Roudel Rewrite (private)

[AsheWindWaker]

On some level, of course he knew. But he remained quiet, and collected himself as he felt Sofia kiss his wounded elbow. He had to remember to hide his wound from Anita, knowing she might panic and he did not want her to worry about him. She was much too nice for that. He was a bit sad that they were leaving, but now that two of the group was covered in mud, they had to head back. Elisabeth held his hand, the two walking behind the other three, being ostracized because of their prank. Elisabeth looked so funny, half of her face caked with dry mud. He had enjoyed talking to her, and he loved that she was childish enough to throw mud around like he did with his friends. Or, like he used to do, anyway; he could even remember when his mother had come out one evening, intent on telling him to come inside and bathe, but instead joining in the fray herself, dodging and throwing the mud, and then sitting in the kitchen, sweaty, dirty and muddy, her hair matted to her head, while she patiently waited for Sebastien to clean himself. They had won that day.

And now the three other them: Sofia, Kyier and Mathius all walked together, chatting about something while Sofia merely listened in intently. The sky was cooling, another air coming down from the mountain side and into Landon. At least they weren’t in Devonshire, the Southernmost Kingdom; because Sebastien had heard that it snowed nearly all the time. He couldn’t even imagine living in the complete snowdrift territory, not having to be bundled up nearly all the time. It got cold here, but nothing compared to the stories. He wondered if Elisabeth knew of the weather downwards, and he asked her, as they walked, about where she came from. Of course, Elisabeth was much too happy to oblige the quiet young man.

The light still shined high above the sky, where the dark clouds once more made their home above the city. Kyier and Mathius had moved them around, taking a much longer route away from the main city so that none of them had to witness the remains of the fiery city. Sebastien was curious as to how it looked, if the buildings had tumbled, and the fires still burned in a forgotten ash waste land. The thought saddened him. He wondered, too, whether his own home…his other home…still stood tall and proud, or if it had succumbed to the frightful fires that recently plagued them. All of the sudden, with a high level of gall lodged in his throat, he realized he was glad he didn’t have to see it. He was glad he was being given a new chance to start a new life with wonderful people, people who cared for him the way his mother did, and honestly he believed they did not wish to see him ail. He tuned back into the rambling Duchess, listening to her stories of the past, where she came from, and how she came to be here.

Back at the manor, the group had split off. Mathius had gone with Kyier towards his bedroom to study something or the other, and Elisabeth had taken Sofia upstairs to get her cleaned off. She didn’t wish to go, obviously wishing to stay with Kyier, but Elisabeth had insisted, and then once Kyier explained she could come back, she went with the Duchess. Sebastien stood alone now, not quite as muddy, so he decided to just walk around quietly again. He looked inside the kitchen, and inside the small tea room, looking at the upholstered seating, the constantly roaring fire, all things that were so unlike what he was accustomed to. He ended up following Kyier and Mathius into his bedroom, knocking quietly. He entered the bedroom, and watched Kyier read quickly, Mathius standing over his back as they studied ancient words. “Kyier…” He whispered, coming in and sitting near the bed. “I…uh, I just wanted to say sorry for getting mud on your book. It wasn’t intentional. We were just playing. I hope you know that, and I hope you aren’t too upset with me, or Elisabeth. If we cannot get the mud off, I will replace it for you,” He said, being completely honest, knowing this is how his mother would have wanted him to behave for his gracious host. Mathius looked over at his friend, knowing this child could only have a soft spot in his heart. If they were younger than Kyier’s eighteen years, the reactions would have been abysmal, but now, he had a feeling things would be different…or perhaps merely less fiery.

Upstairs was a different story. Elisabeth sat on the edge of the tub, letting the hot water fall into the large pool. She pulled out different coloured and shaped bottles, opening them to sniff them, and then merely dumping the prettiest into the running water. She had never had such a thing, no pretty floral scents, no colorful soaps or perfumes, only the flowers she had grown in her garden to keep her company. She began to undress, her hair flowing so freely against her back, her dress slipping down towards the floor. She grabbed an extensive clip on the table, and pulled her curls up sloppily on the top of her hair. She looked around, staring through the mist of heat towards the dirty, confused looking girl. “Oh! I was going to get into the tub with you. I hope that’s okay,” She said, stepping close to the young girl. She got down on her knees, and held her shoulders softly. “We’re both women, and therefore we are beautiful. You don’t have anything to be ashamed of, Sofia. I don’t want you to be nervous around me, and I don’t want you to feel like your body is anything to be ashamed of.” She smiled wider, moving to step in the tub filled to the brim with soft, pink bubbles. Elisabeth closed her eyes and put her hand in front of her face, offering some solace of peace to Sofia to undress without her eyes. Suddenly, she felt a plop as Sofia must have hopped in the tub, and now the tiny girl sat with bubbles up to her neck, looking entirely out of place.

Elisabeth grabbed a stick with a rough looking sponge on the tip, and she started to wipe the mud off her body. “I could never have baths like this. Normally it was tepid showers or baths,” She said. She used the wand to tap Sofia’s nose. “But I wouldn’t have given it up for the world.”

[StormingNightmare]

The Marquess tore off his muddied vest and shirt, tossing it to a pile on his floor. He ignored Sebastien's words as he carefully dabbed the dirt from the precious diary. The man was literally fuming, smoke seemingly coming from his ears. "Something like this cannot be replaced." Kyier answered through clenched teeth. "Perhaps if the two of you had an sense within the bounds of your empty skulls you would have-" He could feel Mathius' glare piercing his back, warning him to mind his tongue. Honestly, he was a bit thankful. The Marquess knew damn well the little boy would have never come up with such an immature plot. All the blame was on that damn girl. "Forget it. The book cannot be replaced, but Mathius and I should be able to repair the damage." he sighed. Kyier snatched the towel from his friend's hand when the man finally thought to bring it to him. He rubbed the damp cloth over his mud coated face, "The next time you decide to "play", however, I'd appreciate it if you left me out of it." Kyier opened his wardrobe and pulled out his robe, throwing it over his arms and yet not bothering to tie the thing closed. He returned to his desk, taking one of his mother's makeup brushes he had stolen to gently clear off the now dried earth from the fragile pages. Inwardly, the man wanted to scream. For the most part, he was confident he'd be able to salvage the diary, but it would be impossible to return it back to its original quality.

Anita jumped from the carriage, not bothering to wait for Cederick to help her out. But then again...she never did. She hurried inside, her keen ears listening for the sounds of the younger few wandering around the manor. "Hm... Do you think they are still on their picnic?" Anita questioned as Cederick came up behind her. He took a moment to hang his coat on the rack, sighing as he helped his wife from hers. "Lumos has provided a day full of blessed sunshine. I wouldn't be surprised if they were still out enjoying it." The Duke smiled. "It's nice, don't you think? To have so many to share our home with?" Cederick nodded as he followed Anita down the hall. "Oh... leave it to our son to be inside researching on a day as beautiful as today." Anita sighed as she peered into the room. "Mathius and Sebastien too, even?" She clicked her tongue, standing with her hands on her small hips. Kyier remained silent, not even bothering to turn around. "You are looking much better though, Mathius, Dear. You mustn't work yourself as hard as you had." She smiled gently, gliding across the floor to come and sit with Sebastien on the bed. "So tell me, Sweetheart, did you get to go outside at all today?"

Sofia rose her eyebrow, her crystal eyes just barely peering up over the copious amounts of fluffy bubbles as she forced herself back against the opposite end of the porcelain bathtub. "Not okay, not okay, not okay!" Sophia thought to herself. Her eyes shifted suspiciously as Elisabeth smiled down on her with that ridiculously friendly grin. This woman... she would have been creepy if she wasn't so stupid. Especially with the way she went about coaxing the little girl into the bath. "Your body is beautiful...noooottthhhhhing to be ashamed of..." Sofia imagined Elisabeth wiggling her eyebrows, her finger beckoning for her to come hither. The image would have made her laugh if she hadn't been so uncomfortable, especially when Elisabeth tilted her head and all of her wet, crazed curls stuck to her goofy face. She tensed when the young woman slid closer and began to gently wash the mud from her body. No one had ever been so tender to her, at least no one other than... She swallowed, sinking down further into the water. Her heart began to beat so fiercely that it felt like it was going to burst. Sofia choked back her tears, nearly squealing when she felt Elisabeth's arms come so suddenly around her. She was mortified to think that the woman knew she was about to cry, but in reality... The Duchess really wasn't all that intuitive either. She began to speak to her in a mock, burly man's voice, asking her something about also wanting a matching bubble beard. The little girl blinked, turning around to see exactly what Elisabeth was referring to. Her brows furrowed at Elisabeth's wide grin, the pink bubbles splashed carelessly about her cheeks and chin. Oh, how clever this one was." Sofia forced a smile to appease the woman who was laughing and giggling like a fool as she piled the bubbles atop Sofia's head. She as about to just get up and leave when Elisabeth began stroking through her long, dark hair. Her hands massaged the top of her head, a sensation so wonderful... Sofia had never felt anything quite like it.

[AsheWindWaker]

Elisabeth only let her fall into her slippery body as the young girl lost all her tenseness. Her own mother used to do this to her when she was a child, forced to sit in the large tub as her mother washed her. She knew it was because Margerie didn’t believe she had the capability to wash herself, or so she thought. Perhaps, now she knew more of her own past and possible future, she knew her mother might have just been savoring every moment she had with her. She closed her own eyes, smiling softly behind the bubbled frothing on her face, ‘Lucy Thurn, stop making such a mess, will you?!’ her mother would yell at her, before she ended up splashing her own daughter. Lucy had wished she would have daughter one day, one she could take baths with, and love unconditionally. Her parents had done that. She was not their blood child, but they certainly loved her more than she could ever imagine. She knew that now more than ever.

When their fingers were wrinkly, Elisabeth stood, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her body, and another to wrap around Sofia. “Let’s get you dressed and get you a warm meal. That’s our plan,” She said, looking at the quiet, wondering child in the mirror, and she smiled. “And then, if you wish, you can go spend time with Kyier. But I really think you should eat something. Our sandwiches didn’t make it.” She took Sofia to her bedroom, and started looking for clothing to wear. They now had another problem. What was Sofia going to wear? She looked around, knowing very well most of her clothing had burned in the fire. But when she turned, Sofia was wearing what she must have been wearing all day, and she waited impatiently for the Duchess. She just smiled, and allowed the little girl to lead her towards the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Sebastien stood with Kyier and Mathius, watching the two men work at the small book. He was still unsure of what it meant to him, because he could only gather how important it was. He felt awful about the whole thing, hating that he had been talked into throwing the mud. Now he just sat quietly, until Anita came in, and he quietly spoke with her. “We did go outside. We went to the park, and…” He tried to conceal his laughter, “Umm…Kyier pushed Elisabeth into the pond, and she responded by throwing mud at him,” He said, thinking that Anita would find the whole thing as hilarious as he did.
Anita blinked, her eyes shifting oh so slowly until they found a resting place over her son's back, “You did what now, my dearest son?” she questioned through clenched teeth and a mock smile.
Cederick chuckled in the doorway, "Sounds like quite the eventful day." The Duchess' head snapped around. Cederick clutched his heart, slumping backwards against the way, “Stop Anita, please... I beg you. That glare...It's draining my life force.” The woman's eye twitched. She stood up from the bed and snatched up a newspaper from her son’s desk to hit her husband upside the head with.
“Oh, these men I live with, gah!” She cried, throwing her arms to the air. “Don't you dare learn to take after them, Sebastien. You just keep being your sweet, adorable little self.”
“Okay, promise!” He said, smiling bashfully at the kindly woman.

~~~

The beginning of dusk had just begun to acclimate itself into the sky, and thought remaining a soft blue, the first stars appeared up high. Because of those stars, the fireflies began to enter the clear air, and when Elisabeth entered the garden that night, that was exactly what it was, a breath of fresh air. She looked around, moving towards the center of the garden. She wanted to go sit near the piano, where the ivy covered trellis surrounded the black instrument. She took another deep breath, before moving to a rather large assortment of flowers and falling into them, suddenly finding herself lying on her back as she had done so often in her own home. She felt the flowers grow around her body, the teal and violet petals kissing her soft skin as they twirled their green ivy roots around her arms and legs. She sat up when she heard the soft commotion of the door to the manor opening, and she looked towards Sofia and Sebastien, coming out into the garden. Sebastien saw her and headed her way, holding onto Sofia’s hand. They came close, Elisabeth picking up her head as the friendly vines shriveled away.
“What are you doing?” Sebastien asked.
“Sitting,” Elisabeth grinned. He looked over at her, near the flowers.
“How do you make the flowers move?” he asked her, curious as to this power she seemed to have.

“It’s just a spell. Nothing to worry about, Sebastien,” She admitted, watching his ever moving eyes, and Sofia’s stock stillness. They really were a pair together, those two.
“Can you teach me?” He asked.
“Sebastien…I can try, but being an Earth Mage isn’t anything special. Perhaps you ought to look into Fire Magick, or Air or Water. But an Earth Mage is destined to be a farm hand, didn’t you know? It’s too practical.” She didn’t wish to discourage him from learning anything new, but she knew the status that this type of Magick held for those who sought the properties of flora. Sebastien looked around, looking at the fireflies that began to glow more brilliantly as the sun got closer to setting. “Go ahead and catch some,” Elisabeth soothed.
“What? And what shall I do when I catch one?” Elisabeth smiled at his question, and she shook her head.
“You let it go.”
“And then?”
“Nothing…you let them go. It doesn’t do any good to keep them longer than needed. Did you not play this game before?” she questioned. Sebastien just shook his head.
“I had more important things to do, than play with bugs!” He stuck his tongue out, and Elisabeth stood up, making him run, and she once again took chase. Grabbing him from behind and spinning him around, his feet going out with her dress. She put him down, and grabbed a planting jar from one of the small brick walls that lined the garden.

“See? Do it like this. Grab a jar. You too, Sofia!” And she held the jar open as she moved through the air, collecting the chattering, glowing golden bugs in the clear glass, allowing it to grow brighter and brighter as they spoke among themselves. Sebastien did it, too, trying to catch them, but somehow they always managed a quick escape. Sofia, though Elisabeth felt she was playing this game entirely against her will, was much better at collecting the fireflies then Sebastien was. She smiled, so happy that she was able to witness them being children, and being happy together. Both of them had already seen death and sadness, and she didn’t wish any more for them. They deserved all the happiness in the world.

[StormingNightmare]

Sofia blinked, a small smile across her lips as she stared so intently at the little bug resting atop her finger. Its tiny antennae wiggled back and forth atop his head. The golden light blinking at its rear made her heart feel so warm. It reminded her of the one she had lost... "Fireflies are suppose to be the messengers of Lumos. They say that if you can catch them, her light shines in your heart." Anita mused as she danced toward her. Sofia looked up into the eyes of the smiling Duchess, Anita chuckling then as she watched Sofia's gaze slowly trace back to Sebastien stumbling across the ground. His foot snagged on a rock, sending him tumbling forward, his jar coming open to allow the mere three little bugs he had actually manage to catch fly to their freedom. "Well... Of course fireflies aren't the only measure of Lumos' light." The Duchess smiled sympathetically toward the poor boy.A gentle hand to her back encouraged Sofia forward. She glided over to Sebastien's side, kneeling down as he tried to hastily wipe away the few tears that had leaked from his eyes. This kid ended up on the ground more often than not. She held out her hand, reaching toward a blooming iris to catch one of the escaped little critters. Sofia held it out to Sebastien while he sat back up and tried to collect himself. He giggled as its little legs crawled across and tickled his fingers. The grass was cool beneath them, and so very soft that the little girl found herself wondering if it was even real. The entire courtyard... It was like something from a dream. Never had Sofia imagined ever finding herself in such a magickal place. Nor did she ever think that these people would actually want her. Her eyes brightened when a soft melody began to drift from the keys of the piano. It danced around her ears such that even the little fireflies in her jar seemed to be waltzing to the sweet music. The man behind the keys was truly someone amazing. Sofia admired everything about him from the way he moved so gracefully, to how his mind weaved in and out from the inter workings of even the most complex dilemma. It wouldn't be long until he knew.

Anita stood back with Cederick now, her head resting against his chest. He held her gently, "Kyier never had any interest in the piano as a young child, no matter how desperately Anita wished to teach him." he stated softly, glanced over at Elisabeth and Mathius standing near them. "You play as well, Miss Anita?" The Duchess smiled softly, "I used to. I played in concertos as a child. My Ma'ma would take me to all ends of the kingdom to play, and even past the borders into Lanvaldear and Gallia. Cederick's family was one that I played for very young right here in Landon. That was our first meeting." Cederick smiled too at the memory, his eyes not able to trace away from his son, "Anita suffers from a joint disease that seemed to localize in her fingers. She was diagnosed in Kyier's seventh year. That's when she and Madeleine became better acquainted." The Duchess nodded, pushing gently from her husband to take Mathius by the hand, "Madeleine was this one's mother, and quickly became a dear, dear friend. She was a gifted apothecary, a gift she passed down to her son." She left the three then, walking gracefully across the shining yard to sit with her son at the piano. Kyier barely offered her a glance, but could feel his mother's loving smile radiating from her as he played. "No matter how she try to hide it, Kyier and I both could see the toll the diagnosis was taking on Anita. She wept alone when she thought she was in private, but my son still heard her. He learned to play the ivories for her and her alone. I will never forget my wife's expression the first night she heard him play." Cederick offered a small smile, his hand coming down on Elisabeth's shoulder. Silence ensued as they all took a moment to appreciate the subtle melody. "My son is no monster, Elisabeth. I am thankful that your eyes don't seem to be blinded."

The night drew out quietly, everyone relaxing together in the glistening courtyard. Mathius walked Sofia and Sebastien around the flowers, pointing out a few select kinds and any herbal properties that might hold. Anita on the other hand, danced with her god-daughter, twirling her with her dress lifting into a graceful spin. The Marquess played for them for awhile longer until he noticed the little ones seeming to lag behind Mathius a ways. He stood up to place a hand on his mother's shoulder, pointing in the direction of Sofia yawning. Anita smiled, "Perhaps its time we put the little ones to bed. I think we all might do well to get a bit of rest this evening."

~~

Sofia sat all alone on the great big bed, sitting as far back against the fluffy pillows as she was able. Her lip quivered as warm tears fell from her eyes. She clutched her knees to her chest, using them to try and stifle her quick sobs. Despite everyone's kindness, her heart couldn't help but ache for the arms that had handed her over to the Marquess that fateful night. With her... their hearts had beat as one. The tears fell harder, dampening the lacy cashmere nightgown Elisabeth had wrapped her in before bed. It had been much too big. The Duchess had to tie it in a number of places, but even still it fell from her tiny shoulders. The light from the hall grew thrice from the stream that had been shining in through from her open bedroom door. Quiet footsteps tiptoed toward her bed, and Sofia could just make out a silhouette from behind her blurred eyes. Sebastien didn't say a word, but from the shadow he was casting on her wall, she could tell it was him as he climbed into bed beside her. A small gasp breathed from her lips as his arms came around her. "I know." he whispered. "I know." She swallowed, not understanding his words. How could this little fool possibly know anything? He had grown up with Kyier and the Duke and Duchess. With this family, there was no way he could have seen- Sofia blinked away her tears, her head turning to look up at him with such shock plastered on her face. His wet tears fell to her dark hair, the sentiment nearly stunning her heart. Was he actually- was he crying for her? Sofia closed her eyes and took a deep breath as Sebastien brought a blanket around the both of them. How was it this entire family could be so kind? It was almost unsettling, unnatural even. In the entire span of her young life, Sofia had not come to know anywhere the amount of goodness that dwell within the hearts of these people. Another set of quieted footsteps made their way down the hall. The door creaked upon opening just the smallest bit further to grant entrance to one more. Soothing words left the lips of the youngest Duchess, but at this point Sofia was too exhausted to process them. Elisabeth came around and climbed into bed with them. She slid in the middle, her body wiggling down in under the covers with one arm around each of them.

Kyier's vision began to blur as his eyes continued to scan over the delicate words scribed in the harmonic language. He yawned sleepily, rubbing his eyes as he scooted his chair back from his desk. With a bookmark in place, he closed the diary and dimmed the flame of his lantern. "Lets go, Noir." Kyier patted his leg for the kitten to follow him down the stairs back to his bedroom. He walked but a few steps before stopping. He turned to the soft sound of singing, an angelic lullaby echoing through the dark halls. The Marquess followed the voice, a part of him knowing to whom it must belong, but the other part unwilling to believe it. Kyier stopped just before reaching the door to the room they had given Sofia. He stood outside, falling back to gently rest against the wall. The little ones soft cries and sniffling slowly began to quiet to the music of the sweet song magickally easing their pain. The Marquess sighed, remaining there for a good portion of the evening doing nothing more than listening... Listening silently to whom exactly? ... he was not so sure. Whether it be Lucy Thurn or the Duchess Elisabeth Rose, for just the time being, either or, she was a little more than just the naive, stupid girl he had met a mere week or two ago...

[AsheWindWaker]

The two youngest members of the group stood in front of the two women, Anita and Elisabeth watching as they moved forth into the streets. Poor Sofia, the girl being forced to wear her fiery clothes once more as the group of four descended upon town to purchase more clothes for both she and the young Sebastien.
“Sebastien,” Elisabeth said, as she took ahold of his hand and turned him to look at her. Her large purple hat that she paced a bouquet of flowers in guarded her soft browns from the harsh morning sun. “Is there any place in particular you wish to go?” She wanted nothing more than to express her dearest wishes, and ask him where his mother would have taken him for clothes. But, now was not the time to bring heartache, so she could only meander around those questions, and tip-toe around the sadness of death.
“Oh, no…no place in particular, we can really go anywhere you want to take us,” He explained to her, and suddenly looked around, as if he understood the question. “We didn’t have a lot of money, and clothing was not something I indulged in often,” He went on further. “You don’t have to buy me anything, really!” He finally said.
“Nonsense, nonsense! We cannot keep you wearing Kyier’s old clothes,” The older Duchess laughed. Sebastien just blushed, and glanced over at Sofia.
“Let’s carry, no dawdling,” Elisabeth cheered, taking their hands and leading them across the street as she headed towards the Tailor’s Shoppe. The doorbell dinged as they entered, the older man coming around the corner filled with soft spoils of thread and colorful fabrics. He had gold rimmed glasses, with a bit of a balding head, but a smile that lit the room. He welcomed them inward, congenially, and Anita had requested just what they needed for their wardrobes, the kindly man’s wife coming from the back of the shoppe to aide in Sofia’s dressing and measurements.

~~~

Now the sun had rose high over the Eastern Seaboard, the bright glow slithering past the parted clouds. With the Cross’s doing their own daily activities, there was one who moved for the first time throughout the city itself, inside the carriage specifically paid for her by the Duchess Cross, the woman stared at the large city, the hustle and bustle too different than what she had already lived through. The carriage took another turn, and she tried to memorize the pathway that the carriage drew from. She was surprised at the sheer vastness of the size of the manor. Her family was not used to even being in the vicinity of something so large, and she prayed that it had not yet gone to her daughter’s head. Lucy could be so…silly, when she wanted to, and so forgetful and all around entirely too wishy-washy.

The carriage stopped, and she hopped out, nodding to the driver that explained she was indeed at Cross Manor. She moved towards the door, taking off her hat and trying to fix her graying hair, which was in much of a messy bun. With all due respect, she felt as if she had certainly aged since her daughter had left, and nothing could erase the utmost worry from her heart.
She felt out of place before she even entered the manor, and she stood stupidly at the front door, using on fist to knock heartily one the dark wood. She waited, scratching her dark boots nervously. She was more surprised when she saw a tall, attractive man opening the door, and he smiled widely, before offering her a bow.
“Ah, you must be Misses Margerie?”

~~~

While the two children were able to get their new clothing, Elisabeth had wondered towards the sun filled road. She watched carriages go by, and people stroll with bags of books, breads, and chocolates. She smiled, wondering if she would befriend any more while she remained here. She assumed that she could not stay in the manor forever, and she questioned whether she had another home already, the home in which she was born in, or whether she had enough money from her parent’s wealth to purchase her own manor.
She looked across the road, watching the Shoppe near the square that she had become better acquainted with now, its wooden sign on the door reading open, and she wondered if Mathius had been in there. Those two had left very early in the morning, and she had barely heard them as they snuck out from the shadow of the doorway. They were clearly up to something very important. So, she too had taken a leaf from their own book and made her way out into the sunny streets, moving across the pathway and towards ‘Mads’ Cauldron’, and she opened the door to stick her head in. She was surprised at how chilly the air was inside, different from the stark warmth from the sun that one got from being outside. Too much of it beating down on their backs had them hiding off in nearby buildings.
“Hello?” She asked, taking off her hat and holding it near to her chest, looking around at the odds and end that lined his shoppe. “Mathius, Kyier…are you in here?” She asked. She didn’t hear anything, not at first; until she heard the tinkering in the back, and she poked her head towards the door that was cracked open just a smidge. “What are the two of you doing?” She questioned, looking as Mathius mixed a small amount of purple liquid and squeezed it into a curling vial, popping a cork into it.
He looked surprised to see her there, but not so much as furious as Kyier was.

~~~

Marge tsked, and shook her head. “Marge is just fine. Don’t worry about any formalities with me. Not after you’ve taken in my daughter,” She said, her voice betraying her emotion. It came out cracked, and sad, even though she was incredibly happy her daughter was living here where her life would be so better fulfilled than if she had grown up in a poor little village. But, Marge could not help but question if her upbringing had helped anything. Had it made her more naïve about the world, or something better, allowing her to be more understanding?

[StormingNightmare]

Cederick smiled handsomely, falling forward into a humble bow, ”I welcome you then, Marge. I like to think myself the master of this manor; however as soon as you come to meet my wife, you will know the truth behind that matter.” he chuckled. ”My name is Cederick, and I shall expect you to address me as such. If I am not allowed formalities, than neither shall you be.” Light booted footsteps sounded over the hardwood halls as Lydia strolled up and moved into a curtsy before offering to take their new guest’s coat. ”The manor has certainly become lively of recent.” the young girl mused with a smile. ”I swear I’ve been meeting a new face each day since the arrival of the Lady Elisabeth.” Cederick nodded in agreement, "Lydia, this is Elisabeth's mother. She'll be staying with us for... Well for as long as she so chooses." The maid's smile widened, "Oh, that's wonderful! Elisabeth is such a sweetheart, and a great baker! I suppose she must get that from you then." Her brown waves bounced with her ponytail as she turned to leave, ”Excuse me then, I have other duties to attend. If you should need me you need only call, Sir, Ms. Elisabeth's Mother.” Cederick smiled, turning his attention back to Marge, ”I will admit our lives have been rather hectic of late. I do not know how quickly news travels over the kingdom. Have you heard of the fires that broke out over Landon just days ago?” She nodded, her eyes wide with a mother’s worry over her young. ”Elisabeth was safe and sound here with us, as she will always be. I give you my word, Marge. My wife and I would give our lives to keep your little girl safe.” Cederick led the woman up the stairs to show her the bedroom Elisabeth had been staying in. "I'll give you a moment to get settled. Anita and I had a separate room prepared for you if you chose to stay, but Anita also suggested I give you the option of staying in here with Elisabeth if you so chose. The pair of them went off to town to buy clothes for our newest little house guests. Elisabeth doesn't know anything about your coming by the way. I think Anita wished it to be a surprise for her. I am sorry to see your husband could not make it."

~~

Kyier shook his head, "Absolutely nothing that concerns you. Get. Out." He growled audibly, snatching his notebook from her view. "And tell my mother I will not be returning home this evening." Anita tsked, "Why might that be, Kyier?" Anita asked the small bell sounded both her and the children's entry. Sofia skipped inside, her new baby blue lacy dress matching her gorgeous crystal eyes. It collected gracefully around her small waist, framing her small form delicately. Anita had picked it out for her, and Sofia absolutely despised it. The little girl was not at all accustom to fabric that confound her movements so indefinitely. The Duchess noticed the small blush burning Sebastien's cheeks as he watch Sofia prance over to the two young man. She sigh, a wide smile coming across her lips. The little girl pulled on Kyier's shirt, asking him silently to lift her from the ground. Her lips pursed when the meanie wouldn't. He shooed her away, rolling his eyes in a irritated fashion now that there were a total of four obnoxious interruptions standing in the shoppe. "It's never just a splash of annoying with you, is it? No. You always bring irritation in tidal waves." he hissed, glaring particularly at Elisabeth. Anita chuckled when Elisabeth stomped her foot childishly to the ground, "Well, I don't plan on changing who I am just please you. I'm not irritating. Maybe you're the irritating one. Did anyone ever tell you that?" Kyier rolled his eyes, "Oh, heavens. Clever one, isn't she, Mathius? She has wit worth every ounce of her weight. I'd hate to matched together in a game of minds, I fear I'd find myself buried beneath the earth!" Anita's hand came down softly over Elisabeth's shoulder, "Careful, Dear. Don't let the venom from Kyier's sarcasm burn you." she winked.

[AsheWindWaker]

The small group of shoppers eventually made their way towards Cross Manor. They were graciously tuckered out from search for clothing, and neither Elisabeth nor Anita could behold just how truly adorable the two youngest group members looked in their new articles. They moved through the last of the late morning shoppers, families of people who hustled about on their daily chores or jobs, or shopping to pass the day, they all took no notice to those around them. They group was sure to evade the area of houses where Sofia had hailed from, those houses on the strip having been burned to shreds that fateful night. Now they lined up, half crumbled in soot and ash, just an unpleasant reminder of death and what used to be. Standing still, off in the shadowy distance, it was unbearable to watch. The guards had cornered it off, not allowing any citizens entry unless noted by the king. They were still trying to get all the homes rebuilt, and salvaging what they could. If she closed her eyes, Elisabeth could still hear their screams as she did from the Manor, still se the billowing pillars of smoke forcing their way into the sky as lives were lost and taken from them that night. She shivered, so slightly, but Anita saw, and suddenly there was a comforting hand put on her arm.
“Are you alright, dear?” She whispered, her voice low and calm, as to not allow the others. Elisabeth only let her eyes glance back towards the burned section, and Anita knew what was on her mind. “It doesn’t do the mind any good to tarry on sanctions of the past. What’s done is done. Try not to let it frighten you,” She said. Elisabeth smiled at her, turning her head towards the Duchess again.
“Thank you…” She stopped again, looking around the shops again. “Why don’t you take these two home, Anita, I need to make one more stop.” Anita glances back, and she was seemingly going to say something to her, but she halted her words, and nodded after Elisabeth continued. “Really, I won’t be long. And I am not going back to Mathius’ Shoppe,” She said, smiling politely. Anita placed both of her hands on Sebastien and Sofia’s back, and Elisabeth watched them hail a carriage to take them home, Anita gently laughing about something to the two.
Elisabeth turned, and went towards a small bookstore that was so thin between two other shoppes she almost lost sight of it. She opened the door, the bell similar to others, and she stepped inside. Mathius had a few rows of books in his shoppe, but this place had many, many rows of books down towards the back of the thin area, and a small case of stairs that lead upwards, and more than likely to more books. She had taken her hat off, and now moved through the smoky, eclectic book shoppe as she searched the different levels of old text for a book for Anita. She was looking for something for her godmother, as a gift for her, for the kindness that she portrayed in her heart and after taking her in. She knew a book was not going to be anything as spectacular as she would have liked to give her, but she figured such a refined, educated woman would be delighted with something new to read. She browsed the area, her fingertips crossing over all the leather bound books packed tight into the shelves.

“May I help you?” The young woman behind the shelf said, coming around and looking at her. Elisabeth was taken by surprise at first, but gathered her wits and spoke up.
“I was looking for a gift for my godmother…maybe something about flowers?” She asked. The woman nodded, and once more began to search the other shelves, leading her towards the very back. She pulled out this dark red book, and held it out to her.
“It has a lot of information on various flowers, she’ll love this if she likes to garden,” She said. Elisabeth didn’t know if she had it already, but still she purchased it with a few gold coins, and she left, following the same path as her predecessors. She had her book, wrapped in a brown paper, which she held close to her chest as she moved toward the carriage. Something else made her stop though, the sight of the same section of town that nested now in ash. Maybe it would help her mind to wander to it, just to glance, to understand what truly had been done. Would Kyier approve of that thought? She wondered if how he would think of it, if he would think she was just a stupid girl, or perhaps he would approve, because she would be trying to have a better understanding. She shook her head, thinking now was the wrong time, especially if she was going back home with the children waiting.
Something bugged her on the trip home, which was that she wondered how Kyier would take her actions she previously thought of. She wondered about his comments, his ridicules, his awful arguments…but she just could not understand why she cared so much…

~~~

At Cross Manor, Elisabeth made her way into the foyer, and she noticed Anita bouncing on the balls of her feet. She told her there was a surprise waiting for her in her bedroom, and she was practically pushed and prodded in the direction, the woman clearly excited about whatever it was. She opened the door, expecting a box, or some sort of pastry dish. Instead she saw her mother, standing there near the window, and she turned and opened her arms as Elisabeth wordlessly ran to her, and fell into the bosom she knew since childhood.
“Mama…what are you…what are you doing here?” She whispered. Seeing her mother brought up so many tears, so many fears and pangs of homesickness and sadness. She had written a letter, and intended to write another that afternoon, but her mother being there was certainly better. She was surprised by the amount of tears, because she felt so honestly welcome in the Cross household, this was the first time she had been away from home, and not only was it a week of travel away, she was in Landon for a life altering reason.
“Anita and Cederick kindly brought me up here, child. Oh, wipe those dastardly tears away. I’m your Mama not your lost pet,” She said, even though the harsh sounding woman had wet eyes as well.
“I just…I missed you so much. You and…is Papa here?” She asked excitedly.
“No, no, just me, I’m afraid. Your Papa had to stay for the pub and the household. The garden is not doin’ well witho’t you, and he misses you terribly,” She said. She hugged her tightly against her again, Elisabeth once more wiping away all her tears. She looked over at Anita and Cederick.
“Thank you, both…this is the best gift I could have ever received.” She went wide-eyed, “Mama! You have just got to come see the garden here! Anita is the most talented gardener I have ever seen!” She practically pulled the older woman towards her designated spot, the little book of flowers laying forgotten on her bed.

[StormingNightmare]

Kyier blew the bangs from his eyes, the damn sweated things obstructing his view of delicate script. Without looking up, he reached for the quill Mathius was holding out to him, scratching some new notes down upon his own parchment. "It doesn't make sense, Mathius." he sighed just as the bell to the shoppe rang out yet again. All day long people had been flocking in, grabbing just about anything they could find off the shelves. The fires had left people with many injured and there was no better place for medical supplies than Mad's Cauldron. Mathius really was the best apothecary the kingdom had to offer. Not only that, but he was the only man with a heart that bled enough to foolishly offer his services for no charge. The moron...he wouldn't be able to pay his own taxes at this rate. The shelves were absolutely barren. Kyier looked up to the sound of a woman's sobbing. Mathius frantically tried to scoot himself around the counter, his motions awkward and frazzled as he lay a comforting...albeit now sweaty hand on her shoulder. It didn't matter who the girl was, the poor man could never get it right around women. She sort of shrugged away from him, all the while begging for a salve to ease the wounds of her poor old mother. Kyier sighed, his fingers massaging his own brow. All these interruptions were beyond the realms of frustrating. "Make her what she needs and then close this damn place. There's nothing on the shelves so staying open is just a cruel tease to the public anyway, you heartless fiend." The Marquess gathered up all their supplies and began to pace while he waited... Shadow castors. Aeris, the young girl who crafted the diary, a certain passage of hers in particular had stuck out in his mind. "And yet another day has passed with no word from our Lord Nox. He remains illusive and absent, my parents fearing that he may never return. What is to become of us then? We are warriors left in chaos now...with no direction or leader. I'm afraid that without him, the darkness will become evil. Without him... Soren will take what we have faught so hard to defend."

"Light castors are touched by Lumos. It only makes sense then that those graced by the shadows are warriors of Nox. Aeris spells it out for us, look here." Kyier instructed, pointing to the exact scripture for his friend as he shut and locked up his door. "But if what she says is true... Mathius, what is to become of us is Nox has truly vanished?" he whispered, keeping his voice hushed from the public's ear. They sped up their step, hurrying down the path through town. "It makes sense though. If the castors are truly the warriors of Nox, then if he has become absent, it is not a wonder why some have become rogue. But if that much is true, then no darkness is safe, not even our dreams..." Kyier watched as a visible shudder crept down Mathius back. The Marquess rolled his eyes, "We haven't the time to be cowards." he grumbled. "I wonder how long it will take Joshua to try and pin his stupidity on someone else so he can began his next mindless plot." He followed Mathius inside back at the cottage, both men immediately heading down the basement steps without pause. "How is your back by the way?" Mathius asked after being reminded by the container of medicated lotion he had made for him sitting upon the desk. Kyier just shrugged, completely disinterested by the topic, "Aconitum, or rather wolfsbane. Perhaps a small dose combined with a sedative would- Hey! What the Hell?!" he hissed when Mathius suddenly tugged up his shirt. The apothecary knew better than to ask for permission by now, "Kyier?! Dear Gods!" Mathius gapped as the inflammed wounds. "You haven't been taking care of this at all. I'd say they're infected. It must hurt. Gods, do you wish for sepsis?" The Marquess only rolled his eyes, "Oh, of course not you fool. I don't have the time to worry over a few little scratches. We have a curitive potion to create. Stop meddling with my back and help me."

Meanwhile, back at the manor...

The Duchess took a step back to keep from being run over by the pair. Her usually bright, loving eyes grew dim as she watched their forms become smaller and smaller as Elisabeth pulled Marge eagerly through the long, winding halls. The ache in Anita's heart was undeniable and it was accompanied by a feeling so very foreign to the Duchess. She swallowed and nearly jumped when Cederick's hand came over her shoulder, "Everything okay, Love?" he asked softly. She nodded even though she knew he wasn't fool enough to believe her. She felt a little tug on her dress, and spun around to find both Sebastien and Sofia staring up at her in earnest. The two of them looked like an adorable little married couple with Sebastien in his sweater vest and blouse while Sofia wore a matching dainty little blue lace dress, "Miss Anita... Who's was that lady?" Sebasten asked with small tilt of his head. Anita bit her lip, "That is-" A lump formed in her throat, She's Elisabeth's m-" Hm. Could she really not bring herself to say it? How horrid of her. Cederick cut in, "Her name is Margerie Thurn and she's Elisabeth's mother come to see her all the way from Van Hollen." The Duke explained with a smile. "The two of you should run along and introduce yourselves. Sebastien nodded eagerly and took Sofia by the hand just as Elisabeth had Marge. The little ones took off after them, all the while Sofia just staring at the back of the boy's head. "Miss Anita?" Why would Sebastien address his mother by her first name? She realized then that she never saw a single portrait of him with the others throughout the manor. Could he be- Was he just like her? How could she have not realized before now? Oh, how desperately she wished to ask him.

Cederick and Anita followed the young pair outside into the gardens where they ran over to join Mrs. Thurn and Elisabeth. Sebastien bowed ever so politely, just like a little gentleman. Sofia on the other hand, just sort of rose her eyebrow curiously at him before looking up and blinking cutely at the older woman. That little girl really didn't have to do much of anything to win over the hearts of all who came across her. She had a hypnotizing way about her, one that drew people to her like some kind of gravitational force. "These two are staying with us now, and Elisabeth has done a wonderful job in caring for them. I'm sure Sebastien introduced himself, but this is Sofia. We haven't been able to get her to speak yet." The Duchess explained as she and Cederick strolled through the flowers. "My son Kyier, I'm sorry to say, is not here and will not be home tonight. He has been working with the local apothecary and the pair of them are attempting to find a means to help Elisabeth's uncle rid his kingdom of the hellhound menace." Sebastien reached out to tag Elisabeth, giggling before taking off running, "You're it, you're it!" he cheered, motioning for Sofia to hurry and follow after him. Anita stepped to the side to allow them to pass, "Come on then, I'll have Lydia bring us out some tea and the three of us can chat while the young ones play." she smiled. The Duchess lead the woman under an archway that opened into a beautifully decorated cemented area furnished with vinyl chairs and a glass table. Cederick pulled a chair out for each of them before taking a seat himself. He was very stiff; nervous really about how his wife was going to attack. Anita was hardly a bitter person, and rarely did any hint of her jealous side shine through, however... The woman was a master at the art of passive aggression. "This must be so hard on you." The Duchess spoke as she raised the teacup to her lips. "After hiding her away for all those years from me and her uncle, and then to have us suddenly become aware of her existence and take her back." Cederick's eyes shifted to issue a warning glare. Anita took a deep breath, recollecting herself as if she hadn't even realized her own cruelty.
Marge watched Anita, her own eyes wide as she collected what the woman was getting at. “Excuse me? I-,” She began to defend herself before the Duchess apologetically turned up a palm, and began to explain herself.
"Oh, forgive me...I- It's easy to see how much that girl loves you. You did a beautiful job raising her, Elisabeth is such a fine young Lady. I should not be so cross with you, I fear I'm allowing my jealousy to get the best of me." she admitted to this most eloquently, her eyes displaying her sincerity. "You see, Geoffrey and Seraphine were our best friends. I loved them both as well as Elisabeth dearly. They made Cederick and I her godparents. Losing her- I suppose us losing her was your blessing." Cederick sighed, This was the woman he knew. Her words were honest, spoken right from her heart. Anita passed a photograph of Geoffrey and Seraphine smiling over Elisabeth in a time before Marge ever knew her. She smiled softly, "On behalf of those two, I would like to thank you for taking such good care of her. They both loved her with everything they had and knowing she was taken in by someone who loved her equally as they, I'm sure by Lumos' good name that it means the world to them. I should thank you all the same, but I find myself too disgustingly bitter to do so at present. I ask your forgiveness for my childish behavior, but I'm afraid it is what it is."

[AsheWindWaker]

Van Aelst Cottage

“Kyier!” Mathius all but hissed back at his friend. “You will be of no use to any of us if your wounds get so infected that you become deceased. Do I make myself clear?” SO, despite his friends temper tantrum, he collected more bottles of salves for him, putting together something more so that he may in fact be healed. “You need to be more careful, Kyier. You….” He shook his head.
“I…?” Kyier mocked, irritated at the dropping of the words.
Mathius took another breath, his eyes glistening, and he glared at his friend from behind, watching him as he worked. “I’ve lost too many people already to worry about losing you. So, if you would begin to take care of yourself instead of being so godly irritating and not caring what happens to you, I would really appreciate it!” He snapped, being bravely truthful to loosen his friends’ tight, hidden heart. “I don’t want to lose anyone else.” Mathius had often told Kyier of his fears of death, and loss of family, but when Kyier acted so idiotically by not caring for his own current, not to mention infected wounds, it bit him right at the sore spot. He held up the new vial, almost giving it to Kyier, but thinking better of it. Instead, he once more lifted up the shirt, his skin burning in heated rage of embarrassment at having his skin shown.
“Don’t be a baby, Kyier. You refused to listen to me, and didn’t do as instructed, so I will just have to do it for you.”

The Marquess let out a threatening, guttural growl. He could honestly be frightening when he wanted to be. He did what he had to do, taking the painful, red, angry scratches, and allowing the cooling agent to work, the aloe salve slightly green tingeing his skin. “Don’t get angry, heat will only disturb it and cause unwanted affects,” but even he had to smirk at the whole idea of Kyier not getting angry. That boy would be furious at a pin drop.
He put another clean bandage over his back, and watched Kyier ponder over the found journal. “It seems so obvious, doesn’t it? I mean, Shadow versus Light, two types of Castors each being chosen especially by their own God or Goddess.” He had been chosen to be a Light Castor at a very young age. He almost expected that Lumos had known of his mother’s illness, and predetermined her death. He at least had no doubt that she was the Heavens, knowing her would was much to pure to have even a thought of Soren taking it. “Wouldn’t that mean then that Castors, Shadow Castors’ I mean, aren’t bad. It’s all up to personal discretion whether they choose to be villainous? You understand this better than anyone,” He wished do badly he could read that foreign text, “With this information, we can clear them of trial. We can show the world that these Shadow Castors can come out of hiding. The only problem,” He took one more breath, “Is getting people to believe you, the only one who can read this text.”

And so Margerie Thurn sat uncomfortably with the Duchess and her kindly husband, with whom she had trouble feeling entirely accepted. Though watching her daughter frolic in the flowers like she had in Van Hollen was all worth it. “T’was my blessing, as yo’ said, about my daughter coming into my graces. I hope you know that, and as my honour as a mother I mustn’t feel anything bad towards you, especially after yo’ brought me up here. And after seeing how happy she is.” Marge coughed, laughing a bit. “I had hoped, as any mother would, that my child would be having an awful time, and we might get to get her back. But I realized on the way up here that I couldn’t think like that, and needed to hope for the very best. I still want her to be the very best, and this is where she will bloom. She is justa simple little flower.” She watched her daughter run around with the two children, the one playing joyfully while the other silently mocked. She looked back over at the two, “Please know that’I would never purposely hide her if it weren’t for th’very best. The letter that sat atop her blanket, it told us we had to protect her. We knew who she was. We knew of the death of her parents, and her death, but this was our chance to protect an innocent life. This was our chance to do what was right, and this was our chance to have our own family.” She didn’t mean to get so heated, but she didn’t think that Anita had realized how she honestly felt. She thought this woman was incredibly gentle, and surely would have been a wonderful mother to Elisabeth, to her Lucy, but everything would have been different.

Looking back, she often questioned giving her up. She thought it would be best if they took a carriage to the grand city, and were able to give up the small child. But what if she came back? What if those who took the lives of the original Duchess and Duke Rose would find her and try to claim her life. Nothing is worse than losing the life of a child.
“So, what of these two children you’ve taken under you’ wing?” Marge asked, her eyes glancing around as she held her lemon tea tightly in her fist. She could tell the seriousness of the question after she had asked. Anita told her, so gently.
“Both of them, both children have lost their parents, in the recent fires. And Kyier and Elisabeth were there to protect them. For the time being they’ll live with us. We have extended a permanent invitation to young Sebastien. For Heaven’s Sake though, we know nothing of Sofia. We don’t even know her name.”
Marge felt her heart break for these children, so young and already they have seen so much heart break and sadness. “It is wonderful that the two of you have such…such big hearts, and are so kind to deserving children,” She said, and she spoke about Sofia and Sebastien, but also about her own daughter.

Elisabeth laughed with Sebastien, watching him run around. Every time he laughed he brought a smile to her face. After everything that happened, she honestly did not expect to see him smile for a while longer. Though, he was such a kind boy, and because of that she was sure that he would find the happy side in everything. But she knew he was still sad. When she left his bedroom at night, she could hear him cry. She could hear him cry for his lost mother, cry wet tears into his pillow. At one point in a night, she moved back into his room, and he stopped. He started again when she left, and it tore her into pieces that she couldn’t comfort him, because he didn’t want to be comforted. This was something, though he would grow and mature, he would never get over. She prayed to Lumos every night that his mother’s soul was safe in her warm embrace, in that lovely, everlasting paradise they all hoped to go to.

[StormingNightmare]

"Well, we certainly have the room so it's really no trouble to us." Cederick smiled, only to have Anita roll her eyes, "Says the man I had to fight with for him to allow it." The Duke grinned handsomely, offering a subtle wink to their guest. "If there were more time in the day, I would have liked to take you to the castle to introduce you to Alphonse and Vivian. Those menacing hounds, though." Her eyes turned downcast, "A messenger was in to see us yesterday informing us that they have started to expand their stomping grounds. They've been sighted as far as Haste." Anita reached across the table to take the woman's strong, calloused hands in her own, "Please, you must promise us that you will spread the word to your neighbors and that you especially will make sure to find yourself indoors through the nighttime hours. For Elisabeth's, or rather... For Lucy's sake please keep you and your husband safe." From the corner of her eye she could see the young woman and the children fast approaching. She withdrew her hand and put a big smile on her face to greet them. "Elisabeth, why don't you take your mother upstairs and get her set up in the guest room, or if you'd prefer to share a room, that's all the same. I'm sure you have plenty of stories you wish to share with her, and I am equally certain Marge would like some privacy with her daughter without our wandering ears." she sighed. "We will all come together again for dinner, until then..." she smiled softly, standing from the table and holding her hands out for Sebastien and Sofia.

Kyier just laughed, and then took a moment to laugh some more. "We have a better chance of Joshua growing a brain." He shook his head, snatching back the shirt Mathius had stolen off his back. Kyier knew very well what tomorrow's date was, and the significance it held for his friend. Being such, he realized how ill-timed his lack of caring for his own well-being was. "And don't waste time worrying about me, Idiot. You should know by now that I'm not going anywhere." The Marquess scoffed, rolling his eyes. In his own twisted way, that statement was somehow meant as an apology.

"Kyier... Kyier, hold on! Stop trying to walk on it!" An eleven year old Mathius had cried. "Why do you have to be so stubborn? This will help, I promise it will!" The Marquess had shrugged him off, pushing forward on his hurt leg. The other kids had just left him in the woods all alone after that cursed rock had dislodged from the cliff... All aside from the damn pest of a boy he couldn't seem to be rid after accidentally saving him from a gang of bullies. "Doesn't hurt." Kyier growled in response. "Just go away." Mathius stopped his step, his eyes saddened as he nervously gnawed at his bottom lip while pondering. "I don't need you and I never even wanted to be your friend, Stupid. I don't need any." The young blond-haired boy gulped before making up his mind to jog back after him. He ducked underneath Kyier's arm, taking a good portion of his weight onto himself. "I-I think everyone needs at least one friend. That's what my Mama always used to tell me. She said that if you have at least one person who you know you can count on through thick and thin, then you know you're doin alright." he smiled bashfully. Kyier, of course, only rolled his eyes. "I don't give a damn what your dead Mommy says, VanAelst. Why don't you go cry to her g-" He wasn't sure why, but something inside him made him stop then. He looked away from Mathius as if ashamed of himself and finally sat down like he had been pleading with him to do. It started to rain, the water frigid against the chilling winter's wind. Even still, Mathius stayed with him, kneeling down to shift through his pack until he found the salve he had been looked for. He was silent, and Kyier knew it was because his words had hurt him even though he hadn't finished them. He wasn't sure why he cared... Maybe it was just because he didn't want to be like all the other ignorant assholes they went to school with, but whatever the real reason, the young Marquess uttered the two words his pride dared him never to speak, "I'm sorry." He looked away hastily while Mathius wrapped his injured leg, his arms crossed begrudgingly over his chest. "I-I well... I liked your Ma'ma." he mumbled. "Kind of anyway... From what I knew her." he shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "What the-Oof!" Mathius just about slammed into him them, hugging him tightly. "Are you kidding me?!" Kyier hissed. "Get off me, dammit! What the-- You can't be serious! You're crying?! Oh, come on! I take it back, I'm not sorry! I damn well hate you, you pathetic fool. Leave me. I'd rather turn to ice in the freezing rain than spend another second with the likes of you." These words had no effect on the apothecary's son at this point. He only smiled widely and finished wrapping his friend's leg. He wasn't planning on leaving Kyier all alone out in the cold, even if he had said that horrible thing about his mother. Whether Kyier knew it yet or believed it, the boy really was a good friend...even if he could not see it himself.

"The wolfsbane? Hello... Mathius... Were you listening to me at all?!" Kyier snapped, his eyes glaring with one eyebrow rose higher than the other. "Wolfsbane, Mathius! It's in the name... A bane to wolves so why not hounds? Rather than a lethal dose we could dilute it to nothing greater than a weak poison and perhaps, what would happen if we enchanted the serum with light magick? Light can overcome shadows, yes?" The Marquess jumped up in his excitement, "Something so easy, it's all coming to me now! Here, come now, hurry before this genius leaves me!" he shouted, running about to gather the supplies he could now see so vividly in his mind. It was as if something had possessed him, a madness driving him forward. "Sounds like Kyier has been enlightened." Chrystiem smiled as he peeked his head down the stairs. "We knocked, but no one answered so we went ahead and just let ourselves in. Hope you don't mind too terribly. We'll be sure to fix your door later." he grinned. "We came to check in with the two of you under the King's order. The faith he has in you is monumental, Kyier." Kyier scoffed, "And rightly so. I've made a number of discoveries of recent. Our castors are warriors of Nox, and shortly put, I believe we are short one of the Seven." Raina's head tilted at the perplexity, "You mean to say our plight lies with the Gods?" The Marquess thought on that for a moment, "Not necessarily. I believe the castors are rioting now because Nox has not been governing them as he once had, but I cannot be sure of the reason, only that years ago a young female castor believed him to have disappeared." Chrystiem's lips pulled to their corner, "And just how do you know that?" The Marquess groaned at the annoying questions, but trudged over to the pair none the less, "She describes the matter here." he pointed over the pages. Chrystiem leaned in over top the shorter man, "Uh huh...Um, yeah. Right there. Gotcha." Ryst's sad, mocking attempt to pretend he didn't believe his ambitious friend only added to the fuel Raina was about to feed Kyier's fire. "Kyier, you can't possibly be telling us that you can really read this gibberish."

The Marquess unleashed a heated growl, turning from them and slamming his hand down on the table. Damn, this was hopeless. If he couldn't convince people he considered friends to believe him then- "Of course, I can. It's just basic latin principles." he shouted, shaking his head in disbelief. "Don't believe me if you wish it not, Hell if I care! Why should I give a damn about this cursed kingdom anyway when I hate everyone in it! Everyone can just go to Hell!" he ranted. Chrystiem sighed as his hands fell to rest against his hips, "Whoa, whoa. Calm down there, Bud. We're only teasin ya. We've known you for how many years, Kyier?" he laughed. "When we came down here you were mentioning something about wolfsbane?" Raina interjected, trying to restore order. Kyier glanced over at Mathius who was now busy following the instructions Kyier had scripted out for him. He closed his eyes, hushed words summoning a glorious white light from his palms. "The serum we've been working on for weeks now. I think we just finished it." Kyier smirked. Both the Hands had eyes that nearly popped from their skulls, "What?! To combat the hounds, you've really found a way to beat them?" Raina gasped. "We haven't a clue if it will beat them or not. This serum is purely experimental, but we have to start somewhere, right?" The Marquess took the vial from Mathius, pulling the subtly glowing white liquid into a syringe. He smirked, his eyes gleaming devilishly at the apothecary, "Now all we need is...bait."

[AsheWindWaker]

Elisabeth and Margerie made their way up the stairs, the youngest girl holding onto her dear mother’s hand. “Things have changed so much in such a short period of time, Mama,” She said, looking at her worried mother’s face. “I’ve changed. I can feel it already. I am not about to make it seem that I know more than ever, but I feel like…I feel like there is so much that I have yet to see in my life, and this is the first step in seeing it.” They got to the bedroom, Elisabeth making her way in and shutting the door, plopping down on the bed. “Did you know how much tragedy is really out there?” She asked. “So much more than just the little things we thought about in Van Hollen.” She watched her mother sit down next to her, the women whose hands worked so quickly and diligently, sewing, farming, cooking, baking, and turning. Now they were nervously massaging one another in her lap, and she only watched.
“We really ‘ave missed ya Lucy, err, Elisabeth. You understand how difficult t’is, right?” She asked. Elisabeth nodded.
“Of course, I mean, I was totally confused at first, but everyone up here, they all called me Elisabeth, so it got much easier, and I want to try so hard not to deny who I am. This is who I am, and I want to make my parents proud. All of them: You and Papa, and the parents I never met; This Seraphine and Geoffrey Rose. Anita tells me they were amazing people, and she cried when she saw me, because I am the spitting image of my birth mother. Can you believe it?” She asked, still lying on the bed.
Margerie nodded, “We’re so proud of ya…Elisabeth, for who you have been, and for the woman yo’are to become. I can already see the grand changes to you, all for the better. Your Papa and me, I know we haven’t given you the life you deserved, or what yo’ were born into. Van Hollen is anything but a kingdom. I hope you don’t have too much sorrow in ya’r heart for us.” She held out her hand now, and took her daughters in it, holding it tightly. Elisabeth just looked at her, and shook her head.
“Ne’er Mama, I would never. I have pride in where I am from. You can take that home and tell Papa that,” She said. Marge got a big smile on her face, and she stood.
“Oh, I almost forgot!” She reached into her own small satchel and pulled out a rose, clipped from their small garden, “A gift from your Papa. He misses you more and more ever’day, child.”
“I miss him, too, so, so much.”
There was a knock at the door, the young lady Lydia poking her head in to collect the two for dinner. Elisabeth and Marge stood, collecting themselves, and making sure they looked presentable. Elisabeth held her mother’s hand the entire way down, the small rose from her garden sticking behind her ear. “Just wait. This food is delicious. Like nothing we’ve ever had!” She said.
The table was set up beautifully, and the Duke and Duchess seemed to go to an even bigger extent to welcome the Duchesses mother. There were candles, and nicely cooked roast pork, with fresh fruits and vegetables, and potatoes and gravy and everything one could imagine. She wondered if perhaps it was merely in her mind that the food was so savory and esthetically pleasing because it was in fact so different than her meals in Van Hollen. Even so, she just hoped her mother enjoyed. The Duke and Duchess were already there, sitting and speaking quietly to themselves. Sofia and Sebastien were also there, and Sebastien was trying to get Sofia to talk to him. When they entered, Cederick stood, waiting for the two newest women to take their seats. Both of them welcomed then, dinner having been waiting for their arrival. One of the maids came up quickly, offering steaming water from one of the finest tea pots.
“Tea, Duchess Elisabeth?” She asked quietly. Elisabeth nodded, watching as her mother looked on in wonderment at the way she was addressed. It was certainly strange for them all, this new name, this new identity. And then she caught herself daydreaming, thinking about Kyier. At first it was just him playing the piano, but then her mind wandered to his hands, with his beautiful fingers that kissed the piano keys so gracefully, that look he got when he was concentrating, the emotion and feeling behind his eyes. He was no monster, she could see that. Anyone one with a heart could see that. But then it was if things changed, something inside of her started to heat, and her heart beat faster. She chewed a sugar cube meant for her tea while she thought about him, her eyes glossy as she stared at the tea. His eyes. Oh, she had seen it before, but watching him play, watching his eyes move as quick as his hands, and that handsome colour. She blushed, realizing her thoughts, as her mother and Anita and Cederick’s conversation pulled her out of her haze. Margerie was saying how she wished Kyier could have joined them, that she could have met him. Anita and Cederick both tried to explain why he was gone, dancing over the topic of the hounds and the turmoil of the kingdom for such a dinner.
Speaking of dinner, she had not even realized that they began to eat, and as she touched her food, she once again let her mind wander off to Kyier. “We’re practically best friends,” She said, watching the strange, surprised expression of the kind Duke and Duchess. She could not understand why they seemed so surprised. After all, she had practically spent all of her time with him since she had been here, he saved her life at least three times, and she made sure to help him get better. They were clearly wonderful friends. Finally, her mind wandered once more, not the physical aspects of Kyier, but to his current state, and what he might be doing while they had dinner.

“Just because I have the ability to be a Light Castor doesn’t mean that I deserve to be standing outside of here waiting to be killed.” Mathius stood in the middle of the street, near to where the hounds had been seen most potently, and he waited for the first sounds of the first nightly howls. He could feel his face get hot with fear, and he prayed silently to Lumos for aid. He waited, waited, watching the sun go down, and watching night creep up his spine into the living. And then the hounds came. It was like he could see them, appearing out of the hollowed parts of the ground, appearing from nothing like darkness, the dark blanket cold and unfitting. He waited, as if it was normal, and it was as if he always did, he waited for the hard, snarling jaws to lock upon his flesh and tear him into pieces. He walked forward, taking another timid step and then another stronger one, seeing a lone hound wander mercifully through the towns living quarters.
The feral animal spotted him, and with some sudden bout of bravery, he ran forward, just as the other animal did, and he thought his heart was going to burst open inside of his chest. The dog jumped at him, Mathius screamed, and suddenly the dog was atop him, its heavy body bursting with untamed heat, its jaws quivering and barking as it slobbered wetly on his face. Suddenly, he could hear the others rushing forward, see the burst of fire through the air. He jammed the syringe into the beast’s neck, hearing it yowl quickly, the light injecting into its bloodstream. Mathius let the light shine through his hands, pushing the beast off of him, pushing it away, and blinding it with the soft light of Lumos. He was afraid that he would kill it merely by accident at first, but then he saw how badly it hurt and he almost felt bad for the burned creature as it slumped over at his side, whimpering and whining in pain.
Kyier, Raina, and Chrystiem quickly were there, standing over them on point towards the other hounds. Mathius still held the empty serum container in his tight grip, almost shattering the clear glass. It was done, they had injected a hellhound with a mixture of Light Magick and Wolfsbane, and they could now look closely at these foreign beasts.
“We best be getting it home before any more show up,” he said, and though he tried to remain calm, he still shook in his shoes, his fingers twitching nervously as he willed his heart to slow its beats.He could feel a quick touch of Kyier’s hand on his back, and that was all he needed to get his head back. The four of them collected the animal, and dragged it back to the cottage for further inspection.

Kyier and Mathius sat downstairs near the animal, Kyier immediately going to study the animal. Mathius had made tea though mainly for himself, in attempts to once more control his breathing. He was still panicked, despite their success, and now he was panicking because he had a damned hellhound in his home. He took the tea downstairs, pouring Kyier some that went untouched, and he pulled out his own little notebook, collecting his notes on the advert effects of the Light Magick on the hound, how it seems to act, and any physical damage done to its hide. He drew the animal, having a chance to look so closely at it. He was silently thankful that it had its eyes closed, having seen those desperate, horrific eyes before outside his window, he cared not to see them again. He looked at the paws, felt the spongy underside, and stopped, suddenly questioning if Kyier wanted to open it up to dissect the creature. He compared the creature to his own lost family, wondering what made this creature so evil, and if fact if it was all just a bad mistake. He prayed once more to Lumos that night, prayed that they could make something right, and stop what was wrong.

[AsheWindWaker]

In the dewy morning, Mathius found himself looking over the drawings from last night once more, Kyier still downstairs in the work area looking at hound that Raina had thoughtfully tied up for them. He stayed upstairs, finding himself more alone today than ever. He tried to concentrate on the drawings, and the new information they had gotten. He had taken so much blood, saliva, and eventually if the hound wakes up they were to take stool samples. Everything they could get they needed. He attempted to make breakfast for Kyier, too. He made them both eggs, bacon, and cups of fruit, but his stomach refused the garnish. Shame.
When he was younger, he prayed for the days when the anniversary of his mother’s death rolled around. He had nothing to look forward to now, because in two weeks’ time the anniversary of his father’s death would come. He sat with his head in his hands, before forcing himself up to call down to Kyier about the readiness of the food. He looked down the hallway, looking at the pictures of his smiling mother and father, and the horrendous frown of his sister. She never wanted to be there. She had always tried so desperately to get away, and when they died, that was her escape. He for one missed them, whether or not she did. “Kyier, help yourself to breakfast. I’ll be back!” He grabbed his jacket to defend against the chilly morning air, and he headed towards the graveyard, where his mother and father were buried. He kept thinking about the day she died, when he noticed how alone he was. Both his father and his sister disappeared, into their own bedrooms, and he left to go find Kyier. He couldn’t see her body. His memory was so foggy, he remembered hearing his father cry for the first time, sitting there listening to the man cry over his mother. He wanted to cry to. His memory shifted back to when he ran to Kyier, and Anita was the one to hold him, to tell him everything that happened would turn out okay, and though he was sad now, she never truly left him. And she said this when she had lost one of her greatest friend. It was all that he needed, and his father could not even manage to comfort him in that way. He was so grateful for Anita, and luckily, too, because he needed her more than ever then and then even more when his father took his own life.
His life became too hard for such a little boy, and everything around him seemed to collapse. It was truly Kyier and the entire Cross family who helped him rise from his fear. He didn’t know if Anita knew how truly thankful he truly was for her, and Kyier. He hiked up the small hill, going through the fence to where the gravestones stood in their polished condition. His mind wandered quickly to the happy moments of his past where his mother stood in the kitchen, her apron swinging wildly and she picked him up and spun him around. Her blonde, wild curls bounced around her happy face, her blushing cheeks always stood vibrant against her golden skin. And her eyes, his father always said it was her eyes that he fell in love with; Those bright, green orbs that lit up the room, and exploded with happiness whenever he or his sister would enter. She was always baking, and he remembered her teaching him how to knead the bread over and over again, to run their fingers through the warm dough and then bake it into buttery goodness. When she died, it suddenly felt so empty and there was nobody there. Even while still alive his father seemed to have died as well.
The pathway was empty, the trail leading to the van Aelst plot nearly empty. And then he shouldn’t have been surprised, but he did stop when he saw the person standing there bending over and placing flowers atop the silver, polished graves. “I should have known you would be here…” He moved up behind the person, and smiled, pulling them into a hug. “Thank you, Anita. For everything.”

[StormingNightmare]

"Oh, Sweetheart, hush. I haven't a clue what you would need to be thanking me for." Nevertheless, Anita hugged him back. It was so strange how year after year the same took place, and year after year Mathius seemed to grow another foot taller. When he first came running into her arms all those years ago she had had a little over a head on him but now... Now she struggled to reach and wipe the tears streaming down his cheeks. "She would be so very proud of you, Mathius, the man you've grown into... I'm proud too." she smiled warmly, rising up on her tiptoes to kiss his wet cheek. "I'll give you a moment alone, but I won't be far." Anita whispered quietly, taking a step back to allow Mathius some time to speak with his mother. She felt the chilly wind blow gently over her cheek and she smiled, liking to believe it a quiet thank you from a dear friend. The hushed sounds of Mathius' quiet words became nothing more than mumbles to her ears as Anita watched the sun try to peak out from the clouds. Despite its efforts, the sky appeared it had other plans for the day. It had been storming on the day Madeleine's soul left this world. The Duchess remembered that dreadful day all too vividly. Mathius came to them drenched, muddied, and bleeding from when he took a tumble on their rocky pathway. He was screaming through his painful sobs, but Anita needed not his words to know what had happened. The poor thing had passed out from crying so hard, and she could remember holding him all through the night, stroking his hair and singing to him the lullabies Madeleine used to hum while she worked. Oh, how she regretted not trying harder to speak to Ramsey. It ate away at her constantly. She should have been able to get through to him, to save poor Mathius at least his father. But that poor man...he was inconsolable. Never would she be able to erase the gaze of his dead eyes looking upon her. "It's been so long Madeleine, Ramsey. I hope to Lumos you are well, and I know you can continue to watch over your son. He's become such an honorable young man, kind and generous...with such a soft heart." she whispered, her eyes now shifting to look where Mathius now sat with his legs crossed indian style. He looked as though he were simply chatting with an old friend rather than a grave. Anita nearly jumped from her skin when a gentle hand touched her shoulder. She blinked, letting out a deep sigh of relief. She smiled gently as Kyier stepped around her to approach his best friend. He dropped a bouquet of lilacs in Mathius' lap, his eyebrow rose expectingly.

"You forgot these, Dullard." He smirked, "Poor Madeleine... Her only son too thoughtless to remember to bring her favorite flowers." he sighed, shaking his head in an almost teasing manner. Kyier plopped down beside Mathius, inclining his head to the stone out of respect. "Tch. Pity she couldn't have me as a son. I truly am something awesome." he shrugged. "I am sorry for that, Ms. Madeleine, you really got the short of the stick with this goon."

Anita's smile widened, taking notice to how differently she and her son went about comforting someone they loved so dearly. "Not to rush you, but it does look like rain. Perhaps we can go into town to buy the candles for later on the lake? Ah, and lunch too. I daresay I might have skipped breakfast this morning." The Duchess glided over to the two boys, placing a hand on each of their backs.It was terribly hard to be so upset when he had the comfort of Anita and Kyier with him. They always managed to bring a smile to his face and a flutter to his heart.

"The candlelight vigil sounds wonderful," he mused to himself, that being the way they have honored his parents memories for the last eleven years. "Do you remember the time my mother made you that cake, and I had to bring it to you? I do believe that may have been the very first time I learned that Kyier hated that dessert, I felt like such a buffoon for tripping. Every year after that, no matter how hard I begged, she always did it herself. I think she just wanted your company. Or to see your garden. You know she had such an impressive fascination with your home? Will you tell me again? How you two became friends?" Anita coughed in the cold air, a dreamy look glazing her eyes.

"Such a long time ago, Mathius. The pair of you were- Oh, there really was a time when I could carry you." she sighed longingly. "Madeleine and I- hmm... When did we first meet? I suppose our first meeting was when Kyier had his little mishap with his experiment when he was all but six. The pair of you had just started school together and between you and I, I think Kyier here was a little jealous of your potion's ability..." Anita grinned, despite feeling the fire of her son's glare. "He came home in a fit, marched his little behind straight back to his room and went to brewing anything he could think. Unfortunately, you know as well as I Kyier is prone to fire. His very first attempt at anything exploded in his face. His hair turned a horrible green. You remember, don't you Mathius? I think you were in with your mother that day."

Mathius laughed, "How could I have forgotten?"

The Marquess on the other hand... he was not humored. He stormed off in front of the pair, saying nothing for once and just deciding to go ahead and ignore the fools entirely. They didn't deserve his company anyway. "Madeleine was just closing up with you on her heel when Kyier and I came shooting down the path. Oh, Kyier looked so cute with his little hood. But anyway, I digress... the pair of you reopened the shoppe for us. You were so shy back then." They arrived at a sweet little luncheon house, the owner directing her most esteemed guests to the seat by the cozy fireplace. "I suppose Kyier has decided we are no longer company he wishes to keep." she sighed, watching as her son stormed passed the window. He'd be back though... If he thought for a second Mathius would need him, he'd be back. "Ah, but yes...my story. Madeleine wasted no time in helping Kyier, and as she brewed, her and I got to speaking a bit. She was so pleased to have met someone with a child the same age as you. Oh, did your mother love you. Worried something terrible about you, the very same as I with Kyier. After that night we got together often mainly to discuss the pair of you." she chuckled. They were presented with menus, but Anita noticed Mathius' eyes were glued to her, so she continued... "She always did mention how much she loved my gardens. i would let her collect whatever herbs she liked, herbs that given are births, she hadn't had access to prior. Your mother was the one to first notice the disease taking over my fingers. She spent many a night trying to research ways to soothe the ailment. Such a kind soul, just like you. You are so like your mother, Mathius... In almost every way imaginable." She grinned then, despite a few tears dripping from her eyes, "There were sides of her that you wouldn't believe. Mad and I used to go on secret spy missions together, stalking after either you or Kyier. The fun we had... Gods how I miss her."

"Good morning, Ladies. I hope you found the beds well suited for sleep." Cederick smiled, standing from his chair to await them finding there place at the table. Sebastien watched him, taking but a moment before scrambling to his feet to copy the Duke. His hasty action sent a jolt to the table, knocking a goblet of juice over to splash on Sofia beside him. The poor boy blushed terribly, but everyone else laughed in a happy merriment. All except Sofia, that is. She slapped him one upside the head. "Anita went off to the cemetery this morning, but she sends her regards. Today is the anniversary of the passing of Mrs. VanAelst. The four of us go to the lake on the evening of this day every year. You are all welcome to join. The lake is on the castle grounds and I am nearly certain Marge hasn't the pleasure of seeing her kingdom's grand castle up close."

[AsheWindWaker]

As Sebastien giggled about something, Marge, Elisabeth and Cederick spoke amongst themselves at Cederick’s preposition. “Tha’ would be wonderful. I would love to see the castle, as long as it isn’too much trouble for two more viewers?” Marge asked politely. Elisabeth knew it wouldn’t be, not with the way the Cross’ were, as well as how Mathius was. It was almost as if they were too kind for their own good. Elisabeth filled out a sorbet cup with fresh fruits, and brought the spoon thoughtfully a few spoons of sugar over top; she smiled bashfully at her mother.
“The castle is beautiful Mama,” Elisabeth explained. “And you get to meet my aunt and uncle!” Marge and Bufard were both only children so though she was an only child, she never even had the pleasure of having cousins. She did grow up with a wonderful friend though, and she suddenly gasped. “How is Luke!?” She asked. “Did he finish his apprenticeship yet? I know that he was almost finished when I left,” She said. She looked over at Cederick. “One of my greatest friends that I grew up with…he is an apprentice to be a boat captain. He always wanted to travel the world,” She said. “He was one of the few that…” She stopped, and silently looked at her plate, trying to will the past to rewrite what she had almost said. “He’s a very brave young man,” She said a bit demurely. She looked over at Cederick, feeling the heated, wondering gaze of the two adults. “Would you tell me about your childhood? How did you meet Anita?” She asked, trying to push the attention off her and find out more unknown information about her godfather.

Mathius bit into his sandwich, his stomach growling from the uneaten breakfast, while Kyier himself had a salted egg and a bowl of fruit. “I do remember that day. You’re right, I was terrified. You know, I don’t know if you ever knew this, but I was so afraid of you because of your status…at first. And everyone was afraid of Kyier. But when he saved me, and then I saw how kind you were, it changed my entire way of thinking,” He said, “This all even when I heard about the great Cross Ideals of Giving,” he laughed. He almost let out of a small whimper when the flickering candle gave off a moment of shining gold across Anita’s neck. “You wore it,” He said, as if she would do any other. He looked at the small gold locket around Anita’s neck, the one that held two sepia toned photographs of he and Kyier, a gift from his mother, and one of Anita’s favorites.
Suddenly, he noticed the bouncy blonde headed young woman outside the foggy window, and he tore his eyes away from the Duchess’s neck. “Is she…” Anita had begun to ask, but Mathius shook his head.
“She hasn’t come home for the last five years. I don’t think this is going to be any different. What would she have to gain from coming home?”
“She would see you? You know she loves you, she just has a different way of-...”
“Showing it?” He finished. “No, my sister proved her loyalty herself when she left. She won’t come home. Not for me.”

[StormingNightmare]

Meanwhile, the Marquess tore back for the cottage, grumbling all the while over how ignorant Mathius and his mother are. Oh, how he despised them. Simpletons. He slammed the door behind him, tossing his coat to the couch before turning and heading for the basement. He froze on the wooden stairs, eyes locking with the hound's. The beast was awake. Kyier had to take multiple glances as he could not believe she was the same creature from last night. Her once black fur now shone a brilliant silver, peridot eyes now staring in place of red. Her ears were back but looked more so from fear than threat. "Don't worry...I don't plan on dissecting you. Though you know I should with all the deaths and injuries you and your pack have caused." The pup whimpered, wiggling fiercely within its bounds. "Nonetheless, you are a proven victory that my once friend and I worked many a long hours for. Therefore, to do you harm would be silly on all accounts, almost as silly as me speaking to you as I am." He approached slowly, expecting the hound to growl or at the very least bare her teeth. She did nothing but lay, her eyes watching him carefully. He reached out hesitantly to touch her fur, his heart pounding against the walls of his chest. It was so soft beneath his fingertips and never had he felt anything quite like it. "I'll try to make this quick, Girl." he soothed before plucking a few hairs of her coat for further study. She yelped, but struggled for only a few seconds. He placed the collected fur into a small glass container, his eyes shifting back and forth between the black and silver samples. Perhaps an effect of the light magick, he thought? The dog watched him longingly, and Kyier could feel her desperation for freedom. He moved toward her, kneeling down once more to her level. He reached out, cautiously touching the dog's muzzle. His fingers lingered in the air, a mere centimeters away before out of nowhere, the hound disappeared into a puff of black smoke.

~~

As evening drew ever closer, the last of the gathering strolled up over the castle lawn with his hands held casually in his pockets. His parents stood with Mathius between them as well as that damn girl he had successfully managed to avoid for nearly a full day. Kyier was joined by a surprising guest who took up his arm so gracefully that he hardly recognized her presence as they strolled together over the beautifully green grass. "So lucky I am to have such a handsome nephew." The Queen smiled softly, "You are beyond shudder-some, Auntie Vivi. Tell me... how is it you managed to grab hold of my arm without me so much as flinching?" The Queen only offered a little wink in response before someone else's voice sounded through the air. "Vivian!" Anita gasped, running into her elder sister's arms. Vivi chuckled quietly, "Hello, Sweetheart, you really must visit me more."The Duchess blushed just slightly,"Well the two of us are rather busy people. I've been busy taking care of your niece that you so shamelessly stuck me with." she smirked. The Queen laughed, the sweet sound of chiming bells echoing from her soul, "Oh, please. I do recall a certain Duchess on her knees before my husband, begging in desperation that you be granted the privilege of housing her god-daughter. I will not be playing this game with you, Anita. Elisabeth herself is grinning." Vivian passed by her then to place a warm kiss on the young apothecary's cheek. "And you, young man... This occasion should not be the only time when I have the pleasure of seeing you. Alphonse sends his love, but due to the recent chaos that has surfaced, he's unable to join us this evening." The Queen made her rounds to Cederick and then took Elisabeth into her arms. "How have you been, Dear? I hope you've been enjoying your time in Landon despite the recent chains of disasters."

Mathius sort of split from the group, isolating himself with the two white candles decorated with fresh flowers from the Duchess' garden. His gaze was set out over the lake, his eyes glossy with sadness. Kyier came around to sit beside him, his arm propping casually over the one knee he kept in the air. He sighed as he looked up to the rising moon. It was different somehow, darker than usual. "The rain held off." he mentioned nonchalantly, stretching back to lay in the cool grass. "Think your mom had something to do with it? She always hated the rain, right?"