "I hope you do not mind me showing myself out. I will not return and I hope for your sakes you do not cross my path again."

Delta nodded slightly and eyed Thane, who showed her the door. Upon reaching said door, it opened from the outside, where two Blades stood guard. As soon as Lierah crossed the door, the right Blade tossed a bit of dust-like stuff at her face. The world slowly began to fade as once again, Lierah blacked out.

She would wake up about an hour later, safe in a bed in an inn near the outskirts of Veingaden. The innkeeper would be only slightly baffled about the woman being there, but most likely would accept it as one of those weird things that seemed to happen lately.



Back at Cinder Hall, Delta dismissed the Blade that had transported the woman to the inn. He should have just stuck a knife into her spine and been done with it. Nothing dramatic, nothing overly flashy, just... shick, thud, done. Sighing, the master thief pondered his options now. He needed to get in touch with this... Mr. Dreams fellow... there had to be some way. But then, did he not need to know exactly where the girl was?

Swearing, James got up from the table and began to pace. Thane looked slightly concerned, but mostly tired.

"We don't know where she is, do we, sir?" Thane asked quietly.

"Gather the Eyes and Ears. I want a sweep of the Historical district and I want them all to know the girl's hidden looks and regular looks." With that, James began to run down what he had seen of the Princess and where she had last been seen. Hopefully, he could find the brat before the trail ran cold.

Meanwhile Lierah woke up in the in her mind quite addled by the dust. Shaking her head she remembered what she had done and what must now be done to prevent their discovery. Rushing out of the inn past the startled inn keeper she began to run back home to get everyone away. When she heard a loud caw from above she turned to see where it had come from. Three large black ravens sat on a nearby roof their beady eyes fixed upon her. Shivering Lierah turned and continued to run for home spurred on by the fear that she would not make it soon enough.

[choubead]

“Well! I must be going! Enjoy your gift little girl…Ho! Ho! Ho!”
Eumelia felt as if her hand was burning because of the map and key. Everything happened in a transition so fast, she didn't know what to make of things. She watched the strange...thing or person bounce off into the distance. Was this some botched up kind of humor or a prank someone was trying to play on her?

I’m really sorry Eumelia, I wanted to spend more time with ya…But I doin think I’ll be able to. But at least I gotta new place for ya out of this huh?

"What were you thinking," she said to no one in particular. The map felt brittle and old as she unfurled it. With the grip she was holding it with she thought she would tear it. "So stupid doing this for a complete stranger," Eumelia continued to mumble while placing the key in her bag. "I'll will find you again," the girl whispered. With that she set off, following the many twisting lines on the map. Now this trip of hers was an unpleasant one with the cold. Sure she might be getting used to it but it was still horrendous.

After what seemed to be hours she arrived at what seemed to be the back of an old house. Wooden stairs caked with snow creaked when Eumelia walked on them. There was one rusty knob and handle, other than that the door was bare. It was funny how everything went quiet again. Taking out the key from her bag she inserted it into the keyhole. One satisfying click later and the girl was in the house.

A small fire crackled in the fireplace in the corner. She took a moment to feel the homely atmosphere. Sitting down in a chair she wondered what she was going to do next. From the inside the building didn't look nearly as big as it was on the outside. Warmth seeped into her body and she relished in it. Slowly she started to fall asleep. Eumelia clutched onto her bag holding it close.

Maybe it was just her, but she swore there was the smell of soup in the air and voices speaking from behind a door.

[Kiall]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3xfp78lMp1r426wco1_1280.jpg

Chapter II


It was nighttime on the streets of Veingaden. Or at the very least a close facsimile of a night time considering it was always dark. The lamps had dimmed casting the empty streets in shadow. The city more or less slept except for one lone scraggly and disheveled boy that walked the streets. Jacob took a swig from the bottle in his hand as he made his way through the empty street.

“So I drank all of my money! And I slept out in the rain! Everday is different but the nights. They’re all the same! Ain’t never see tha sun on the old black rum! But I’m gonna do it again!” He sang happily his voice louder than it probably should have been. But he didn’t care, he finally made it back to the real world, plus! He had found a bottle of somethin or other that wasn’t quite empty! “Because old black rum’s got a hold on me! Like a dog wrapped round me leg, and the old black rum’s got a hold on me! Will I live for another day? Heeeeeyyy! Will I live fer another day!” He laughed and hiccupped feeling very good about himself. He was surprisingly warm considering what a cold night it was..and oh dear he seemed to have fell into the snow.

He snorted laughter which was slightly muffled by the snow and turned onto his back. He sighed looking up at the dancing stars as he took another chug from the bottle watching the little pinpricks of light whirl and move in the night sky. The scene was interrupted by a surging black cloud that moved fast overhead. “Geeze, she’s still scouting out the place? Ole Rossy must really want someone dead.” He shrugged taking another gulp, whatever it wasn’t his problem, he might as well just stretch out here for a bit then look for Eumelia sometime in the morning.

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

Daniel yawned his hand moving to rub at his eyes as he continue to jot down notes. He had indeed found a new place for them to live. A nice little apartment right above one of the busiest sections of the city The Market. It was small and under furnished, having only a single living area, a kitchen and one bedroom. Sharon and Felicia shared the bedroom while Daniel normally just fell asleep on the chair in the kitchen. Not that he got much sleep, he had been working hard trying to find a way out of the city. He was close to a breakthrough though!

There was something in the historical ring which was said to be able to break past whatever barrier. Getting inside the historical ring was a problem though, being a frozen hell-scape. Finding a reliable sort to go into the ring and paying them was proving to be a challenge. “So the Fisher Kings are asking for two hundred and fifty jade pieces, and what I have left of my Rust Gold gets five pieces for every ten, I can..I can” he yawned his head dipping. He jerked it back up blinking bleary eyed. He resisted but his head was moving down regardless, he landed softly on the pile of papers and began to snore pen still in hand.


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

The cloud of black birds soared effortlessly over the city, heading to the still bright lights of Cinder Hall. They moved to the top of a building the cloud dispersed the ravens flying every which way reveling inside a regale looking woman stepped out. The Queen stared off into the distance, her red hands looking quite slick and wet moved to her hips as her foot tapped impatiently against the roof.

She made no movement as a pitch black raven landed on her bare shoulder flicking back her white hair with its beak and moving to her ear. So he was still here? Sloppy… He put too much faith in his anonymity. The princess was no longer in the watchmaker’s house, and the damned guard hadn’t deemed to mention aloud where he was moving her so of course she did not know.

Either he was a master tactician…The Queen snorted in derision at the thought. Or more likely had not known where they had been moving until he had gotten there. But she didn’t have to find her, she’d come to her eventually if she smoked her out. The princess had left a trail, all she had to do was find a link and pull. Her foot tapped at a faster pace as her impatience grew, where was that damnable man?

[Jacogos]

James exited Cinder Hall with a sigh, glad to be out of that stuffy wooden jail again. All of his pilferings from the party had been given to Thane for selling and all the information the others needed was safely in their hands as well. He had two Blades shadowing him at the moment, but they wouldn't act unless necessary. Delta was far beyond capable of handling himself.

What bothered the man at the moment though was the eerie darkness that seemed to permeate the air. Of course, it was ALWAYS dark around here, but for some reason, he got a vibe of it being nighttime...

The Queen spotted her target leaving seemingly alone. She knew he was being shadowed, her little minions were in every nook and cranny of the street nothing happened without her seeing it. Clever of him to be so careful though, but unfortunately cleverness would not help him. She tilted her head once and a great surge of black ravens hurled themselves towards the thief.

They covered him entirely his body disappearing in the massive swarm. All at once the ravens flew off the street now bare for they had carried off the young man. A thousand talons clasped at his clothes and body boring him high to the roof of a building. They dispersed partially allowing his body to be revealed his arms and legs still held by the ravens making him hover inches from the floor. The Queen stood in front of him a small smirk on her face. “Hello James,” she said calmly as her bright red hand clasped his chin her blue eyes staring into his. “A little bird told me you were looking for someone…”

Delta wasn't quite sure which was more surprising: that the woman had apparently brought him here with a murder of crows, or that she knew his name. While he was still getting over the traumatic experience of being manhandled by a flock of carrion-eaters, he blurted out, "How do you know my name?"

Forcing himself into a state of calm, Delta eyed the woman with more than a hint of mistrust. He was still being held by the crows - or were they ravens? - which didn't let him move very much, but he could still take the woman in her entirety. Whatever she was, she scared the daylights out of him. At night. Good one, brain... he thought.

The Queen’s smile widened showing a perfect row of white teeth, “I’m a very good information broker.” She patted the young man’s cheek condescendingly, while her hands were wet with blood none of it got on his face, “besides you’re not as subtle as you think.” She turned away from him looking out over the city a raven landing on her outstretched hand.

“I know that you are not a native of Veingaden that you came here on the day of that little festival. Oh and I know all about your little operation, using urchins to gather information for you, It’s…quaint.” She flicked her head back towards him his body still upheld by a swarm of ravens, her eyes gleamed as she gave him another wry smile. “I also know that you have been searching for a certain wayward princess…very ambitious of you.”

Raising her crimson hand she snapped her fingers instantly the cloud of ravens around him dispersed letting him slump to the ground. The birds then all crowded around the floor of the roof all of them regarding the man with red eyes. “Let me cut to the point,” she said standing over him. “The princess…is mine, and you..Are going to help me catch her. Do you understand?”

Okay, so the blood on her hand... Wasn't real? He caught himself feeling his face for streaks of blood that weren't there, and stopped himself. Standing slowly, James continued to eye the woman suspiciously. How did she know all of this? There was no way anyone could be so knowledgeable...

"I think you misunderstand your advantage, miss..." Delta said slowly. "There's no way you could know all of that and not know where the Princess is..." Why was he feeling so defiant all of a sudden? He knew better! He had gotten himself out of stickier situations with just a bit of tact, not blatant comments!

"I keep my operation cleaner than that girl keeps her nose. There is no possible way for you to know all that without knowing secrets that even I don't know." He stared the woman down now, daring her to make a move towards him. Even if he was ripped to shreds by those birds, his dagger would end her just as quickly.

The Queen blinked before beginning to giggle, her hands moving to her mouth stifle it as she continued to giggle with delight. “Oh my dear boy! Did you..did you think I needed your help finding her?” Her giggles became guffaws at the thought her body shaking from suppressed laughter. It would be a trifle to locate her really, hardly worth the effort when she had a much more intricate plot in mind. She finally managed to get herself under control her arms moving back down to her side. “you make me laugh so I’ll ignore your rude tone.”

With inhuman speed her foot covered in a black slipper connected with the young man’s head knocking him to the ground her foot firmly planted on his face. The birds began to caw excitedly moving towards his body holding him down their claws sinking deeply into his flesh drawing blood. “I will not forgive the arrogance though, that makes you think you can question ME!” She shrieked staring down at him, her eyes full of hate. “Listen here peasant. I have been peering into the dark places of the world before you even slithered out on your mother’s filth! In some barn or another! You are a tool! A crude thing that does not question but obeys! I could kill you easily and replace you with some other lowly blade, your life depends now on how you useful to me you can be!”

She stared down as she finished, her foot slowly lifting from his cheek as she stepped away. The ravens stayed on him though still cawing excitedly as if sensing their mistress’s mood. “Listen carefully I will not repeat myself,” she said her voice calm again.

“The watchmaker Lierah, go to her house, I know you have her address. Find her bedroom, and then slit her throat. Deeply, as in to the bone, I want it to take at least a day for her to recover. Go tonight and alone, kill anyone that gets in your way permanently or otherwise it does not matter. Have I made myself clear?” she asked her ravens still on top of him until he had consented verbally.

Delta had no choice, it seemed. His entire being seared with the desire to run the bitch through, but now was not the time... No... He'd have his time. For now, though, it was time to play the willing servant... Oh, but how this role chafed his acting skills...

"Crystal clear, my Lady..." He managed through the pain, humbling tones lacing his voice as his acting courses back in "thief school" payed off. And by 'thief school', he meant years upon years of practice while pursuing his career. "I shall obey... The girl will not see the dawn..." He had momentarily forgotten the rules of death in his new persona, but hopefully the woman would take it in tow. Yes... All he had to do was bide his time.

The Queen favored him with a wry grin. “Very good, one last thing though…” she pointed her finger down towards the street below at the Blades who was still looking for their boss. Instantly her flock of ravens surged forward covering the man who shrieked in pain as hundreds of claws and beaks tore into his skin. The great mass convulsed as the man struggled in front of both their eyes before going still.

Eventually the ravens dispersed revealing what was left of him, strips of flesh clung to the man’s skeleton his skin peeled off completely leaving only muscle and organs. Blood pooled along the streets as the Queen looked back at James a wild look in her eyes. “You take one step back! Double cross me! or try to fool me in any way! And I will make what took minutes for him last for hours!” She barked a single red finger pointing at him. Her birds flew towards her covering her body in flapping wings causing her to hover above him, “my eyes are everywhere, never forget that boy! Now go!” With that the ravens covered the rest of her in a cloud of flapping wings before flying off into the sky.

Delta stood slowly, sparing a single glance for his butchered Blade. Bile rose up in his stomach and he forced himself to look away. What a horrible way to die... And die he did. Even in this deathless world... He shuddered. That was one less hand he had to do his work. Delta's face twisted into a silent snarl. He dared not speak aloud, but he wordlessly swore that that woman would pay for the death of his Blade.

You aren't so far above me that you don't bleed as well, bitch!!

With a swish of his cloak, Delta turned and made his way down to the snowy ground again, hell bent on the direction of Lierah's house.

[kagomri]

Lierah sighed and adjusted the false glasses on her face. It made her look almost identical to the mousy, shy girl that ran the cities library. It wasn't that she was trying to hide persay, but just not to be noticed. The library girl had always been someone no one else noticed. They would all just glance at her realize who it was and look away. She wasn't important to anyone else. She was quiet, stand-offish, and always buried in her books. Lierah had learned quite differently though. The girl was smart. She was cunning, self-sufficient, and stealthy. This made Lierah smile a little as she tucked the small package closer to her chest. She had been quite preoccupied with her own thoughts lately. Even her watches had fallen into neglect. That wasn't what she was doing now though.

Daniel had taken Felicia away from the shop before she had returned home. She knew it was the right thing for him to do, but she did still wish she had been there. She worried about them. About Felicia being exposed, about Daniel getting hurt, about what had transpired on the spire. She would make up for it now. The box at her chest would assure her of that. Inside were sthree items. A watch, a box of gourmet truffles, and a note. The watch and note were for Daniel, and the truffles for Felicia. The watch was a special model that Lierah had only just barely mastered. It's design and workings were impossibly intricate and small. It's purpose? There were five hands and instead of numbers it had locations. Home, Market, Cinder Hall, Castle, Library, etc. One location was a bit odd though. It read Lost. The five hands were all in different locations according to where the names of those on them actually were. Three pointed toward Market and two towards Home. Ofcourse the names on the hands were Lierah, Felicia, Kain, Sharon, and Trinity. The truffles were the best in Veingaden. They had cost a pretty penny, but with her rust gold she had plenty to spring for it. It would be the most like those served in the castle. Most like home for Felicia. The most comforting. Finding herself at her destination Lierah looked about and climbed up to the second story window and opened it's shutters placing the package inside. Whistling a short tune to alert Daniel or Felicia she dropped down and walked away calmly so as to not raise suspicion of her though she would most likely be mistaken for the librarian if she did. Thinking of the notes she recalled her words:

Daniel,

I know I'm probably the last person you want to hear from, but I feel there are things that were left unsaid between us. First of all I'm sorry. What happened on the Spire was an accident. I had not intended to fight you, and I had not intended to drop you off the building. I can only be thankful that this strange new state of Veingaden has prevented you or anyone from dying. I hope you can forgive me for that error if judgement. Second I want you to know that if you or Felicia ever needs help you have only to ask. Kain and I both will do everything we can to help keep Felicia safe. I hope this dissolves any hard feelings between us.

Sincerely,
Lierah

The words weren't enough, but she had a feeling they wouldn't be the last. For now she had unfinished business and his name was still a mystery to her, but that would probably stay that way. Still those deep green eyes had followed her in her sleep and she knew she hadn't seen the last of him. Hopefully he would forget about Sharon entirely....

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

Kain sat up in bed and coughed. Laying back down he scruche his eyes up and groaned.

"Ugh I feel like poo," he whined pathetically, "how can I still get sick when no one can die? Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggh!"

"Stop whining." Sharon scolded, wandering over. She slapped a pillow over his face. "Since you're awake, I guess you save me the trouble of folding the bed spreads."

When he did not reply, Sharon shooed him off the mattress. "Up, up!" She swiftly pulled the sheets from underneath his body, Kain rolled onto the floor, surprised and startled out of his slumber.

Sharon placed her hands on his forehead. He had a mild fever, it seemed; his skin was starting to burn up. But then again, she had just returned from outside. Her own hands were cold. Frowning, she squatted down infront of him and continued to analyze his temperature with her hands. They shifted in position: going from the left side to the right, from up to down. And finally the center.

She froze.

An intense degree of hotness suddenly eased in. It felt as hot as a blue fire-- she nearly drew her hand back, but as quickly as it had burned up, it reached a stage of sudden cooling. It balanced the two extreme temperatures so that it was indistinguishable whether it was hot or cold.

She sucked in a quick breath and drew her hand back.
"You're really sick, sweetheart." she said flatly. Trying to remain indifferent. TO not seem taken aback.

There was absolutely nothing sweet about her tone of voice.

"No duh sweet cakes," Kain grumbled from the floor, "I wouldn't be complaining otherwise. Ugnnn. Ooooooooooohh......Sharon I think I'm gonna be sick......ooooooogh."

Kain rolled over onto his side and clutched at the sides of his head. He was burning up and it hurt to move. Everything that touched him brought on pain. Even Sharon's soft touches caused him pain. What was going on? Now sounds were starting to garble together and not make sense. He couldn't stand it, but there was nothing he could do.

"What is this," he said barely above a whisper, "I wish I could just die already. If these were normal circumstances I would be dead already. I just want it to stop...."

Sharon's lips tightened. "You shall say no such thing." She said with her back to him. Closing her eyes, she sent a quiet prayer to the heavens in secret.

She then fled the room and quickly returned a few seconds later with a cold wet dishcloth. "I couldn't find anything else. This has to do for now." She placed the towel gently on his forehead with steady fingers. She did not wish to make any skin on skin contact. The thought of it just made her little self start to burn up.

Standing up, she took a few strides to the door and was about to exit when she stopped and looked back.

Kain actually looked miserable. Tied to the bed, not being able to move...


"Can I get you anything?" she uttered, offering some help.

"Ah maybe just bring in some snow from outside or something," he joked from the bed, "or an icicle from the roof would be nice. Ha ha you worry too much. I'll be alright. It just sucks. Ugh. When was Lierah supposed to get back?"

"I'm home," Lierah called from downstairs as she returned from the market.

"Speaking of our lovely lady of the house," Kain chuckled in an attempt to make Sharon worry less, "Thank you Sharon you really have been helpful."

She nodded, and descended the stairs to retrieve Lierah from the cold.

"Leirah. Thank the heavens--just what were you thinking when you chased down that man?" Sharon took the watchmaker's hand in her own and noticed two things: she had with her a new watch with intricate designs, and her wrists had rope marks on them, as if she had been tied.

Normally she would have been furious and worried, but ever since the city's first snow storm Sharon seemed to have controlled herself from further yelling and scolding. "Kain was worried. I was worried. You had everyone worried."

Just then, Sharon spotted a crow outside the window. It perched on a tree and tilted its head, as if straining to listen to the conversation. It was silly to think it was the same bird she and Daniel have spotted since they all looked indifferent from each other, but recently she had the feeling that she was being watched. As if someone knew her whereabouts.

Marching to the window, she yanked the curtains closed and went over to lock the front door. She did this with such purpose, as if everything was okay as long as they were isolated from the outdoors.

Sharon stood there for a second, then rushed back upstairs without a word to do the same in all the bedrooms.

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

Lierah didn't say a word when Sharon began to question her and continued her silence after the questions stopped. She had been watching the crow at the window since it started to follow her once she left the market. Now here it was at her home. Staring. Listening. When Sharon began moving about to lock all the doors and windows Lierah started to remove her coat and scarf. Slowly. Lethargically. She knew what was to come, and she didn't want Sharon involved. She didn't want it to happen but there was no delaying the inevitable. Walking upstairs she saw Sharon locking up the window at the end of the hall where another crow had just flown over to land.

"Sharon," Lierah said quietly but forcefully, while the redhead lifted a glass plate from the window sill to lock the window. "Go tend to Kain. Close the door behind you and lock it. Don't come out if you hear anything. Wait until you are absolutely certain it's only me outside the door. Go now."

The plate dropped from her grip and clashed onto the floor. The sound of the impact echoed off the walls and outside the house. The sound of wings flapping indicated that the startled crow was about to take off, but stopped.

A shaken Sharon slowly turned around to face Lierah. She was completely bewildered. "What is this Leirah? What's going to happen?" She paced around the room, thoughts suddenly floated in her head. Questions, questions she was dying to know. Anxiety rose up in her throat. She was not going to bite it down. It was to much to hold in and it was suffocating her.
"A-Am I being chased? Are we going to be robbed of our life once again?!"

Leirah made a motion to calm her down but Sharon snapped.

"No Leirah! No more secrets! I have never felt so perturbed in my entire life. Tell me what the bloody hell is going on!"

A loud crash came from downstairs and the room became deathly silent. Neither girls could breathe.

Sharon's lips trembled, her terrified stare looked up at her friend, then moved to Kain who sat up in bed. And for a moment she seemed so small and fragile, as if her unbreakable outer shell shattered and the little girl hiding inside was waiting for the world to collapse. Lierah sighed in an attempt to relax somewhat. No more secrets...that was certainly a tall order especially with a possible intruder already within the house. Grabbing Sharon's hands she led her to the bed an looked them both directly in the eyes.

"I won't keep secrets anymore I promise," Lierah said calmly grabbing Kain's hand as well, "to both of you. As soon as I take care of this little problem I'll never keep a secret ever again. As for what's happening I believe that someone wants me dead and if I'm correct the same person may want Sharon dea too if he sees her. I don't want either of you to get involved. I don't think he'll actually kill me, however. I think he may just be out for revenge, but I still have a bad feeling about it. We may not be able to die, but it would be quite difficult to come bak from being minced meat. If that happens I want you both to do everything you can to hide and stay safe. I wouldn't forgive myself if I caused your deaths. Now I have to go. Do not follow me, and do not open this door. Please, it's for your own safety."

"I'll never understand how you stay so calm Lierah," Kain said gripping her hand so she couldn't leave, "but I cant just sit here and let you do this on your own. It's too dangerous."

"You haven't much of a choice."

Leirah turned to go but Sharon caught her sleeve and pull on it firmly. The two women stared at each other's eyes. She just needed a confirmation. A sign that Leirah knew what she was doing. What her action may result in. And in that split second, she found her answer.

Leirah quietly stepped out into the hallway, shut the door behind her.


The room went still. Sharon turned her to Kain with wide eyes. The biggest remorse ever felt tugged at her heart.

"I hope you're right," Kain whispered quietly understanding the glances that had been exchanged, "I really hope you're right....."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I hope I know what I'm doing." A woman in a cloak said. She carried with her a weaved basket in one hand, a new born baby in her other arm. Her voice was broken and she cried as she carefully bent down and set the basket aside. She caressed the baby's soft skin. She kicked her hand away and shifted on its side. Its eyes looked at the ocean laid out before them. The surface was dark and not shiny at all. The skies were grey and pregnant with rain. Not far, a large camp of imprisonners settled down for the night and built a fire. Tomorrow they strike down her city. There was nowhere far enough to seek refuge. It left her with no choice.

The mother kissed her child's forehead and sang:




Hush now my baby
Be still, love, don't cry
Sleep as you're rocked by the stream
Sleep and remember
My last lullaby
So I'll be with you when you dream

River, o river
Flow gently for me
Such precious cargo you bear
Do you know somewhere
she can live free?
River, deliver her there...



A tiny lad stepped out from behind and watched. He recognized this woman. She worked for the another rich family but she worked like a slave; a mistreated servant by day and an exhausted mother by night. She had sent him bread that she snuck from their house during the winter. He had never seen her in any other occasion.

Except now.

She stepped out into the river. The water soaked her clothes--but there was nothing much left to lose. A few meters deep into the river, she bowed her head in the moonlight and sent a final prayer. She kissed the baby, who stared behind and back at the little boy, gave a gentle squeeze, and eventually pushed the basket away.

Sharon floated down the river.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It came flooding back like a dream.
Sharon dropped out of bed, and scrambled away from Kain, towards the door. Does he know? Does he remember? Or has she gone mad?





Outside the door Lierah squared her shoulders and began to walk down the hall which seemed forever long with due to the situation that lay at the end of it....

[choubead]

A slight yawn came from the crumpled figure on the chair. Eumelia rubbed her bleary eyes and stretched her aching body. It never does good to fall asleep on something hard and stiff. The fire had long gone out, but the embers were still faintly glowing and small columns of smoke curled upwards. The girl tilted her head to the side and just sat there for a moment, in thought. She had many things to say to that boy, Jacob. But there was a terrible feeling that made her believe she won't be able to. At least she was able to put use to what was given to her.

Eumelia stood up and decided to get to know the place she was in better, the depressing thoughts can wait a bit longer. It'll end up nagging her in the back of her mind either way. After a few minutes one obvious things was that, the house was worn and had lost its grand luster. Maybe the first step was to make this place sparkle, but she'd have to earn a few more sparkling coins first. Which brought up the memory of the swinging sign with "The Singing Mandrake" written on it.

No, the girl wasn't sure what happens there, though it was worth the risk to maybe peek inside. Or be safe and just stay a little ways off and set up, the place seemed like it would have a large amount of people. Which meant good things. Grabbing her bag and cloak, she exited the building and locked it. Looking around, she wasn't surprised at the lack of people. Eumelia stepped onto the snow ridden ground and covered herself with her cloak. Thankfully the street in front of the house was on a road she had been on, which is funny considering how long it took her to find the building.

As she was walking she heard voices speaking. "She's back," they would rasp out, "She'll kill her". They just wouldn't stop, and it was like they clung to her very being. Who were they talking about? It spooked Eumelia and hearing things wasn't making her experience in this city any better. Shivering, she forced herself to ignore it-- until something hissed in her ear.

"The Red Handed Queen."

[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."

[Jacogos]

As Delta leaned against the glass window it began to emit a faint tapping noise. A large black raven was hitting the glass with its beak; two more came and began to start doing so as well. Delta, fearing for his sanity, began slowly backing up, but his lackluster efforts to escape proved useless. Soon a swarm was flying towards the window smashing their beaks against. Finally the glass shattered and ravens engulfing Delta’s body in a torrent of black feathery bodies, covering the room and scattering papers and dislodging various items. Quickly as they appeared they left, surging out the window as a single black mass their loud cawing echoing through the night sky.

Delta recovered from the shock of being covered in a mass of crows quickly, taking a moment to look at the damage, then jumped as he realized he was no longer alone. Sitting in his chair behind his desk was the Queen. She was holding a bottle of liquor taken from the bottom shelf of Delta’s desk and was pouring it into a small cup. Placing the stopper back on she gulped down the contents of the glass in one gulp, her face portraying not so much as a grimace as she placed the bottle on the table. “Veingaden liquors are so watered down,” she muttered in disapproval. “Took you long enough to kill her James,” she said in a louder voice looking up at him from his chair. “You didn’t fall for her or anything so cliché did you?” She asked smirking.

Sighing in disappointment of himself at failing to realize this would probably happen, Delta stood where he was and gazed at the woman, looking outwardly unperturbed at her sudden interruption of his thoughts and invasion of his privacy. The liquor he could care less about.

"Not so easily as that, madame," James said monotonously, careful to leave any sarcasm out of his voice, leaving the dry words in place. "I can only assume you are here to give me further instructions, or are you just here to sample my alcohol?" He couldn't help the sting there. Perhaps she'd forgive it... He hardly expected it to make her laugh, like he could with wide-eyed girls in the cellars of their rich masters.

The Queen chuckled, “a little of column A, a little of column B…” she retorted one crimson finger circling the edge of the glass. Her eyes darted about examining the room, “it does not smell as much like manure as I had expected,” she said seemingly to herself. James's eye twitched at the comment, but he kept silent. She had to wonder if he gave a thought to why she had sent him on that little errand. It certainly hadn’t been to kill her, though in the end it didn’t really matter what the pawn thought, so long as he did what she said and thought he was being oh so clever by doing so…

“Your next target, is a former guard named Daniel, Daniel Blenven? You met him awhile ago, but you’ve been busy since then I doubt you remember,” she said smirking. “I’m sure a man of your resources can find him easily. Though I want you to be a bit more subtle with this one, I don’t want to watch another scene like the one with the damn watchmaker,” she said her crimson hand coming up and flapping up and down as if it was a mouth talking, as she mouthed the words ‘blah blah blah’ for emphasis. Pausing from her mocking gesture she pulled a bottle of black liquid, the one she had bought from Sir Port using his Blades’ soul. “Black Absinthe,” she said as she placed it on the table. “Tasteless, odorless, and outside the bottle completely colorless, a single drop in his food or drink should kill him,” she said only the last part being a lie, it was not a poison per se, but he would not find that out until he got the fool to drink it.

James eyed the bottle from his place across the room, having only heard rumors of such a poison before. In his line of work, poison was useful only in very rare instances, and so he was inexperienced with such things. He could only trust the woman's word, which he wouldn't bring himself to do. It would do what she wanted it to do, he supposed, and that would be that.

“Here,” she continued, placing a small white and gold mask (http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=7563858) on the table alongside the bottle. “To help with your anonymity, it is called The Mask of Faces. Place it on and close your eyes and think of a person, does not matter who. When your eyes open again all will see you as that person,” she left out the fact that while it would fool her as well, it would not fool her ravens, and she knew everything they knew. “Do you have any questions about your new assignment?” she asked leaning back in his chair.

He eyeballed the mask. All would see him as such? She wouldn't give him something that would allow him to slip out of her grasp. Either she trusted him enough not to, or there was a catch that either allowed her to see him as he was, or something similar. Perhaps there was a tell in the appearance that only she knew... There was certainly something to speculate there...

"My second, the one you would know as Thane... him knowing what I am doing would make everything run a lot smoother..." he was taking a gamble here, but if she allowed it... "He reports only to me, he answers only to me and anyone above me-" he had to tag that in to cover his ass with her. "- and allowing him in would help me get this information faster." He didn't ask the question. He wouldn't demean himself in doing so. She would know was he was asking.

The Queen raised an eyebrow at his suggestion, was he serious? “Ah yes, and I suppose while i’m watching you, this Thane character can plot out some revenge scheme? Hmm?” She began to laugh a harsh mocking laugh, “Do you..can you even comprehend how old I am?!” she jeered in between several giggling fits. “I have had to work with thousands of men just like you! You’re not even unique! Just another two bit blade I’ve conned into doing my dirty work.” Her laughter died as her face grew stern. “Whatever ideas of revenge you have, drop them. When you inevitably die young in some filthy gutter, I will still be on this earth, and I will whistle a happy tune as I step across your grave!” She said a wild grin across her face.

“Tell anyone of me and I will not only kill you, but everyone associated with you! All who know the name Delta or James will die, and I will make you watch as I peel away their skin!” She paused leaning back, “so don’t forget, even if you can’t see me...” she said snapping her fingers. Instantly ravens poured into the room covering the entire area once again in their feathery bodies, “I’m always watching!” her howling voice seeming to fill the room. The ravens began to pour out of the room in mass, leaving as quickly as they came leaving Delta alone.

Standing with a face livid with rage, James said nothing for a long moment. It didn't matter how long she had lived, to him. To him, he didn't care if she was the creator of the universe itself. The only thing he cared about was the look on her face when he drug his dagger across her eyes and watched as the blood pooled in her gaping, screaming mouth. She may have lived longer than him, but she would rue the day she thought she would live after him.

Taking the two gifts in hand, Delta secreted them among his clothes for the next day, then settled down into a short, fitful sleep. In the morning... In the morning, he would begin his new task.

[Kiall]

Daniel blinked still trying to erase the grogginess he felt as he listened. She was incredibly spooked that much was obvious, a twinge of alarm was sounding off just seeing her this nerve wracked. He scarcely got the last bits she was talking so fast, sounding like she was on the verge of tears. Sighing he picked himself up before wrapping her arms around her in a hug. “I’m not going anywhere Felicia,” he whispered rocking back and forth as he held her, forgetting for once to use ‘your highness’ or ‘princess’. “Whatever happens, I swear you’ll never have to face it alone,” he said leaning back to look at her giving a comforting smile. “Have I ever told you about the dreams I’ve been having?” He asked.

“I always end up on some strange cliff overlooking the sea during a rainstorm. The funny thing is..I can feel the rain beating down on my skin, the cold wind gusting, I can actually smell the sea salt in the air and the humidity! It’s incredibly vivid,” he explained shuddering at the memory of it. “One time…I fell, I could hear the wind whistling past me and could see the rocks rushing towards me, I could even feel the sharp pain as my skull cracked on the rocks, but I still woke up,” he pondered for a second how he should say this before continuing.

“I think our dreams may be more vivid now, and you’ve been under a lot of stress and fear, it might have been a vivid nightmare after all why would he come all this way just to taunt you?” He explained feeling comforted by his reasoning. His hand moved to stroke her cheek briefly before sitting back down in his chair. “You really should go back to sleep princess, you need your rest but if you want to stay up and talk through the night we can, your choice okay?”

[Wattz]

Felicia was almost grateful that Daniel had pulled away from the hug. Though hierarchy had been long since thrown out the window, he was still a knight, and reminded of this, Felicia still felt like a princess. Though her hair was gone and her dresses were buried beneath snow and rubble a few miles away, she knew nothing but a pampered lifestyle for all her years. She hugged Sharon with ease, but never once had she created such kinship with a member of the royal guard.

His dream sounded so curious, yet she was still skeptical to simply accept these as mere imaginations. Felicia thought about every dream she had had since the snow storm, how Sharon had been in one, and how very real they all felt. But to bother Daniel with such conspiracies would only make him laugh, and ridicule was not something Felicia wished to subject herself to. She shook her head after he suggested she return to sleep.

"No... I don't think I'll be going back to sleep just yet. I would like to stay awake for a while longer."

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah was still awake when the sun began to rise outside. Her body was sore from her wounds, but it was nothing she could not handle for what she had planned. Lifting herself quietly from the chair she glanced over at Kain who had fallen asleep on the couch. He had stayed awake keeping an eye on her condition until his body gave in to his own illness and he fell asleep. She could hear his breathing was ragged and knew he would need medicine to improve. It was a perfect cover for her true intent. At least it would keep them from following her for some time. Sighing she made her way to her work room and pulled out a piece of parchment.

Headed to the market for medicine. Stay in the house and keep the doors and windows closed. Do not open the door for anything. Not even me. I will be back when I have the medicine.

Lierah

Standing up stiffly Lierah walked back into the main room and placed the note in the chair she once occupied. Wrapping herself in a cloak she slipped out the door and into the quiet snow covered street. The cold bit into her more now than it had in the many times she had been outside since this whole ordeal had started. Drawing the cloak close around her she let out a shaky breath and headed toward the Singing Mandrake. She knew it wasn’t where he had taken her, but it was as good a place to start as any. Someone there may have seen him.

A couple of hours later Lierah left the Mandrake disappointed. No one there had seen any sign of the man. Or at least if they had none would tell her. Perhaps she was searching in the wrong places though. Sighing Lierah began to think of where she might the information.

“I can help you,” the voice came from a hooded individual leaning against the wall in a nearby alley, “for a price.”

“What might that price be,” Lierah said moving cautiously toward the individual, “I will only pay if the price is fair.”

“Of course M’lady,” the individual said giving a mock bow, “I only ask for your bag of coin. All of it.”

“Deal,”Lierah said pulling out the small bag of coin she had brought with her from the day before, “the information good sir.”

“Cinder Hall,” the man said surprised at Lierah’s willingness to give up coin, “I believe the individual you seek is renting a room at Cinder Hall.”

Lierah nodded and tossed the man her coin. Not wanting to waste any more time she headed straight for Cinder Hall. The Hall was mostly empty when she arrived. A few servants and maids milled about cleaning and reordering the Hall. None paid attention as Lierah walked in silently making her way to the back. Speaking to one of the servants on the way back she had them point out which one of the rooms Delta had rented. Hesitating for a few moments at the door she reached out and knocked three times.

'This is suicide,' her thoughts screamed 'He's going to kill you!'

Lierah let out a deep breath and straightened her back preparing for what was to come. She needed answers. There was no turning back. She had to do this.

[kagomri]

Sharon woke up with a start. Another night, another nightmare. This one was different. Nothing was horrific. No dead bodies, no scarred inhuman faces...but this one was particularly memorable. Partly because the people she knew played a role in it, and the other reason....she's never felt so anxious and desperate before. In the dream she was chasing Leirah down a long set of halls. She kept reappearing and disappearing wherever Sharon looked, and every time she thought she finally had caught the watchmaker, Sharon sees a glimpse of her hair, or a purple cloak flutter around the corner. She felt like she was being deceived. She felt like she was running in circles. But time was running out. Now come to think of it, she couldn't remember why she was hunting that crazy woman down anyways.
-------------------
"Son of a....." She swore as she tore the yellow note left by Leirah in half. How can she just leave the day after she recovers from her wounds? She cursed and shook Kain awake with no success. She'd rather stab herself in the eye with a fork.

He's dreaming, she realized. In such a profound stage of sleep that nothing can wake him up.

"Kain." She said grasping his head with her two hands, which were shaking. "Kain, I'm going to hunt down Leirah if its the last thing I do. She's fled the house again and I am not going to let her do it, whatever she's doing. i know she knows something we don't." She took a deep breath. "If you care, you'll find me soon. I know you can find me."

She threw on a cloak, Sir port's red stockings, and ran towards the singing mandrake. Sir port wasn't present and neither was Leirah. She exited and was about to head towards the fighting ring when she saw somebody huddling behind a large bank of snow.

It must've sensed her too, because it said, "I will tell you where she is, for a good price."

She didn't bring any money. Instead she slid her cloak up to expose her red, hypnotic stockings.


"No Sir," she said, hissing the words out. "I don't think you have a choice. Where. Is. That. Son of a gun."

---------------------------
Sharon soon found herself in the long royal halls of Cinder Hall, reliving her very own nightmare.

"Leirah!" She cried out, almost in agony. She could only hear the echoes of her own scream.

[AliceMalice15]

The door opened and Thane peered out with a curious look on his face, a crumpled piece of paper with writing on it gripped tightly in his hand. At the sight of Lierah, the man's eyebrows furrowed cautiously, but he stood there a moment before finally speaking.

"Delta was right to be wary of you... How you found us is beyond me, but either way it doesn't help you. Delta's out, And before you ask, no, I don't know where he's gone."

"Then might I wait for him," Lierah asked softly, "no doubt he'll need to come back to rest. I assume you realize I'm not here to bring harm to either of you. I merely wish to discuss some information with Delta. This way I might be certain to come across him instead of searching the city to find him. It was difficult enough finding him here."

Thane studied the woman for a moment before shaking his head with a sigh. "I don't suppose it would bring much harm..." he said, moving away from the door and into the room. Seating himself at the desk, he studied the crumpled paper he still held.

"Who are you to be so knowledgeable of Veingaden? You found Delta here, you've hidden the Princess almost flawlessly, you are a more than capable fighter, hell I'd almost go so far as to say you're perfect. Who. Are. You?"

"I am watchmaker," Lierah replied flatly, "true my fighting abilities are above that of a normal citizen, but that was taught to me by my father. Where he learned to fight in such a manner I have as much of an idea as you. You give me more credit than is due however. I have not hidden the princess, and finding you was more of a streak of luck than anything. I suppose I would have come across the knowledge of this location eventually anyway though. Not all watches are made of just gears and metal. Some require me to deal with much more......risqué materials. I know my way around a black market. Especially Viengaden's. My knowledge of Veingaden itself comes from living here my whole life. My father and I may have traveled for work sometimes, but Viengaden has always been home Mr. Thane. I would be lying if I said otherwise."

Sitting in a chair Lierah placed her hands in her lap and looked about the room. There was nothing really remarkable about it, but one thing did catch her eye.

"What happened to that window," she asked curiously, "or has it been like that since you've been here? Though I suppose a broken window isn't uncommon these days."

"I'll actually be asking Delta that myself if and when he gets back... It wasn't like that last time I was here, but I got here just a few moments before you did yourself..." Thane said, peering over at the window as well. He filed the information about her away, but otherwise didn't comment on it really. It was interesting yet also relatively useless to know, though he had to admit he expected a more extravagant story.

"Those bandages are new from the last time we met... Run afoul of someone unseemly?"

"Only if you count Delta as unseemly," Lierah chuckled, "I'm surprised you didn't know. Did he not tell you? Here I thought he trusted you.....at least somewhat anyway. Perhaps I was mistaken."

Lierah looked at Thane in what seemed a nonchalant manner, but in truth she was gauging his reaction. Was Delta truly hiding things even from someone as seemingly close to him as Thane? What could be forcing him to keep such secrecy?

There might have been a slight flicker in his eyes, but Thane knew better than to let it show that he was surprised. However, there wasn't much he could do to stop his speech. "Delta...? My my..."

James never does this kind of stuff on his own, Thane thought, watching the woman. He's a thief, not a.. murderer. He could only imagine how deep those wounds had been, and there were quite a few of them, some he might not even see. "Perhaps he took your interference a little too close to heart..." he murmured, then frowned.

"You act like you know something," Thane said bluntly. "Spit it out, woman, you've said enough as is that secrecy isn't your aim."

"Ah, but that is where you are wrong," Lierah said a mischievous smile spreading on her features, "I may tell you things that are unimportant, but there are things I know that I will not speak of without compensation. Even then there are somethings that I will never speak of to anyone. So no I will not tell you what it is I know whether it is of benefit to you or not."

"We can play hard ball all morning, miss," Thane said dryly. "Doesn't bother me none. According to Delta, he won't be back in until late, so unless you want me to entertain you for hours on end..." he gestured to the door, not making a motion to open it for her.

"And how do I know you aren't lying to me," Lierah said her eyes narrowing suspiciously, "how do I know you aren't just trying to get me to leave before he returns? It would seem we are at an impasse, Mr. Thane. You obviously don't want me here anymore and I cannot leave. Do you perhaps have any ideas as to a solution? I do not immediately see one myself."

Thane scoffed and handed the letter to her, saying, "Read for yourself then." The note read as follows in a hasty but still rather neat script:


Thane,

I'll explain the window later. Out for a bit of business. Be back for our usual discussion time.

Delta.


"Since he missed our morning one, I can only assume he means our evening chat. Unless you want to hang around for that long, leave. As it stands, I have someone to meet..." Thane stood slowly, eyes on Lierah. "And a Blade to replace," he added quietly. He made his way towards the doorway.

Standing Lierah placed herself between Thane and the door leaving the note in the chair. Crossing her arms she frowned at him obviously expecting the information he had omitted.

"Do not take me for a fool Mr. Thane," she said tersely, "I want to know exactly when this meeting time is. I want to know every detail down to the most minuscule. If I have to find him again I will remove your head from your shoulders."

"One, I doubt that would put me out of commision for more than a day with the way things have been working lately. Two, you will be back here at seven o'clock sharp if you must participate. Always in this room, always between just us with two Blades at the door and another on the roof out that window." He pointed out past the broken glass.

"And three, I have been in this business longer than both you and Delta have been alive combined," Thane said curtly, the words seeming to highlight the wrinkles that were beginning to pull on his skin. "If you think you can pull one over on me and not the other way around, you're sadly mistaken, little girl. I don't pretend to understand everything you are capable of or how you're capable of it, but to me, that might as well be a period left off the end of a sentence. It. Doesn't. Even. Matter."

Pushing gently past her, Thane opened the door and shrugged on his coat that he pulled from the peg next to the door. "Good day, miss," he finished dismissively.

Lierah frowned, but let the older man's words go. Sighing she collected herself and exited a few moments later. As she stepped into the hall she paused hearing a very familiar voice calling out her name. Sharon? What was she doing here? Walking quickly towards the sound Lierah searched for her friend.

"Sharon," she called out after getting far enough from the room to be completely safe, "Sharon I'm here. Stay where you are and I'll come to you."

When she finally found Sharon looking almost in tears. Jogging over to her Lierah hugged the girl and began rubbing her back calmingly.

"What's wrong," she asked softly, "did I scare you? I suppose I have been gone for sometime now, but you should know by now I can take care of myself. You should have stayed in the house with Kain."

[kagomri]

Sharon shook away from Leirah's familiar embrace, lifted her hand and delivered a smack across her friend's face. One hard, satisfying slap. Sharon was terrified when she entered the Hall. But now after have finally gotten a hold of Leirah, she didn't feel as thankful as she thought she would have. Blood coursed through her veins and her hands made fists.

"Kain's been worried sick for you. Daniel and Felicia could very well have disappeared. You died yesterday. And now this?!" She took out a scrap of the yellow note and flung them in hysterical anger. She grabbed Leirah by the collars of her cloak, lifted her and shoved her against a wall. "Just what the fuck are you thinking Leirah? What the fuck are you thinking!"

Their faces stood inches apart, and up close Sharon saw bags under Leirah's eyes. Her face was more angular and pointed and her palms wore a barrier of deep lines and discoloured skin made from partially healed wounds.

It had been a long and terrible year for all of them.

Slowly Sharon's fingers unfurled, leaving the watchmaker's weight unsupported. Gravity caused her body to slide down the wall, and she collapsed like a rag doll.

Sharon had nothing to say. She was spent. Tired of being strong. Turning her back to her friend, She slowly made her way back down the hall, back to the marble staircase, where an opened bottle of whiskey lay. In the shadows she could see it was halfway drained, and it reminded her of the Singing Mandrake, for just a week ago, she was waitressing the late night hours.

She leaned against the stairway, gluped the last few juicy mouthfuls of the alcohol and unconventionally hugged her knees to her chest, closed her eyes, and relentlessly tried to forget.

[AliceMalice15]

It took Lierah a few minutes to get over the shock of Sharon's aggressive actions. Placing a hand on the throbbing red mark that now marred her aching cheek she stood up and looked after her friend. Perhaps she had been a bit too careless when considering how worried her friends would be if she left. Sighing she let her hand drop and followed after Sharon finding her curled up against the stairs. Sliding down to sit next to her Lierah groaned at her sore muscles which protested her every movement. Sitting silently for a few moments Lierah debated on what to say.

"I'm sorry," she said leaning her head back against the wall, "I didn't intend to worry you. I just......I needed to talk to someone......someone who knows the answers to questions I have. I just didn't want to get you involved. I don't want you to get hurt.....I now you can handle yourself well enough, but......It's dangerous enough for me to be here, much less the two of us....The less you know the better......I'm sorry. I promise I'll do my best to tell you everything that I can, but I can't tell you everything.....I wish I could, but I can't. It's not safe.........................We should go home. Kain's probably worried about both of us at this point. I'd like to stop by the market before hand so we can get him some medicine though........Will you be alright?"

Lierah placed a comforting hand on Sharon's arm knowing that what she had said wasn't quite enough, but it was all she could say. There was no way she could tell Sharon about what she planned to do, and there was no way she could reassure her that it wouldn't end up in her getting hurt again. Everything was falling to pieces and it was all Lierah could do to try and keep things together. She had to be strong. She had to be brave. She had to keep trying.

'You are so brave Milaya,' her fathers words echoed through her thoughts, 'but you must let yourself be vulnerable sometimes too. Let those close to you help you. Let them be brave for you. They want to protect you as much as you want to protect them.'

"I promise I'll tell you everything," Lierah said softly, "as soon as I can."

[Kiall]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb8fpiZOUj1r7llf5o2_1280.jpg

Daniel nodded sighing as he leaned back. He could tell something was bothering her, but she wasn’t offering so he wouldn’t pry. He didn’t know how to reach out to her, she wasn’t in this alone. But once again he felt wholly inadequate. There had been hundreds of people at the palace better able to take care of her, who knew how to talk to her. What a joke, what an absolute gas that the one person remaining would be the worst damn guard in the entire city. The window suddenly burst in a blast of cold air making him gasp. He struggled up from his seat quickly closing it. He panted his face now cold, ‘I’m looking down the hole you’re looking up at me, your cold and tired, that is easy to see.’ The words flew into his head unbidden as well as a strange tune played by an instrument he had never heard before.

“I…I think I should go Princess, I won’t be gone long,” he said needing some air. He shook his head as he exited the door into the outside. Does anything ever really die? He wondered the thought coming unbidden. ‘lower the rope to you a bucket on the line.’ Sure things might no longer have a physical presence, but their ideas, their concepts, their voices they didn’t fade…and what if somehow, these voices could reach out through the centuries, if the right medium was present. Daniel walked faster, trying to outrun his own thoughts, his brow was sweating despite the cold. He felt on the verge of a revelation, a revelation he wasn’t prepared for. “Your membrane will be soft and smooth and your heart will be miiine!” he whispered not knowing where the words came from and frightened out of his wits.


It rubs the lotion on it’s skin
Or else it gets the hose again
It rubs the lotion on its skiiiin
Or else it gets the hose again
Yes precious it gets the hose


Lierah had never noticed the presence on her shoulder, not until it had taken a chunk off of her earlobe. It cawed once as it devoured the chunk of meat. Red eyes regarded her from everywhere. The streets and roofs were covered in crows all which stared. Their wings beat in unison as the flew towards the girl their flight dead center on the watchmaker.

A smile appeared on The Queen’s face as she watched from below as the hapless girl was swarmed, on one crimson hand perched a raven as she regarded it as a favorite pet. “The look inside your eyes drives me from control,” she cooed a single slender finger running against the birds head. “Evoking visions, of my favorite casserole. And if I eat your heart I’ll also eat your soul.” Her hand clenched around the bird’s skull as she finished listening to the wet crunching as she crushed its little head. “And when I’m done I’ll use your skull, as a booooowl,”


It rubs the lotion on its skin
Or else it gets the hose again
It rubs the lotion on its skiiiin
Or else it gets the hose again
Yes precious it gets the hose


Felicia sat alone now at least she thought so until a pair of gloved hands wrapped around her waist, the hands rubbing against her stomach in a way that could almost be described as intimate. A hot breath washed against her ear, “the night is very cold, I’m feeling kind of weak,” whispered the familiar voice of Mr. Dreams, his head resting on her shoulder. “I think I’ll make myself a cap from your right buttocks cheek. And then I will go walking with my little dog, and then I’ll bury you underneath a log…”


It rubs the lotion on its skin!
Or else it gets the hose again!
It rubs the lotion on its skiiin!
Or else it gets the hose again!