Lost Time Tavern ~ First & Second Post Updated 8.31.21

[Sislana]

Ready and gather all our strength
The night has come of soaring reigns
For the honor, have no fear

Ristar was most certainly right about one thing. What was done was done, that was for sure. There had been things that were said, feelings that were hurt, and cuts that had been made that would take far too long to heal. Some of them perhaps too raw to ever fully close. It was a thought that tore him up inside and something that he desperately tried to avoid thinking about. Even as her dark gaze met his own, Caine could feel himself crumbling beneath the weight of it all. What he wanted, more than anything in this world, was for Ristar to let him be the one to shoulder the burden of their lives. To be the strength that she drew on and for once, just once, let herself not have to be the strong one. It was something that he knew would be asking too much from her, especially right now, so he kept his tongue still. For now. All he could hope was that there would one day come a time when he could ask just that of the fiery woman.

Her simple sentence did more to his emotions than he had been expecting, the beast of a man realizing that he had messed up once more. He was not trying to lock her out of helping him fix things, rather he had no idea what he was even going to do. A soft sigh pulled from his lips as he shook his head, watching her quietly for a moment. ”That’s not what I meant, I just…” Damnit, was there going to be any point tonight that he wasn’t putting his foot so deep into his mouth he was choking on it? Highly doubting it, Caine sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he tried to gather his thoughts. Before he had the chance to do so, however, Ristar was mentioning checking on their son and walking away. While a large part of him knew that he should give the woman a chance to walk away and get her head on straight, there was something in him screaming to stop her.

Caine knew his love well enough to know that she was on the verge of shutting down on him, if she hadn’t already. This was new territory for the both of them and it scared him senseless. He could handle the fiery temper that fueled his love, that was something that he had experience with. Ristar shutting down completely and not putting up a fight, however, was foreign and uncharted lands. He did not know what to do to make it stop but he knew he had to figure something out and quick. Not letting his mind dwell on the ‘how’ for too long, Caine quickly turned on his heel and stalked after the redhead. Oh, how he wished he had his brunette friend around at the moment to give him advice on how to handle the situation. His petite partner was beyond skilled in shutting down and Austin always proved knowledgeable on how to navigate the situation. There had to be some sort of rulebook that the man kept hidden when it came to handling the Whelan sisters.

All he knew at that moment was that he couldn’t let her go back to the house. Not yet. A fear that he could not quite put his finger on told him that if she got behind closed doors he would lose her. Catching up quickly, Caine reached out and grabbed Ristar’s wrist to still her movements. He was careful to not hold her too tightly but made sure he was firm enough to keep her from getting further away from him. ”Ragnor is fine, Ristar. We are not.” It killed him to say the words, to admit it to the universe, but they both knew that he was right. Steeling himself in his decision the man moved to stand in front of her, his hold staying on her wrist as he did. In front of the woman once more he reached out with his free hand and grabbed her own, squeezing it gently.

”Please, Ri, I am just asking that you stay out here with me a little longer. We both know that you will be the first to know if something is wrong with Ragnor. Do not walk away from me. Not now. My mother always told me that going to bed upset was putting a dagger in the heart of a relationship. We might have said our apologies and uttered our forgiveness, but I am not stupid enough to think that things are okay. Talk to me, Ri. Tell me how you are feeling. Not just about Lyla and Ragnor, but about everything. You have been through hell and back today in more ways than just one. I wasn’t listening earlier, and I hate myself for it, but I am listening now. You asked me to open up to you and now I am asking for the same thing from you.” Releasing his hold on her wrist he lifted his hand to brush some of her curls from her gorgeous features. Even when she was upset and locking him out, Ristar was the most enchanting creature that he had ever had the pleasure of laying his eyes on.

His mind was reeling as he watched her and his heart was pounding at a near deafening rate. Every part of him was screaming that he was making another mistake, that he was pushing her too far. Ristar had made it abundantly clear to him that she did not appreciate being made to do anything she didn’t want to. By getting in her space and refusing to let her leave he was doing just that. Caine knew that he was taking a big risk and leap of faith by stopping her; especially when he could not exactly explain his reasoning behind the decision. All he knew was that the woman he loved more than anything was on the verge of locking him out and he could not risk that. They had worked so hard over the last year to tear down the walls that she had built around her heart and to make her feel safe. The idea of undoing all of that work, all of her growth, in the course of one evening was shattering his heart.

All he needed was for her to trust him, if only for a moment. To give them a chance to truly heal and get everything off of her chest. Once that happened then they could move on. He could scoop her into his arms and carry her back to the safety of their home. Caine would be more than happy to simply hold her for the rest of the evening and keep her hidden away from the world. He would fight away any demon that tried haunting her dreams and keep her safe from everything that tried to cause her harm. For once, Caine would save her instead of leaving her to save herself. She just needed to be willing to open the door, even just a little bit. ”Please, eldurinn minn. I know that I do not deserve you to let me back in and that I am asking for a lot from you. But I am asking. Let go, for once. It’s just you and I. Let yourself be vulnerable, I promise that I will catch you.” With his case plead and out in the open, Caine fell silent. His gray eyes clouded with the storms that raged inside of him, swirling to life with each passing second. His breath held like a rock in his lungs, waiting until she spoke before he could allow himself to breathe again. More than he cared to admit held in the balance of her next set of decisions.

We shall withstand this night of war
Ready and gather all our strength
The night has come of soaring reigns

[Ristar Black]

'All the writers keep writing what they write, write.
Somewhere another pretty vein just died...'

The hope that he would let her go, let her return to their son so she could curl up with the child and sleep the hurt away, kept her moving forward. The Fates, however, loved to toss her plans right out the window. The feel of his touch wrapping around her wrist had her sighing softly, knowing this wasn’t over just yet. All forward movement came to a halt, but she refused to turn around and look at him. His words only added to the pain and had her dropping her eyes back to the ground. That one statement, just three little words, felt like a slap to the face. Hell, Ri would have preferred if he had done that rather than toss such things out into the world. Since she wouldn’t be getting her way, for now, the redhead let him move as he pleased but kept her gaze firmly on her feet.

”That’s the thing. I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to bring it up or pick it apart or put myself back there. It’s all just words. Nothing will change from it. At least, nothing for the better anyway. What’s done is done. End of story.” She was determined to be done with it all. To put it behind her and never think about it again. It was easier for her that way. She could keep her walls up, block everything out, until it is nothing more than a bad memory that she can hide along with all the others in her head. It was a super unhealthy way of dealing with her trauma, but it had gotten her this far without too much of an issue. Of course, that was nothing but a lie to soothe herself, but Ristar tried not to dwell on it too much. Instead, she forced herself not to fall for his antics. His touch was leaving a burning trail in its wake, sending chills through her body and her heart racing. Damn it, he wasn’t playing far with all the soft strokes of his fingers!

As soon as he released her, she had every intention of returning to her previous attempt to get away. He was pushing at her walls, digging little holes in them that she was doing her best to shore up. She wouldn’t be swayed by him, not this time. Since he seemed intent on being a big a** wall in front of her, Ri shifted her body to move by him. The sound of his voice didn’t stop her. That is, until the words finally registered in her head. She was standing beside him, her eyes on their home and her mind on the baby within. Ragnor was still sound asleep, happily dreaming the sweet and innocent things babies and children dreamt. He was asking so much of her, and he knew it. It pulled her in two directions, neither of which she was truly comfortable with. For a few heart stopping moments, she remained where she had froze and let the war within her rage.

In the end, being a cruel b***h to him wasn’t something she felt she could actually accomplish so she gave in. Her cobalt gaze lifted to look up into his own, softening just a bit at the storm clouds his fascinating eyes had turned into. It was a sign that he really did want to listen, that he had returned to her soft-hearted goof who made her heart swoon and her eyes roll all at the same time. A shaky breath passed her lips as she turned her body fully to face him, a hand lifting to run through her hair as her mind tried to give him something. It didn’t have to be all of it, just enough that the pressure in her would ease and she didn’t feel like she was going to crack from it all. She could do that, right? She was Ristar Black, after all, so she was more than capable of opening up without turning it all into some big thing. Or, so she hoped anyway.

”I don’t even know where to start, to be honest. This day has been beyond anything I have ever been through, and that’s saying something.” She laughed weakly, letting her hand fall away before continuing on. ”I guess the beginning is always the best place to start, right? Get the worst of it out of the way and the rest will be easier by comparison, or that’s how I’ve always thought it to be, anyway.” Ri could feel herself starting to ramble, nerves and panic starting to swirl to life within her to have her eyes shifting to look away from him. Knowing she would get nowhere if she kept herself still when she wanted nothing more than to move, the fiery female paced away in the opposite direction of where she had been. She didn’t want him to think she was backing out when she had only just begun. No, she was going to do this. If not for herself, then for him. He deserved a bit of give when she so often took from him more than he did from her.

”I feel ashamed of myself for not seeing it. For letting things get to the level they had ended on. I should have known better, and because I miscalculated you were forced to do what you did. I know you don’t want me to apologize for it, but the guilt is not something I can seem to let go of. One day, maybe, but for now it’s something I am going to just have to deal with.” She paused then to look back at him, the apology she held back from her lips danced in her eyes. Ri let it remain for only a moment before she began to move around again, her hands moving as she spoke as if it would help her get things out better. It didn’t, obviously, but she didn’t seem to care too much as she continued on. ”I felt weak and small and I hated it. I’ve hated so few things in my life, but that moment was definitely the worst of it. I hated myself, I hated him, I hated that I didn’t just go with my gut and light his a** on fire. Looking at how things went with Bjorn and Austin, though, I am mildly relieved I didn't go that route. I have no idea how Lyla would have handled it if I was the one that had done the killing alongside Austin.” The thought of having to face off with her future sister in law, to have her try and play judge, jury, and executioner, made her want to freak out and laugh at the same time. Austin was mostly human, the redhead most certainly wasn’t. Things would have ended far differently, and not in the favor of the blonde female. Of course, they had worked out as they were meant to, so she did her best to brush it aside as she paced around and returned to her word vomit.

”I really want your sister to hurt. Like I want to hurt her. I know it’s stupid and petty of me to want to make her pay for what she said, what she tried to do, but it is what it is. I can’t stop years of instincts that want to call her out and show her what happens when you insult my sister. And please don’t start with the whole, ‘What if the roles were reversed’ bit. If Sis had been the one to call out Lyla, I would have told her to knock her s**t off as well. The pair of them are far too different, and without the shared blood like I have with my sister, it makes for a rather awkward situation. Though, I honestly think Lyla does it just to spite Sis. Might be something worth discussing.” Okay, she had gone off the rails a bit with that one, but she wanted to be sure she covered everything. Lyla was a big issue because she had not only insulted her baby sister, but she had tried to kill her best friend. The first could have been dealt with easily, the second one put her on a whole different s**t list. ”It kills me that you had to hurt two of your friends in one day, and lost two because they weren’t the men you thought they were. I want to take the blame for it all, but I know that’s not what you would want. Thus, I find myself in a conundrum that I can’t seem to find my way out of. I want to protect you, to support you, to be there in ways no one else has. And yet, I have to hold back because your wants and needs have to be included in the equation. It’s maddening and consumes me in ways I can’t even begin to explain.” By this point her usually ivory features had become flushed, her eyes shifting to a shade so dark they were nearly black. Tears burned in her throat, swam in her gaze, and held there as she finally came to a stop to look at him. Her chest rose and fell in rapid succession as her body tried to breath through the urge to sob, her mind needing to get the last bit out before she could feel satisfied she had done what he had asked of her.

”And, to top it all off, I crossed a line I told myself I would strive to keep away from. To give you the chance to be a father to our son, a role I have never had to deal with in my past. It’s boggy territory and, while I had assumed I had done well, I failed miserably. I hurt you. Out of all of the things I’ve had happen today, that is the one that tears at me the most. I could have handled everything with my usual level of calm, but to know that you still feel like I talk at you or down to you where Ragnor is concerned just breaks me. I can’t..” Her voice hitched as the emotions became too much, her walls cracking as her control on things began to slip. ”I won’t take something from you that so many in the past have tossed aside without a second thought. Your love for our son is beyond anything I have ever seen, which only makes me more nervous. But, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to try and work on it. He needs you. I…” She paused, her teeth catching her bottom lip as the tears she had been holding back for the entire argument finally fell to trail down her flushed features. ”I need you. So much that it scares me to death. I once told you that I didn’t want to need you, that I didn’t want to love you. There was a reason for that, and you’re looking at it. I’m terrible at needing people, of letting them in so they can see how much they affect me and my world. Weakness might come easy for some, but I’m definitely not one of them. I just hope I haven’t messed up so much that you aren’t willing to give me the chance to make up for how much of a fool and a jerk I’ve been with all of this.” With that said, she finally fell silent and let him take the lead. She knew her little rant was far more than she had been intending, but with it all out she felt better. The tears continued, of course, but she paid them no mind. As long as she could continue to see him, they could fall as they wished.

When he said nothing and simply watched her, her bottom lip once more finding itself trapped by her teeth. Panic tried to settle in, causing her heart to stumble in its race. Ri tried to ignore it, to focus on the possibility of him accepting what she said. That was far more easier said than done, obviously, especially when his gorgeous form began to move across the grass towards her. He said not a word, just held her with his stormy gaze as air backed up in her lungs. She held her breath, ordered herself not to fidget, and looked up when he was no more than a breath away from her. The feel of his hands brushing over her shoulders to trail down her arms had her body trembling, his hands stopping at her own to link their fingers together. Ri opened her mouth to say something, anything, that would break the silence only to find everything in her frozen when his lips captured her own. For a moment, she stood still as a statue while her brain did its best to try and catch up. Once things finally clicked into place, the redhead melted against him and sighed softly against his kiss. It was the only sound she made when he lifted their linked hands to his own shoulders, setting her arms around his neck before releasing them to wrap one of his own around her waist. In one fluid move, he had her up in his arms with his other arm behind her knees. He never broke the kiss, though, and it had her heart fluttering in her chest. She didn’t need the words, all she needed was him. Letting that thought soothe any lingering aches or hurt in her heart, she pulled back to nuzzle his neck a bit and sighed once more in contentment as he carried her back to their home and their bed.

~The Next Day~

Ristar Black spent the rest of the night in the arms of the man she loved more than any other. He had asked nothing of her, said nothing but that he loved and cherished her above all others. It was the perfect thing he could have done to ease her heart and mind. Thanks to it, and his presence, she slept better than she had thought she would have after the day they had all had. Of course, morning would have to come and with it all the drama and issues that were still lingering in their reality. They couldn’t hide from them forever, as much as she wished they could. He had Lyla to deal with, she had her sister to talk to, and Austin was sure to have a thing or two to say to everyone. It was going to be another eventful day, and oh how did she hate knowing it.

As the sun rose and lit up their room, the redhead buried her face into the broad and glorious chest of her fiance and groaned in annoyance. Why did the damn thing have to keep coming in and ruining her perfect moment with him? Her hand reached out wildly around her for the blanket, intent on pulling it over her head to hide from the world. What she could was Caine’s abs, the curve of his hip, and all the rest of his sexy self. It had her purring in appreciation, her head turning one more to press a kiss to his chest. She knew she had absolutely no time for naughtiness, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t show him how mouth wateringly delicious she found him to be. Her fingers trailed over his stomach gently, marveling in the way he reacted as a giggle escaped her lips when his own hand wrapped around her wrist to stop her antics.

”Oh, come on, don’t be so mean. I was only playing.” She teased as her starry eyes finally opened, looking up at him as he tried to go back to sleep. Not having any of that, she shifted up a bit and nipped playfully at his bottom lip. ”Rise and shine, handsome. We have stuff to do and it’s better to get it done and over with now rather than later. You know they won’t all wait forever.” Leaving it at that, she pressed a kiss to his sulking lips before shifting to climb over him. Ragnor would need to be fed and changed first, then she could see about finding her clothes that were more appropriate for what they had planned for the day.

'I've got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see,
That you’re the antidote to everything except for me...'

Location: The cliffs - Their bed.
Company: Caine. Thoughts: ‘I can do this…’

Sislana

[Ristar Black]

Come, break me down
Bury me, bury me
I am finished with you

The shift in her was something he felt almost immediately, their link something he would never allow himself to take for granted. It helped him to pinpoint the moment she came back to him, the second she became his Lana once more. Of course, the giggle and blush also helped and had him smiling softly down at her. Figuring he had done everything right, and had helped soothe her as she had for him, Austin counted it as a win and settled contently back against his pillows. He listened to her words, grinning at the flash of desire in her eyes that instantly stirred his own. The urge to take, to capture, to feast on her burned through him on a level that boarded on the obsessive. Gods, he wanted nothing more to be healed again so he could reclaim her as his and push aside any lingering thoughts of what had happened to her that day. It was stupid, and a little bit sexist, but he couldn’t help what he felt. Nor did he want to where Lana was concerned. All or nothing, after all.

When she began to move at his side, his eyes narrowed and he lifted a dark brow in question. He had caught her little sound of disapproval when he had pulled back from kissing her, his amusement dancing in his gaze as he watched her. Was she going to try and make him pay for being so light and breezy with his affections? It was an interesting thought, one he lingered over for a moment as he continued to grin at her, his expression staying when she leaned in and set her hand on his face. As always, he turned his head into the touch and pressed a kiss to the center of her palm. Her words, though, pulled him back and had his icy gaze widening just a bit. Well now, wasn’t this an interesting development?

Before he could do more than nod, her gorgeous mouth was on his and every inch of him reacted almost as one. The hand closest to her reached out, settling on her hip to steady her and to let him enjoy the curves that he often drooled over when she wasn’t looking. He tried his best to give as well as he got, but she was doing things to him that he couldn’t quite match in his current state. It had a growl rumbling in his throat, his hunger snapping at the leash he was holding it on. It was used to being free, and having to let her hold the reins was not making the beast within him very happy. Austin ignored it as much as he could, while his other hand curled into the bedspread to keep him in place. He knew she wouldn't be happy with him if he tossed caution out the window and snatched her up. He would most likely hurt himself, mess up his bandages, and aggravate his wounds so they would take longer to heal. Which would result in her giving him a stern, and most likely very sexy, talking to. It had him itching to test the theory, but he held himself back and let her do to him whatever she wished. As long as she didn’t move away, he’d be happy.

When she pulled back long enough to look down at him, he could have sworn she looked more pleased with herself than she normally did. It had his own lips curling back into a grin, pausing only to return her gentle kiss. Her question and statement had his laughter rolling out of him, unable to not be both charmed and amused by her. Of course, this had pain shooting through him so he did his best to stifle the sound and shook his head at her. The woman was a wonder and a mystery, one he couldn’t wait to pull back more layers of to see what else laid behind her gorgeous violet gaze. He shot her his own look of disapproval when she moved away before he could pay her back for her nibbling, his eyes flashing with the desire he didn’t bother to hide from him. Oh, how he was going to enjoy getting her back for it all, Austin mused to himself as he watched her.

At the sight of her yawn, his own fatigue seemed to come out of hiding and cause him to follow suit. Damn it, he didn’t want to go to bed yet! He wanted to try and talk her into other things they could do. Or, better yet, talk her into letting him do other things to her. The idea was an interesting one, though not enough to hold his focus when she mentioned going home. Wait, she wanted to leave without talking to Ri? The idea was a weird one, since the sister’s were so close, but if it was what she wanted then he would honor the request. Her wants and needs came first, after all. He’d deal with his fiery friend later and take all the blame, since it was sure to be much easier for the redhead to handle him ditching them versus her sister being the one that had wanted to leave.

”Sleep sounds amazing, as long as you don’t go too far. As for the rest, I am okay with going home. We aren’t needed here, and I would love to be able to have some time alone with you in a place we are both comfortable in.” He left it at that and hoped it was enough. The desire to keep her happy was his only thought. Well, maybe not his only thought, Austin mused to himself when she moved to settle her head in his lap. His hand reached out to stroke at her hair, all sorts of devious ideas drifting through his head as he toyed with the silky locks. ”You know, not all of me is injured. I mean, if you’re okay with doing most of the work.” His voice gave away the joke, not at all intending for her to do anything for, or to, him in her current position. Her laughter told him that his joke had hit the mark, and that sleep had stolen her away when her breathing softened and she settled. He stayed awake for a few more moments, just watching her rest, before he too allowed his body to give in to the fatigue of the day.

-The Next Day-

With the next morning dawning on the village, Austin Drake found himself stiff and aching in places he really wished he didn’t. Sleep had been fitful, at best, and now he was left with a grumpy mood and muscles that were screaming at him for choosing to sleep as he had. He would have held on to the soupuss status, had it not been for the moan that sounded from his lap. His body went on high alert as another part of him stiffened and ached, one he usually didn’t mind since it was a natural response to the gorgeous female that was stretching out beside him. Since she was still too close for comfort, he did his best to adjust and hide from her before greeting her with a smile. Even all rumpled, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He nearly opened his mouth to tell her that, but found the words cut off when she began to go through the motions of getting them ready to leave. He had agreed to it, though morning Austin felt it to be a bit rude considering what Caine had done for him. But, he knew better than to push Lana, so he let it go and left her to it.

After twenty minutes of watching her scurry around, and another five listening to her grumble at him, the couple was ready to head home. The note was a far cry better than what Lana had originally wanted to say, and was set on the kitchen table for Caine or Ri to find. Which, if he knew the couple, would be sooner rather than later. He considered putting it on the front door, but the way Lana was twitching at his side had him tossing the idea out. With a smile for her, Austin linked his fingers with her own and sent her a playful wink. Then the couple was gone.

Within a few spans of a heartbeat, the pair were back in their room and everything in him relaxed. Here, in this world, things made sense and his love was safe and protected. The sound she made had his icy gaze shifting to her, seeing that her mind was following the same path as his. Before she could move away, he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Just his little way of letting her know he was right there with her, and was happy to be back in their true home. He didn’t try to keep her with him when she moved, choosing to let his hand fall to his lap when she made her way around the room. Her sudden question had him shaking his head, only to have his stomach call his bluff. Damn it, he really wished his body would stop selling him out.

”It seems I have no choice in the matter.” He ran a hand over the bandages on his stomach, laughing softly at himself. When she moved to leave, he turned a bit and grabbed the headboard on the bed to help get him up and onto his feet. ”Hang on a sec, I’ll come down with you. I refuse to stay up here in this bed, and if you love me at all you won’t make me.” Austin knew he was fighting dirty with that line, but he really couldn’t stand the thought of being chained to the bed. At least, not in the sense he was currently referring to. He would go mad if he was forced to hang out in their room all day, even if they had an amazing television that could occupy him for hours. And he would use that exact excuse if she even thought about trying to tell him to get back where she had tried to leave him. All was fair in love in war, or so he had always thought anyway.

Look in my eyes
You're killing me, killing me
All I wanted was you...

[Sislana]

Ready and gather all our strength
The night has come of soaring reigns
For the honor, have no fear

For a moment, time stood still. Ristar held the fate of their night in her hands and seemed to be teetering on the balance of her decision. Just when he thought he couldn’t take a moment longer, she gave in to his request and had the air pulling from his lungs once more. Whatever came next he could take. As long as Ristar was willing to open up to him and let him in again he would deal with the rest. The blonde knew that he was asking for a lot more than she had asked for him. His scarlet love thrived on being able to be the strong one, to keep her emotions in check for her to handle on her own accord. As her voice began to weave into the night air around them Caine could not help but feel his heart stumble in his chest. He remained silent as she spoke, nodding here and there to let her know that he was listening.

To hear her mention that she was ashamed tore at his chest and nearly had him stopping her there. Biting his tongue was the only thing that kept him silent, his hands balling into fists at his sides. He hated the man that had caused her to feel this way and wished that he could roll back time and take everything away. Since he could not do that, he was forced to grit his teeth and let his love get through her words. Her comment about lighting Kitell on fire had a grin twitching at the corner of his lips, the image a bit too amusing for him to ignore. Of course, it faded when she mentioned the idea of standing accused as a murderer alongside their friend. Ristar was right, it would not have ended well. Of that he was certain. Anger spiked in his heart at the mere thought, the reminder that he would need to facedown Lyla sooner rather than later coming to the front of his thoughts. The woman had crossed a line with her actions towards the other half of their family and it was something that she was going to need to pay for one way or another.

When Ristar’s motions finally stopped and she neared the end of her little rant, Caine could feel his expression and heart softening. This was the woman that he loved through and through. He adored her for her ability to be strong and to hold her own, but to see her vulnerable and opening herself up caused a new sensation to well in his chest. She was an amazing woman and it was truly mind blowing to think of how far she had come in the short time they had been together. Even just six months ago he doubted that she would have given as much as she was right now and he was thankful for every moment of it. Even as she stood there apologizing for how she had acted with Ragnor, Caine could not help but want to simply scoop her into his arms. They had been through so much in the last twelve or so hours and he wanted nothing more than to kiss the night away with the woman that he loved more than life itself.

He knew that she was trying and that was what mattered the most. Sure, she had her slip ups but so did he. That was part of a relationship after all. They needed to grow and learn together; a task that would never truly stop. Hearing her admit that she needed him was the final straw and had his heart lurching forward. For the behemoth of a man those words were better than any apology she could have ever mustered up. It solidified everything for him with those three little words and had him falling in love with her all over again. No longer able to hold himself back Caine stepped forward, slowly closing the space between them. He needed the woman that he loved and he refused to wait any longer. Silently his gaze held her starry one, his feet carrying him with ease until there was less than a breath between the pair. Lifting his hands he brushed them along her shoulders and gently trailed them down her arms to finally link their fingers together. Before she had the chance to utter even a word he leaned in and captured her alluring mouth with his own.

Unwilling to break their contact he lifted her arms until they wrapped around his neck, one of his arms pulling around her waist while the other hooked beneath her knees. She weighed nothing to the man as he scooped her up into his hold and moved them back to their home. This had been a rollercoaster of an evening and there was only one way he was willing to finish it: giving the woman he loved every ounce of reassurance and affection he could muster. She needed to be reminded just how cherished she was to the man and he would spend the rest of his waking moments doing so.

The next morning

As the new morning broke, Caine snoozed happily on his back. One arm was hooked behind his head beneath the pillow while the other lazily draped over the back of his bare lover. Soft snores pulled from his lips as she stirred, the man not yet ready to rise for the day. He knew what awaited him on the other side of reality and he wanted to avoid facing it for as long as possible. Ristar was his own personal heater at his side and her presence made it increasingly easier to stay asleep the longer she remained. When the woman, however, presented another idea he found his brows furrowing at the idea of waking. Her exploring fingers had the muscles in his stomach contracting and his lips twitching with a small grin. Much as he would like to pass the morning in a similar fashion as the night before, there were tasks at hand. His arm pulled from beneath his head to catch her wrist gently, his head shaking from side to side. All he wanted was for her to settle her head back on his chest and they could go back to sleep for a few minutes.

The sudden kiss to his lips and the feel of her wiggling her way from his hold and over his form told him what she thought of that idea. Releasing an annoyed growl at the thought, Caine finally let his gray eyes slide open and lazily fall on her retreating form. ”You’re the mean one,” he teased, giving her an appreciative whistle as she climbed fully from the bed. ”Though, your beauty is making me quickly forget that fact.” Yawning loudly he stretched his arms over his head before finally huffing and lifting his tired form from the mattress. Waltzing over to the redhead he hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest to capture a quick kiss, his free hand brushing over her cheek and then through her hair. ”Good morning, gorgeous.” His lips pressed quickly against her forehead before he released her and stepped back, grinning at the woman. ”Why don’t you take a shower and get dressed, I’ll get Ragnor fed and ready. Then we can stop in on your sister and Austin. I think I want to see how they are doing before we handle anything else, what do you say?”

Not bothering to wait for an answer the man moved around and past the redhead, his hand giving her rear a playful slap as he did so to get her moving. He took a moment to tug his pants onto his lower half before approaching the crib their son stirred in. A grin pulled on his lips as he tickled at the boy's stomach, his heart fluttering in his chest at the smile he was met with. ”Góðan daginn, litli úlfur minn.” Leaning over he scooped the boy up into his arms and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head, his fingers rubbing gently at his back. ”Let’s get you fed and dressed while momma showers, huh?”

Having done just that, the pair emerged from their home about forty five minutes later, Caine’s eyes scanning the area quietly. They had a lot to handle and face today and to be quite frank he was having a hard time deciding what to do first. Knowing that they were checking in on their counterparts helped give him some direction but it did little to stop the growing anxiety in his chest. Lyla was bound to have a fury coursing through her that they were ill prepared to face and after learning of Ristar’s desire to hurt her he worried how the day would go. Caine would support anything and everything that his love decided she needed to do, even if it meant burning a bridge with his sister. Ristar, Ragnor, Sislana, Austin, and their broods were his family now. They came first above all else and he would be damned if he ever let that thought become clouded in his mind again.

Placing his hand on the small of Ristar’s back he smiled down at her, his lips pressing a quick kiss to her hair before he nodded. ”Let’s go see if they’re up, yeah?” Brushing his hand up and along her back he finally settled his arm over her shoulders, his fingers caressing her arm softly. Knowing she was tucked safely against his side and their son happily in their presence helped settle a calm over his heart. He had a feeling the woman would have to be okay with him touching her a lot over the course of the day. There was no way, especially after yesterday, that he would be letting either of them out of his sight if he had a say in the matter. Having her within touching distance was a surefire way to make sure that he was able to keep a lid on his emotions. Ristar grounded him and kept his head from filling with too much at once and he needed that now more than ever as they quietly made closed the distance between their home and her sister’s.

We shall withstand this night of war
Ready and gather all our strength
The night has come of soaring reigns

[Sislana]

Come meet me on other side
And make it rain in this burning house
Pouring down 'til the Sun comes up
I'm right here

Not all too surprised that Austin did not want to stay tethered to their bed she simply offered him a smile and nodded. The man was right in his assumption that he was fighting dirty but she did her best to keep the thought to herself. He was safe here, as was she. Here the playing field had leveled and Sislana knew the rules that they needed to abide by. There were no ruthless blondes to navigate around and no soulless guards that would try taking what was not theirs. As much as she had grown to loathe the tavern lately, it was still home. Waiting until he had closed the space between them, Sislana finally pulled open their door and stepped into the hallway. Her lungs drew in the familiar air around them as a smile slowly wove its way onto her lips. There was certainly something to be said about being back in the comfort of a place she knew like the back of her hand.

Silently she moved towards the stairwell, her eyes briefly lingering on the door to the room she had claimed as her own for decades. Beyond the wooden barrier lay a pain that neither of them were likely ever to forget. She wished that she could scrub the walls of the memories they held to silence the whispers for good. As it did whenever she walked by the room she could feel her stomach tighten with a level of nerves she could not quite explain. Though she knew it to be untrue, Sislana could not quite help but think that Jebediah waited for her just on the other side. Ready to take her away from the life that she had fought so desperately to return to. Unconsciously her speed picked up, her feet carrying her quickly to the stairs just to put some space between her and the room.

Within moments she found her way downstairs and released the soft breath that she had not realized she was holding. Quietly her eyes scanned the room, her head nodding some at the knowledge that everything was as they had left it. No one aside from their offspring ever came to visit the tavern so there was really no worry of someone having stumbled upon the building in their absence. Aside from Caine’s sudden appearance she could not remember the last time anyone new, or old for that matter, had paid them a visit. Perhaps Relixis? Now that was a thought process she was definitely not going to go down; especially with her love trailing so closely behind. She was well aware that their link had been strengthening once more and the last thing she wanted was for him to catch any thoughts of former lovers crossing through her mind. Least of all the man that had kept them apart for the better part of three years. It was a sore subject at best and she did not want to start their first day home on the wrong foot.

Clearing the worry of her brother and lingering thoughts of extinguished former flames the best she could, Sislana shook her head and moved in the direction of the kitchen. ”Get comfortable, baby, I’ll get us some breakfast and coffee.” Without a second glance she moved into the kitchen and let the door close behind her. For the first time since Austin had convinced her to get into their bed with him, she was alone. A wave of emotions crashed against her with such force that she found herself temporarily breathless. Her body rested against the door behind her as she braced her palms to the wood. Well, that was certainly not something that she had expected! Taking a moment to compose herself she ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head from side to side. No. Just because they were back somewhere that she was comfortable did not mean that she needed to fall apart. Not again. Austin was fine and healing. They were home. Ri and Caine were about as far away as they could get. Things were fine. ”Knock it off,” she mumbled to herself, finally mustering up enough willpower to push from the door and move into the embrace of the room.

Busying herself with preparing a fresh pot of coffee and throwing some breakfast together, Sislana did her best to let her mind go blank. She was uncertain as to why, or how, she was such a ball of emotions and really did not want to spend too much time thinking about it. Chalking it up to being tired she left it and that and emerged from the kitchen about twenty minutes later. Placing a smile on her face she made her way over to the couch that Austin had settled himself in, her expression immediately softening at the sight of him. With the man she loved back in her view she could feel the emotions that had been threatening to drown her ease into the background where they belonged. Okay, apparently she just needed to stay around him and she’d feel better. That was an easy task, right? ”How are you feeling this morning?” Her hand held out the plate she had prepared for him, waiting quietly for him to adjust in order to take the offered food before setting her own on the cushion next to him. Her body turned on its heel to return to the kitchen for a few moments, returning within a minute with two cups of coffee and a small thing of cream and sugar.

A quick tap of her finger had the nearby table sliding its way over to them, stopping right in front of Austin as a grin tugged at her lips. Ristar was right; when she didn’t think about it her abilities came with such ease. Of course, she was too pissed off at the redhead to admit that she was right out loud, but she would hold onto the thought for the future. Plucking her plate up from the cushion she settled it on the table before returning her attention to the coffee. Her fingers wrapped around the warm mug in appreciation as she took a sip of the amber liquid, a soft sigh pulling from her throat. The robust flavor helped take the edge off the hunger that was growing in the pit of her stomach that food would not satiate. She dare not mention its presence, however, for fear that Austin would offer himself up almost immediately. Until he was healed there was no way in hell that she would be willing to cross that line with him. Fear that it would lead to an argument was enough to have her staying quiet about it. What he wasn’t aware of couldn’t upset him, right?
Quietly she watched the man over the brim of her mug, her lips taking another quiet pull from the contents before lowering it back to the table. ”If you want, we can change the bandages after breakfast. Make sure you are healing alright, and all of that.” A feeling of awkwardness was starting to take root in the back of her mind, something that left her feeling fidgety. For as much as she had wanted to come back home, now that they were here she wanted to leave. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it but she felt vulnerable and out in the open here suddenly. Chalking it off, for now, to jitters from the night before she tried her best to push it back to the side. Austin was still recovering and the last thing she wanted was for him to think that he needed to take care of her like he always did. Not when he was still the one that needed her; even if he wasn’t willing to admit it.

In an effort to further pacify her emotions, Sislana moved around the table to carefully settle herself at his side. Her fingers plucked up a piece of toast from her own plate as she did, wanting something to munch on and occupy her hand with. Reaching out her free hand she slid her fingers up under the bottom of his open shirt, the tips of them dancing along his back. Absently she drew little shapes over the parts of his skin not covered by the bandages, marveling at the warmth he put off. Contact with the man seemed to help further push things back into the bottle she needed to keep them in and had her body relaxing at his side. ”Good morning, by the way.” She grinned over at him, a soft laugh pulling from her lips at the realization that she hadn’t actually said the words yet.

I want the light that fills the darkness
Give me your heaven and your hell
I wanna show you that you're worth it
Lay it on me tonight

[Ristar Black]

Come, break me down
Bury me, bury me
I am finished with you

When no outright order for him to march back to bed passed her lips, delight raced over his features. She was going to let him come out and play! The thought had his eyes lighting up and his grin widening on his lips. He left her to go rummage around in their dresser, not at all bothered that she didn’t wait for him. She was free to do as she pleased now that they were back home. There wasn’t anything in this world that he couldn’t handle, nor were there odd rules that would have his a** on the line again. He could end anyone that tried to come for her and would have no one to answer to. The thought settled him in a way he hadn’t realized he needed as he pulled a dark blue and white plaid button up from the drawers and slid the thing on. He considered buttoning it but gave up when the action pulled on the wounds along his fingers. Free and breezy it would be, he mused before following slowly after Lana.

It didn’t take him long to catch up, falling into step behind her when she made her way down the hall. He lifted a brow when she seemed to race ahead of him as they passed her former room, wondering what had caused such a reaction. Had he known, Austin would have pulled her in and done his best to reassure her. It was a memory they both hated thinking back on, so it made sense that supporting one another was the best way to move on from it. At least, that’s what he thought as he moved towards the stairs to catch up with her once more. It took him a little more time to get down the steps than it had her, since the drop and rise of each one pulled at the wounds along the top of his stomach. Thank the gods that Caine had kept to the more muscly bits of him. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what fresh hell he’d still be in if the behemoth had gone for his organs. He would have made it through, but it would have hurt a hundred times worse than it did now.

”You got it, babe.” Was his quick response to her suggestion. He could already feel his energy starting to flag. The lack of sleep plus the process involved with his healing was taking a toll on him. He had to resist the urge to just flop down on the couch, knowing he would be stuck until she returned if he tried such a feat. And she’d probably tell him off for doing such a silly thing that could hurt him. Slowly, he settled himself in the corner of the arm and back so he could see out over the rest of the tavern. His head fell back onto the cushions and his icy gaze closed as he tried to regain his strength. Oh, how he hated having to be the one taken care of. He was a terrible patient and was already feeling the urge to whine and have a fit about what he knew he wouldn’t be able to do still. Barely resisting the urge to give in, Austin let himself doze as he waited for his love to return.

When the creek of the kitchen door sounded in the room, the brunette jolted a bit and sat up as straight as he could. He had not been snoring on the couch just now. No, he had been waiting and resting his eyes. That was his story and he was sticking to it. Thankfully, for him anyway, Lana hadn’t seemed to have noticed. Relief kept the embarrassed flush from spreading past the tips of his ears, grateful that his hair covered the blush and kept his little secret from her. At her question, and offer, he shrugged a shoulder absently and took the plate. The food looked and smelled delicious, but that was no surprise. The woman he loved was a multifaceted creature, one he loved to learn more and more about as time passed for them.

”I feel a bit stiff in a few places, which is a good sign. It means those cuts are healing better than the others. I think my hands are going to be the quickest ones to heal. The cuts weren’t nearly as deep as the ones on my chest.” He stated when she returned with coffee for them both as well as the trimming for them. He made a point to lift one of his hands from the plate she had given him to open and close his fingers. The effort had the scars on his hands stretching, the feeling more uncomfortable than painful. ”If I make sure to keep up my diet, drink lots of water, and get some sleep I should be back to normal by tomorrow afternoon.” Confident in his assumptions, Austin lifted the fork from his plate and began to enjoy the eggs and potatoes she had whipped up for him. The food, the warmth and delicious taste of it, had him humming in appreciation and barely resisting the urge to inhale the entire plate. He wasn’t an animal, after all. Or, not that kind anyway.

While he enjoyed his food, he watched her for a few moments as she sipped from her coffee. He continued to remain as he was until she was finally settled at his side. She made him a little anxious when she hovered, like she was preparing to get away as soon as he tried to pull her in. Now that they were home, Austin was done letting her hide behind her walls. He might have been injured and healing, but that didn’t mean he was going to let her slide on their agreement. All or nothing. It was their mantra and he intended to make sure they both stood by it. The sound of her voice pulled him out of his little pondering moment and had him nodding his head at her in response. Thank the gods for his smart and glorious love.

”That sounds great. I would love to get a shower in, if you deem it to be alright. The washcloths were great, but I still feel a little gross.” He gave her a little shudder of disgust to get a smile from her, wanting to keep the shadows out of her eyes that he could see trying to creep back in. It tugged at his heart when she got that look on her face, one that told him she was there but her mind was somewhere else. Thankfully, it didn’t last long and she was turning her attention back to him. Her touch at his back had a shiver running up his spine, his eyes going dark almost instantly. With one hunger taken care of, the other was starting to spout off and demand attention now that her hand was on his skin. Barely keeping his hold, Austin set his plate aside and reached out for his coffee. Her last few words pulled his grin over his lips as well, his body turning a bit as he reached out with his free hand to slide his fingers into her gorgeous raven locks.

”Good morning to you as well, my beautiful love.” Unable to resist, he pulled her in a bit and met her halfway to capture her lips with his own. To pay her back for last night, he turned up the heat for them both and let himself drown in the taste of her. His absolute desire and need for her took over, pouring out of him as his tongue danced with hers and his teeth nipped and nibbled at her lips. He feasted on her sexy mouth for a few moments, tormenting them both until he was nearly as breathless as he had been coming down the stairs. Once he was satisfied that she was just as tied up and twisted inside as he was, Austin pulled back to kiss each of her cheeks gently and finished it off with a playful kiss to her nose. Happy he had made his point, he returned to his coffee and leaned back in his seat to watch her over the top of the mug as he sipped. You’re turn now, my sweet, he thought to himself as he waited for her reaction.

Look in my eyes
You're killing me, killing me
All I wanted was you...

Sislana

[Ristar Black]

'All the writers keep writing what they write, write.
Somewhere another pretty vein just died...'

The sound of his growl had her laughter bubbling out of her, the sound growing when his accusation reached her ears. Alright, she would cop to that one. She rolled her eyes at his whistle and shot him a look over her shoulder as she moved to their dresser to rummage for clothes. Silly man was playing with fire, which Ri knew he understood and didn’t care about one bit. It had a dreamy smile curling over her lips as she pulled out her outfit for the day. The simple hunter green shirt and light blue denim capris seemed to be appropriate enough. And it didn’t show off nearly as much of her as what she had worn the day before. Win-win in her book.

Ristar turned to ask Caine his opinion, only to find he had moved in and was pulling her against him. Her breath caught in her lungs at his antics, her starry eyes brightened, and every inch of her melted at the feel of his lips on her own. Okay, now he was most certainly being the mean one. The thought had amusement swirling to life within her gaze to dance alongside the desire he was lighting up within her when he eased back. His greeting had her smile curling over her rosy lips, the sweet affection he continued making it hard for her to return the sentiment. He was rolling over her with the simplest of touches, the lightest of caresses, and he was far too good at it. She eyed his grin suspiciously, wondering what he was up to before the rest of his words drifted through her head and pushed the thought aside for later.

”Hmm, alright, if you’re sure that’s what you want to do.” She had figured their first stop would be the Great Hall, since it had not only Lyla but a wide selection of food. Caine was a creature of habit, which meant it wouldn’t be long before another hunger of his made a point to speak up and demand attention. The image it created in her head had her laughing softly, the sound ending on a soft squeak of surprise when his hand found her backside. Once again, Ristar shot him a look before disappearing into the bathroom. She went through the motions of getting clean and left him to the task of taking care of their son. It was an odd, but rather freeing, experience and one she was more than willing to let him continue to do.

A little under an hour was how long it took the little family to get moving, and even then the redhead couldn’t stop herself from feeling a little nervous. Her sister hadn’t been in the best of moods when she had taken Austin away the night before. Ri hadn’t even needed their connection to know Sis saw Caine’s actions as an act of betrayal. It was going to make things all the more awkward for them once they got home. Another thought she really didn’t want to focus on, so the fiery female did what she did best and tucked it away for later. Caine’s touch at her back helped her refocus on the matter at hand, his affections soothing her anxiety enough to have her smiling up at him. She nodded at his words and fit herself to his side when his arm shifted to settle on her shoulders, the stroke of his touch on her skin causing her heart to flutter in her chest. The easy sweetness of him was something she knew she’d never be quite used to. It went against everything she knew about affection, what she had come to expect from the men that told her they loved her. Of course, Caine was the furthest thing from any of them, but that was besides the point. Her body’s response to him still surprised her and had her features flushing a bit as they moved towards Austin and Sis’s home.

The redhead forced herself to take a deep breath the moment they reached the door, knowing that she needed to remain calm. She really didn’t want to have the door slammed on her face a second time. With Caine’s warmth giving her confidence a little boost, Ri lifted a hand to knock on the door as loudly as she felt necessary. Silence echoed back, stirring her panic and darkening her eyes as she looked up at the male at her side. He motioned for her to try again, so she lifted her hand and knocked a bit harder. There was no way they couldn’t hear her, right? As silence continued to be the only answer they got, her panic doubled and began to spread quickly through her. Ignoring the sound of her name from the male at her side, the redhead slipped free of his hold and gave the knob a quick twist. A growl rumbled in her throat when the damn thing didn’t budge, the temptation to kick the stupid thing in washing over her instantly. When the thought immediately earned her a quick negative from the male at her side, she sighed and released the damn thing. He was right, of course, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

”I swear, this is getting ridiculous.” Taking matters into her own hands, she snuggled back into Caine’s side and snapped her fingers. Her flames wrapped around the trio and moved them past the wooden barrier and into the home itself. Starry eyes searched the main living space, coming up empty as she slipped from under Caine’s arm. ”Do you think they’re already at the Great Hall?” She wondered aloud, walking off before he could answer to search the bedroom. It was there that she found the mess. The bloody sheets, the bandages, the scarlet washcloths, it was all that seemed to be left of the couple. Their bags were gone, the bed barely looked slept in, and when she reached out with her powers she could only feel the slightest blip on her radar that meant her sister was around but nowhere nearby. Where the hell had they gone? The question irritated her as she strolled back into the main room, tossing her hands up at the look Caine gave her.

”It’s like they poofed or something. Should we try…” The words drifted off as her dark gaze spotted a piece of paper on the kitchen table. She did her best not to rush at the damn thing, already knowing what it said without having even seen it yet. Austin’s handwriting stared up at her, the words scribbled with quick efficiency and very little grace. Ri had to read the thing three times before it finally sunk in. Shaking her head once more, she turned to Caine and offered the note to him. ”They ran away. I don’t know if I feel more ashamed of envious of them right now.” She chuckled a bit at her own words before running a hand through her scarlet curls in exasperation. If Austin had left the note, it meant that Sis was still pissed. And that it had been the woman’s idea to leave. Damn it, she knew she shouldn’t have left them alone. The redhead forced herself to breathe, to relax, before asking her next question.

”What do we do now?”

'I've got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see,
That you’re the antidote to everything except for me...'

Location: Austin and Sis’s place.
Company: Caine and RaRa. Thoughts: ‘Damn brat ran away…Typical…’

Sislana

[Sislana]

Come meet me on other side
And make it rain in this burning house
Pouring down 'til the Sun comes up
I'm right here

His assumption as to when he would be feeling better did more for her heart than she had realized and had her nodding with a smile. Thank the heavens that she had given her love to a man that could heal quickly. She was not sure what she would have done if he were some ordinary man and she still had to fight to keep him from the brink of death. His state the night prior had been nearly more than she could handle and it had only been for a short while. ”Now that we are home, you should be able to rest a little easier I would think. We will get the bed situated so that you can lie down some tonight and not have to sit so upright. I think you’ve healed enough that lying down, if even just a bit, shouldn’t hurt like it would have last night.” She nodded absently, glancing down to the swirling amber liquid in her mug. There had been a missed opportunity to mix a bit of a blood pack in with the coffee when she was in the kitchen. Now that she was out here with Austin there was no way she would chance him seeing her do so; they both knew how he felt about it.

The mention of a shower had her head bobbing in agreement, her violet gaze lifting to meet his own once more. ”I’m sure the hot water would do wonders for your pain relief, too. Granted, I could have done that for you already if you weren’t insistent on being stubborn.” It was a quick little jab, one that she knew was playing a little dirty. To ensure that he knew she was playing, mostly, she offered him a soft smile at the end of her words. Austin had voiced his insistence on her not using her powers to alleviate his pain, much to her chagrin. She could have done for him what she did when Kimmuriel and him had gone a few rounds. Why he had chosen to feel every ounce of this pain instead was beyond her. To Sislana, Austin’s actions with Bjorn had been completely justified and did not deserve the punishment that had been met. Perhaps she would have sung a different tune if she had been witness to the ‘trial’ that Kitell had gone through. However, neither of them were aware of what had happened only hours prior to Austin’s sentencing. ”Finish eating and I’ll get you unwrapped, let you shower, and then I’ll clean and dress them again.”

Believing that they were in agreement for the course of their morning, Sislana returned to sipping her coffee and munching at her toast. Her fingers continued their little dance along his skin while her mind paid no attention to it. For her it was a completely natural occurrence to touch him whenever she could. Austin made her feel safe and was a reminder that she was by his side. There were times where she still caught herself not truly believing that she was back and with him, that it had all been a cruel dream she was bound to wake up from. Being able to reach out and touch him helped bring reality back to the front and center and remind her just where she was. No one in this life or the next would ever be able to make her feel how Austin did without even trying. Her lips parted to tell him just this only to be silenced by his sudden pull on her body silenced her. Violet eyes widened in worry that he would hurt himself only to fall shut almost immediately when his lips found her own.

While Sislana did not want him overexerting himself, she could not deny how much she had longed for the feeling of his kiss. Her heart fluttered in her chest and her fingers stilled on his skin. Every inch of her body went on high alert and she nearly melted into him at the feeling of his outpouring desire. Only Austin Drake could go from being nearly bled out hours prior to making her weak in the knees without batting an eye. For a moment she was able to forget that he had been injured and let her own selfish needs for the man take over. There was not a cell in her body that wasn’t screaming with need for him by the time his lips pulled away from her own. A breathy exhale left her parted mouth as she opened her eyes slowly, watching him with a heated gaze from beneath her lashes. This damn man was going to be the death of her and she wasn’t the one that had been carved up like Christmas dinner!

It would be so easy to give into him, to let them fall into the one thing that she knew they both wanted desperately. Unfortunately, for her at least, reality seemed to finally catch up with her runaway heart. Releasing a soft and resigned sigh, Sislana shifted a bit and put a small amount of distance between the two of them. ”We are not going there, Mister Drake.” Her words came out a bit more breathless than she would have liked, her body giving away the desire her words tried to mask. The only way they were going to get through the next twenty four hours was if she put some serious boundaries down. Sislana knew that the heated brunette was not going to be the one to do that, so she would suck it up and play the bad guy for now. ”Until you can move around without looking like you want to groan in pain, we’re not touching. I will give you a kiss goodnight, and help you with your bandages, but that’s it. Last night and that kiss of yours,” she paused, her cheeks flushing at the mere mention of it. Damnit, her body was going to give away the desire to do the exact opposite before she managed to get the words out! ”Have proven that we are not capable of not doing something that would hurt you further. So, no touching. Deal? Deal.”

Sislana knew that she was venturing into dangerous waters and that the man would not be happy to hear her new rules. Her only hope was that he could understand it was for the best and that it would only be until he was better. Avoiding the look of annoyance that had passed through his face, Sislana shifted and pushed herself to place a bit more space between them. In a further attempt to keep her hands to herself, Sislana pushed both between her thighs and the cushion beneath her. There would be no temptation to touch the handsome man if she was sitting on her hands, right? Right. Convincing herself that it would be enough, Sislana turned her gaze to look up at the ceiling, her teeth capturing her lower lip to nibble at quietly. Her mind was grappling with ways to help pass the time and to stop thinking about the giant wall she had just placed between the pair of them. Austin was not one that enjoyed being told what to do, of this much she had learned. There stood a mighty chance that he would see her rules as a challenge rather than abiding by them. For a moment the thought was enough to make her regret the words that she had spoken and take them back. ”Suck it up, lady,” she reminded herself, using the words to strengthen her resolve.

Now that she had laid down the law, Sislana was quickly discovering just how much she relied on touching the man. It had been less than two minutes and she already felt like she was going through withdrawals. This was going to be harder than she cared to admit. With each passing second she was beginning to understand and realize just how much she truly needed Austin. It was a scary thought, really, to know how much she depended on the man. Without him she would be truly lost and it was enough to leave the breath squeezing in her lungs. So much of her happiness and livelihood relied on the man at her side. He held a power over her like any other and she prayed he never fully realized it. There was no life without Austin. He was truly it for her. Dramatic or not, if Austin ever decided that he did not want to be with her then she would spend the rest of her days alone. It was him or nothing. Plain and simple. ”Did you get enough to eat? I could get you some more.” Well damn, now it just felt awkward. She was starting to feel like they were recovering from a fight and refusing to touch one another. The worst part was it was all her fault. She couldn’t go back on it now, how would that make her look? No. She needed to stick to her guns. It was for his own good.

I want the light that fills the darkness
Give me your heaven and your hell
I wanna show you that you're worth it
Lay it on me tonight

[Sislana]

Ready and gather all our strength
The night has come of soaring reigns
For the honor, have no fear

Truth be told, Caine was just as surprised as the woman at his side when their knock went unanswered. While he had not expected them to come running to the door, he hadn’t really thought they wouldn’t be home. At Ristar’s questioning glance up at him, Caine nodded at the door in a suggestion to try again. Perhaps they had not heard the first knock if they were still sleeping. It was possible, right? Odin knew that he could sleep like the dead in certain situations and after what Austin had gone through the night prior. Oh, gods, was he dead?! No. The thought deemed itself silly the moment it entered his mind. Sislana might not have been pleased with him the night before, but there was no way in the world that they wouldn’t know if Austin was dead. There would have been hell to pay and he knew damn well he was the first person that she would come to collect from. It settled an odd sense of solace on his heart, his gray eyes watching Ristar as she stepped forward to twist the knob. Not needing their connection to read the expression that passed her face, Caine shook his head, chuckling some. ”No, babe.”

Grateful that she met his answer with reason, Caine let his arm fall over her shoulder when she tucked back into his side. As he always did when Ristar transported them from one place to another he shut his eyes and held his breath. No matter how many times she had poofed them in and out of existence, he was still not used to the sensation. When his feet settled on the hardwood of the home's exterior he allowed his eyes to slowly open and scan the open area. A blonde brow lifted inquisitively at the silence they were met with, Ristar’s question earning a shake of his head. While it was apparent that the couple were not home there was no doubt in his mind that the hall was the last place they’d be. Not after what had happened last night, and most certainly not without at least Ristar present. ”No, I don’t think so,” he called after her, letting his feet carry him forward.

His gaze returned to the woman as she reentered the room, his unspoken question being answered with a throw of her hands into the air. Okay, seriously, where were they? Before the thought had a chance to verbalize the woman was rushing toward a note that he finally noticed on the table. If they had deemed that a note was needed then perhaps they had returned to the tavern? Once more, Ristar was speaking before he had a chance to even ask the question. Taking the offered note from her outstretched hand he let his eyes scan the paper as he nodded quietly, not at all surprised that they had left. ”There is no need to feel ashamed, eldurinn minn. It is probably for the best at the end of the day, even if it’s not easy to admit. The last thing we need is to give Lyla any further ammo before we decide what to do with her.” Caine made a point to enunciate the ‘we’ in his sentence, wanting Ristar to know that she was, in fact, included in the decision. The night prior he had made the mistake of not letting her know that she was an important part of his decision making. Ristar was going to be his wife, hopefully sooner rather than later, and as such she deserved to be included. Above anyone he valued her opinion and it was only fair that she had a say in the direction they took when it came to his unstable sister.

Dropping the note back to the table he released a low sigh, his mind grappling with the direction of her question. What should they do next? Any other time the choice would have been a simple one. Breakfast, meet with Lyla for the day, and go about wedding planning. Unfortunately, the course of their entire lives seemed to have shifted in the last twenty four hours and Caine for one felt unstable. He had been avoiding facing the consequences of the night prior as much as he could, but reality had come knocking. ”We need to eat. As much as I would like to just follow suit and go home, there are things that still need to be done. I need to make an appearance, let my presence be known. You are welcome to take Ragnor home, my love. I would understand and not blame you for it. The last thing that I want is for you to feel any further discomfort or notions of being unsafe. I can handle things here by myself for a while.” Though he could already hear her answer in his mind, Caine would not have felt right if he had not at least presented the option to the woman.

As if on cue, the look that she shot him at the mere suggestion had a soft laugh rolling from his lips and his head nodding. She was a blessing and continued to prove as much every day. If he was honest, he was not sure how he would have done things without her and could not deny the gratefulness that gripped at his heart. ”Let’s head over to the hall, then. Like you said this morning, things won’t wait forever. Better to face them head on than to risk them coming looking for us, yeah?” Pulling in a slow breath to steady himself the man held out his hand and waited until their fingers were interlocked before stepping towards the door. Within moments he had it unlocked and opened, pulling his love from the insides of the empty home. Grateful to be outside once more he pulled in a deep breath of the clean air, his eyes closing for a moment. ”I will have Bior send someone to clean the place up and get rid of the bloodied linens. Should they ever decide to return here, the last thing they need is that as a reminder waiting for them.”

Taking his hand from her own to replace it around her shoulders, Caine tucked her back into his side once more before maneuvering them towards the Great Hall. The short walk did nothing for his nerves and with each step he could feel his heart beginning to race a bit more. By the time they reached the back doors of the hall he could hear hardly anything outside of the thunder that was his beating heart. Fingers brushed over Ristar’s arms to steady himself as he drew in a slow, careful breath and nodded at Ozur to open the door. A look of question crossed his face as he walked past the guard, curious as to where Bior was. It was strange for only one of them to be stationed, especially since they had replaced Kitell and Bjorn’s positions.

Further deepening his confusion, Caine found himself frozen momentarily in place when the sight of Lyla’s empty chair met his eyes. Okay, what was going on? There had never been a time in his life that he had made it to the hall before his sister. Like their father had, Lyla prided herself in the ability to rise and make her presence known before anyone else. Worry washed through him as he turned to look over his shoulder at the lone guard. ”Ozur, hvar er systir mín?” The shake of Ozur’s head had his brow lifting, his body now turning fully to face the man. ”Hún neitar að yfirgefa heimili sitt, höfðingi minn. Bior hélt að þú mundir vilja að hann vakti yfir dyrunum hennar, svo hann stendur þar.” Nodding slowly, Caine dropped his gaze to the redhead at his side in quiet question. He muttered his thanks to Ozur before navigating his little family to the table they would have normally sat with Lyla. He pressed a soft kiss to Ristar’s head as she took her seat, his hands pushing her chair in before he took his place at her side.

There was no need to let the breakfast get cold, after all. Lyla’s absence would give them the opportunity to decide what to do next and fill their stomachs. Killing two birds with one stone and all of that. ”I must admit, I was not expecting her to not be here. My sister is a proud woman, even when she is in the wrong. The last thing I had expected was to not find her sitting here waiting for us as if nothing had happened. Or to miss an opportunity to see Ragnor.” He could not help the concern that was swirling around his heart for the wellbeing of the woman. Lyla was wrong for her actions last night, yes, but she was also his only living relative. At the end of the day she was his sister and he would love her regardless. Not only that, but it did not bode well for her image. Their people needed her to be a constant show of presence; someone that they could count on above all else.

After his intervention last night it was more important than ever. Lyla needed to show that she still had control of their home. Mindlessly going through the motions of filling his plate, Caine found his fingers simply toying with the food rather than eating. It was taking everything in him to not simply go running to Lyla’s home and demanding an explanation from her. No, he couldn’t do that. There were more things at play to think about than just finding out her motives. Ristar had a say, he needed to think about their son, and he didn’t even know if going to Lyla right away was the right choice. Rolling a piece of sausage absently with his fork, Caine released a soft sigh and scrubbed his free hand over his face. Heavens help him, couldn’t they just go home? Why did he have to be the one to clean up the mess? Truly, at what point had things gotten so bad?

We shall withstand this night of war
Ready and gather all our strength
The night has come of soaring reigns

[Ristar Black]

Come, break me down
Bury me, bury me
I am finished with you

The idea of being able to sleep comfortably was an enticing one, especially if she judged his wounds to be healed enough that he could cuddle with her. He wanted her back in his arms again where she belonged. Not that he had minded her head being in his lap as it had been the night before. He had fallen asleep simply stroking her hair, the action innocent in every way. It had been the sweetest, and definitely oddest, way he had fallen asleep next to a woman in his life. Austin couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever do it again, when he wasn’t injured, and let his mind wonder over it a bit. It couldn’t hurt him to ask her, right? It wasn’t like he was asking her to service him while he was down there, though that particular thought had his blood warming for her again and his eyes darkening as he watched her.

At the mention of her powers, a dark brow slowly rose in curiosity. Oh, was that how she saw it? They had been down this road already, and he knew she hated the idea of him suffering for what Caine had done to him. He was tempted to bring it up again, to make her see reason, but he shut down that thought almost immediately. She was too close to it all, to hurt by how things had gone down. Having him repeat that he had needed to feel the pain, that Caine had put his a** on the line for them when he had spoken up, was bound to just start an argument. Austin was sure that the last thing Lana wanted to hear was about how he didn’t blame the blonde, that he would forever be grateful that he had stood up to Lyla and had his back. Yeah, that was definitely not something he was going to be tossing at her when he was still rocking the bandages from the night before. Perhaps once he was healed, he would venture back to it. For now, he simply grinned at her and nodded his head at her order for him to continue eating.

Of course, before he could do that, he was going to marvel at the way his kiss had affected her. She was just as churned up as he was and it had his hands itching to grab at her, to get more of her under his fingers so he could hear her make all sorts of lovely sounds. He nearly acted on it, once more tossing reason out the window, when her curvy little body shifted and moved away from him. Her words shut him down, hard, and had his eyes lighting up with annoyance. He might have been still sore in certain spots, and achy in others, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t still play with her. He considered offering that he would take it slow, take it easy so that he didn’t do anything that would hurt him. Hell, he’d even forgo his own needs if only she’d get her cute butt back where she had been and let him kiss her again! In true Lana form, though, her words once more drifted through his mind and had him swallowing the urge to growl at her. Damn woman was making up rules and telling him how it was going to be. Oh, she was going to pay for every syllable she spoke to him, starting with her little deal.

”So, I’m not allowed to touch you in any way other than to give you a kiss goodnight? I can’t do this?” As he spoke, he reached out and trailed a finger along the edge of her shorts. He traced a line over her skin, starting from the inside and ending just shy of where her hand was under her leg. He arched a brow at her, grinning at the look she was shooting for already breaking her rules. ”Okay, okay, no touchy. Can I do this?” Pulling on the strength having actual food in him had created, he scooted over to where she was and took up the space she had created between them. He set his cheek on her shoulder, making sure to keep the contact gentle and his hands flat on the cushions beneath them so he could stay within her guidelines. He nuzzled at her a bit, a soft sound of delight passing his lips as he turned just enough to press a kiss to her skin when the movements shifted her top. Mischief swirled to life within his icy gaze when he turned his head to set his chin on her shoulder, his lips curling up into a grin once more at the look in her gorgeous eyes..

”Technically, I haven’t touched you yet. See, I can be a good boy and follow your rules. I just need to know where the lines are.” ’So I can push them until you crack.’ He thought the last bit to himself as he waited for her response, shaking his head at her offer to get him more food. She wasn’t going anywhere, not after she had thrown the gauntlet down and turned her deal into a challenge for him. He was going to tease and nudge at her until she either gave in or poofed herself away. Austin loved her, needed her, and he wasn’t going down without a fight.

Look in my eyes
You're killing me, killing me
All I wanted was you...

Sislana

[Ristar Black]

'All the writers keep writing what they write, write.
Somewhere another pretty vein just died...'

Ristar knew that Caine was right, but it didn’t stop the feelings from continuing to churn within her. Sislana hadn’t given them a chance to talk to her, to give their reasons for what had gone down. She had simply fled with Austin, going back to their safe place and leaving her and Caine to handle the backlash of it all. It had her sighing softly as she lifted a hand to run her fingers through her scarlet curls once more. Well, there was nothing they could do about it now. She did her best to shift gears, smiling at the way Caine made sure to include her in his mention of Lyla. He was trying, and she loved him for it. It had her heart fluttering in her chest as she watched him, glad that they had gotten things out and were fixing what they had cracked the night before. Her walls were still there, of course, but she kept them only as a precaution. It was one thing to trust him, it was another completely to trust him blindly.

At the mention of food, and what he needed to do, Ri nodded in agreement. She straightened her back a bit in preparation for what they would do, only to have his next few words nearly stop her heart. Wait, he was giving her an out? Did he really believe that she could just take their son and leave? That she would just let him stand before Lyla and face her wrath alone? It had her starry eyes flashing and her heart clenching in her chest. His laughter didn’t ease her heart as much as it did her mind, but the redhead tried not to think about that. She simply rolled her eyes, shook her head, and moved back to stand by him and their son. The fiery female was determined to make today better, to not let them get dragged back to where they had been the night before. Even if it meant dealing with his weird way of cracking a joke.

”I honestly would rather her come looking for us. When she is in that damn chair with that look in her eyes, it makes me feel like I’m on uneven ground with her. Not a pleasant thing, I can assure you.” It was silly of her to think, and feel, but Ri was trying her hardest to let him in. Whether it made her feel odd wasn’t the point, so she forced herself to deal with it and linked her fingers with his. She let him lead the way and nodded her head when he mentioned Bior and the mess. There had been a lot of blood on all of it, but she knew the Viking male wouldn’t be bothered by it. She, however, wouldn’t be able to get that smell out of her nose for a while. Austin’s blood had been one of the few in her life she had never found appealing. It just smelled off, for some unknown reason. Doing her best not to think about it now, she smiled up at him when he pulled her back into his side and ignored her jumping stomach as they crossed the grounds to the hall.

Unlike Caine, Ristar didn’t think anything of seeing only Ozur at the door. She sent the male a thankful smile before stepping inside, her starry eyes scanning the room for the familiar blonde they were there to see. When no Lyla appeared before her, concern drifted through her to have her turning to look up at Caine. His own expression, and his sudden stillness, had the emotion shifting to worry as she watched him talk to Ozur. The explanation they were given had her eyes widening, not at all sure what to think about this new development. And apparently neither did her love. She had no words for him, simply shook her head and moved with him when he urged her on and towards the table. They went through their normal motions, settling in their place at the table and the food that was spread out before them. She waited for him to join her before taking their son from him, ignoring the awkwardness of dining without Lyla.

”I’m sure she is just licking her wounds and trying to get over what happened. It was a lot, for all of us.” She paused to begin filling her own plate, nuzzling the cooing baby in her arms when his pudgy hands lifted to tug at her curls affectionately. ”We all need to handle it our own way. Let’s eat, while we are here, then we can go and see what is really up with her. I don’t want to be walking around on eggshells all day waiting for the other shoe to drop.” As if that were that, she snapped her fingers and conjured up a cup of coffee for herself and popped a bit of bacon into her mouth. The fussing baby in her arms told her that RaRa was intent on being fed as well, so she snapped her fingers once more to conjure up his covering and went about settling him on her chest. Her starry eyes lifted from it all as soon as she knew he was latched on, spotting the way her love was toying with his food. A scarlet brow rose slowly, doing her best to read him without actually using her powers to poke around in his head.

”Hey, don’t stress too much on it right now, okay? We aren’t going home until tomorrow morning, so we have time to make things right. With her, with the village, all of it.” Shifting a bit in her chair, she reached out and set her free hand over the one that held his fork. When he looked up at her, she smiled softly and did her best to look supportive. ”Everything will work out as it is meant to. Now, will you stop picking at your plate and eat a bit? For me? You will be a much happier guy if you face off with Lyla on a full stomach instead of an empty one. I promise.” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze before releasing her hold to return to her own food. It wasn’t the best pep talk she had ever given, but it was all she could pull together on the spot. Later, she’d make it up to him in whatever way he wished. Of course, that thought brought her to a much more naughty path and had her ivory features flushing pink for a few moments before she regained control. Come on, woman, get it together!

'I've got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see,
That you’re the antidote to everything except for me...'

Location: Great Hall.
Company: Caine and RaRa. Thoughts: ‘Strong, kind, supportive…I can do this, no problem…’

Sislana

[Sislana]

Come meet me on other side
And make it rain in this burning house
Pouring down 'til the Sun comes up
I'm right here

Really, she should have known better than to try setting up any type of rules where the man was concerned. Austin kept his hands to himself about as well as she did, maybe worse at times. In reality she knew she should marvel at the fact that she was finally with someone that didn’t bother to hide their desire from her. Hell, he often went out of his way to make sure that she knew exactly how he was feeling when it came to his wants and needs. It was something that she loved about him and would later have to remind him of such. Granted, that would be after he was healed and she was allowing herself, and him, to touch again.

The moment his finger trailed along her leg she shot him a heated look, her body stiffening beneath his touch. Damn him! He knew exactly what he was doing by making this first play in their dangerous game. The slow drag of his fingertip left a burning trail over her exposed skin, the woman having to close her eyes just to refocus herself. She could feel her heart already beginning to race and silently cursed the damn thing for giving away what his touch was doing. Austin wasn’t playing fair, but really when did he ever? By the time her eyes had opened the man had eaten the space she had put between them and placed his cheek gently on her shoulder. The sudden closeness had her breath catching in her lungs and her stomach twisting into knots. He was making this harder than it needed to be! She was only doing this for his own good, couldn’t he see that?

Unable to help herself, Sislana sighed softly at the feeling of his lips pressing their little kiss to her skin. How was it that he knew exactly what to do in order to make her mind go haywire and her resolve crumble quicker than she could build it? When it came to Austin the rules were different. He threw out everything she thought that she knew about love and being in a relationship and replaced it with new and exciting feelings. Under normal circumstances she would have been grateful for how he made her feel every time he was close or touched her. Right now? Well, right now she was cursing the man for making it so hard to stick to her little plan.

Part of her didn’t mind, though she would not catch herself admitting that out loud. She liked being with a man that was not afraid to show her how he felt about certain things. One that would not hesitate to remind her who was in charge when the situation called for it. With Austin she never had to try reading between the lines. No, he laid it out on the line and let her do with the information what she would. There was no guessing or wondering how things were going to go. He was as committed to her as she was to him and it was a glorious, freeing, and terrifying feeling.

Drawing in a slow breath to steady herself she shifted, trying to put a bit more space between them. If she could just get a few inches then she would find herself back on level ground and could start this experiment over. Unfortunately the couch was not infinitely long and she had already been dangerously close to the edge. From her new position she found her back butting up against the arm, a feeling that quickly alerted her to the fact that she was now trapped. At this point she had little choice in what to do. Either she stayed where she was or used her ability to transport herself away from him. The idea of doing that left an odd taste in her mouth and a pull on her heart. Were the roles reversed and Austin did something like that to her just to avoid being close she knew her feelings would be crushed. So why would she do the same to him? Easy answer, she wouldn’t.

”That is touching, sir,” she whispered softly, once more cursing herself for the breathlessness that attached itself to her voice. Why was it when it came to the man there was no hiding what he was making her feel? Even if she had managed to get the words out without the hitch of struggle she had little doubt it would fool him. Austin Drake was not a stupid man and something told her that he was incredibly aware of how he made her feel at all times. He was a puppet master and she was his willing marionette. He knew exactly what strings to pull to make her dance and move how he wanted. Hell, just the simple grin that he was shooting her was enough to tell her that he was very aware of what his actions were doing. She did worry that he was going to hurt himself, but with the searing reminder of his touch on her skin it was hard to think about it. He was a grown man, after all, it was not like she was under the delusion that she could fully control what he did. After all, she was very much his. If her man wanted to stake his claim then who was she to stop him, really? She would let him play his little game for now, and then when it was over she would pull them back to reality. Get him in the shower, redress his wounds. All of the things that they had decided would be happening today before he had tried his little trick with that overly heated kiss of his.

With a slow movement, Sislana twisted her body so that it was tucked into the corner of the couch that she was now against. Her back resting on the arm of the couch gave her an angle to watch the man carefully. One leg slid off to the side, her foot now flat on the ground as her eyes studied his every movement. From her new position she was aware that she was giving him an opening to come closer, but the thought failed to bother her. Austin had put up a challenge, was pushing at the boundaries that she had set, but how far would he go? The corner of her lips rolled up into a smile as she tipped her head some, her tongue wetting her bottom lip slowly. If he wanted to push her rules then she would let him. In fact, she was fully prepared to call his bluff on just how far he’d go to break them.

I want the light that fills the darkness
Give me your heaven and your hell
I wanna show you that you're worth it
Lay it on me tonight

[Sislana]

Ready and gather all our strength
The night has come of soaring reigns
For the honor, have no fear

The woman had a point, even if her words fell on mostly deaf ears at the moment. Lyla was sure to be doing exactly what Ristar suggested, though it was a hard image for Caine to muster. His entire life his baby sister had always been the shining beacon of pride. Never did she allow herself to falter in her convictions nor did she let people see it when things did not go her way. That mannerism was precisely the reason that he had felt comfortable with leaving their home in the first place. He had known without a shadow of a doubt that she was the right person to lead their people after they had lost their father. How was it, then, that everything had changed in the course of an evening? For the first time in his life he found himself doubting the woman that had once held his blind confidence and trust.

Had it not been for the touch on his hand, Caine might have stayed in the rabbit hole that was his mind. Thankfully, for them both, Ristar had other intentions and managed to yank him free just in time. Lifting his gray gaze to her starry one he offered her a small smile, nodding slowly at her words. She was right, of course, even if it was hard for his brain and heart to get on the same page at the moment. Doing his best to abide by her request, Caine lifted the piece of sausage that he had been toying with to his mouth to chew on it slowly. The food felt tasteless, an odd sensation for a man that was hungry ninety percent of his life. Everything around him just felt a little duller today. The energy that normally revitalized him every time he stepped foot in the hall seemed to have been sucked out of the air around them.

All his eyes could focus on was the spot that he had held Kitell to the floor on, or the place that Austin had waited for his sentencing. Doing his best to shake the images from his mind he forced his gaze back down to the plate before him, quietly chewing at more of his food. For a man that did not often get overwhelmed he was certainly feeling the pressure of what today held. There was so much that was riding on so many different things and it was enough to have him wanting to try to convince the redhead at his side to return home now. Of course, Caine was smart enough to know that Ristar would resist the idea full heartedly, something that he was certain he’d be grateful for later on.

Doing his best to clear his plate, Caine finally settled his utensils back on the table before pushing back in his seat. The food felt like a rock in the pit of his stomach and he was quickly beginning to regret having forced the food down. However, Ristar had requested that he ate something and he knew he needed the fuel. For Caine Halladson to not have an appetite his nerves must have been through the roof. Quietly he waited for the woman at his side, nodding at her quietly when she indicated that she had finished her breakfast. Well, it was now or never.

”Are you ready, eldurinn minn?” His voice was soft, the man being careful to not add too much of his own emotions to it. Were he to take a moment to admit to himself, and Ristar, how he was feeling he was certain he would lose his nerve. This was unlike anything he had ever felt and he could not quite put his finger on the why. Something was off about the entire situation and it was putting him on edge. The man had faced off against fierce armies, brutal enemies, and countless brushes with death. So why was it that the simple absence of his sister made him feel like the entire weight of the world had shifted?

Waiting for Ristar to rise the man paused for a moment, his hand brushing over her elbow as he looked down at her. ”I do not know what to expect when we get there, but whatever it is we will face it together. Lyla not being here this morning is strange, even despite how she had acted last night. My sister has never been the type of woman that shows shame, especially in front of her people, for a decision that she has made. There was not a single bone in my body that did not expect to see her sitting in that chair when we arrived this morning. To hear that she is refusing to leave her home settles a worry on my heart that I cannot quite explain. I know that you want her to hurt, Ristar, and that she needs to be held accountable for last night. That has not changed, nor has my support on those feelings.” Pausing for a moment he leaned in, lowering his voice to ensure that it was only heard by his partner. ”But, something is not right. I cannot quite put my finger on it, nor can I prove it, but there is something wrong.”

Having said the words out loud, Caine straightened up and let his eyes shift around the hall quietly. They were mostly alone, save for a few stray handmaidens clearing the morning meal away. Ozur stood near the door, his gaze fixated on nothing in particular to avoid staring at the couple. The emptiness of the hall had his stomach twisting and his hold on Ristar’s elbow strengthening. Never before had he felt so on edge in his own home. This was the place that he had quite literally grown up in, a hall that he had chased his sister around countless times. He had sat at this very table and listened to his father regale tales from his golden years. How many tears had his mother dried from her spot that he now sat? Never once in all that time had he felt anything but comfort and happiness. Now, all he felt was unease and tension. Trying to not dwell on it too much, Caine quietly guided Ristar and himself out of the hall. He nodded in thanks to Ozur as they passed him, muttering a small request for the guard to stay at the hall rather than join them at Lyla’s.

Bior would already be enough and Caine did not want to risk her thinking they came with hostile intentions by bringing the second guard along as well. Much as he had felt on the walk to the hall, the man could feel his heart beginning to race as they made their way to Lyla’s home. Upon their approach, Bior nodded his greeting and stepped forward from the door. Pausing in front of the guard he lifted a brow, turning his attention to the man as he nodded at his words. The guard recounted that he had stood watch at Lyla’s home since she had returned from the clearing the night before. She had refused to come out since then, nor had there been any signs of life save for the occasional sound here and there. The curtains over her windows remained and despite it being the start of a bright day, her home was dark. ”Thank you, Bior.” He commented quietly, placing a hand on the man's shoulder for a moment before stepping up to the door. With bated breath he lifted his hand and knocked, the echo of the sound ringing out in the home. Several moments passed before the soft sound of Lyla’s voice beckoning them passed through the wood. With a final glance at Ristar he nodded and pushed the door open, stepping into the home.

No light came from within the home and despite it being the early starts of summer it felt as if they had just walked into the arctic. Caine could feel the shiver that ran down his spine and drew Ristar closer to his side, his arm looping around her waist as he did so. Lyla sat quietly at her dining table, her face showing signs of fatigue and stress. She wore the same clothing as she had the night prior and it left the man thinking there was a good chance she hadn’t moved in the last several hours. The moment the pair stepped close enough to be seen by her gray eyes, Lyla locked them on Ristar. ”Speak your piece freely.” The words had Caine’s brow lifting and his attention returning once more to the redhead at his side. While he had every intention of questioning Lyla, he had not expected her to give the floor so freely to Ristar.

We shall withstand this night of war
Ready and gather all our strength
The night has come of soaring reigns

[Ristar Black]

Come, break me down
Bury me, bury me
I am finished with you

Every reaction his little show pulled from her had his fascination with her growing. The amazing woman before him was actually trying to stick to her decision to keep her hands off of him. It was intriguing, to say the least, and a bit of an insult to his pride. The challenge, though, kept him from letting the emotion take hold and ruin things for him. He was intrigued to try and figure out what she considered to be touching. In his head, the whole act had to do with his hands alone. That’s where the sense came from, right? If you weren’t using your hands or fingers, then you really weren’t touching. It was a rather huge technicality, this he knew, but he couldn’t have cared less about it. He was going to play along with her little game in his own way and, if she didn’t like it, she was going to have to stop him. And that meant breaking her own rules. Winning would be so sweet, he mused to himself as he reveled in the soft sounds and movements she made because of him.

The single sentence she gave him was more than enough to urge him to continue with his antics. It was a glorious thing to have a woman who couldn’t bluff, especially where her desire for him was concerned. Excited to see what else he could do to get a rise out of her, Austin kept his chin on her shoulder and his eyes on her. He could practically see the wheels spinning in her head, her mind trying to figure out how to get them back to where they had been moments before. As she began to move away from him once more, he sat up a bit and eyed her suspiciously. Did she not realize that she was putting herself in a corner? The words ’IT’S A TRAP’ flashed in his head as he narrowed his icy gaze onto her violet one, his mind wondering over what she was up to. The sight of her tongue, however, stalled out any further thoughts and had the temperature within him rising once more. Damn it, now she was the one fighting dirty.

”Alright, no hands and no nuzzling. I suppose I can do that.” The expression he wore as he spoke told her, pretty plainly, that he could but wasn’t going to be doing any of what he had just said. Inching a bit closer to her, he turned his body to mirror her and hooked his foot beneath her thigh. Tugging gently, he pulled her back towards him a bit more and grinned when she shot him another look. He lifted his hands up, palms out, and sent her an innocent smile in response. He had done as she asked, hadn’t he? He was being a good boy and making sure to toe the line she had drawn in the sand. Okay, maybe he was hovering over the other side with his little antics, but could she blame him? She had told him he couldn’t touch her, that she was the one that would be keeping the space between them until he was healed. Why wouldn’t he want to try and see how far he could go before she ran? The idea of her getting off the couch to try and put even more space between them appealed to the animal within, wanting her to run so he could chase her down and do all sorts of sordid things to her when he caught her. Because, let’s face it, he would catch her. Then all bets would be off.

”Hey, don’t look at me like that. It’s only fair that I know all the rules. I don’t want to be called out for breaking them if it is an accident.” Laughter danced through his eyes as he watched her, knowing full well he was being a brat. Enjoying himself, he inched a bit closer until his knee was brushing against hers on the couch. He couldn’t lean in with her back against the arm, couldn’t kiss along the parts of her he wanted in order to pull more of those adorably sexy sounds out of her. His mind raced for a moment before an idea drifted through it, lighting up his eyes once more as his devious grin returned to his lips.

”What if I promise to keep my hands to myself? Can I get you to put yours on me? Or would that be too much for you to handle?” He rolled his shoulders as he spoke, letting the shirt he was wearing fall behind him as his arms slipped from the sleeves. With nothing but the bandages on his chest, he tipped his head to the side in the same way she had and arched a brow in curiosity. ”You have to take the bandages off before I can shower, right? Come on, Lana. Touch me.” His voice deepened as he spoke the last two words, his icy gaze flashing his challenge at her once more as he kept it locked on her fascinating one.

Look in my eyes
You're killing me, killing me
All I wanted was you...

[Ristar Black]

'All the writers keep writing what they write, write.
Somewhere another pretty vein just died...'

Although she had a feeling that her words hadn’t had quite the impact she had hoped for, he did as she asked and began to eat. She let the rest go as they shared their meal, filling her own stomach even when it wanted nothing more than to revolt on her. Her nerves were starting to settle in, a byproduct of the solemn male at her side. It tore at her to see him like this, to know that he had saved a friend at the cost of his relationship with his sister. Her mind raced with what they could do to fix it, to fix Lyla, and to make things go back to normal. Granted, Ri had a feeling that was something that would take them more than a day, but she was determined to try. Baby steps were still steps in the right direction, or so she told herself as she finished her coffee and continued to force herself to eat.

When she was done, she set her things aside and lifted the covering on her chest to look down at their son. Starry eyes met adorable bright sky ones, the shade lighter than her own since the gray he had inherited from his father was woven throughout. Ragnor’s gaze always reminded her of how easily the weather could change, going from blue skies to storm clouds in minutes. It had her laughing softly at herself as she adjusted her bra and top, putting herself to rights before setting the cloth over her shoulder. The baby followed, her hand patting his chest to get rid of any bubbles his stomach might have ingested. Caine’s word at her side had her gaze shifting to the blonde, nodding in response just in time for Ragnor to burp softly. The sound had her chuckling a bit before she moved to rise, his touch halting her so that she looked up when he spoke. She listened to it all, eyes widening when he leaned in as if he were afraid that they would be overheard and something bad would come from it. Seriously, why couldn’t this place make more sense?!

”Worry not, my love. I will control myself and let you do what needs to be done. She can be punished later, once we get things around here back to where they belong.” She set her hand on his arm in reassurance, not liking the way his eyes shifted cautiously around the room. There was no one around he should be concerned about, and yet, here he was acting as if everyone was a suspect that would turn on them and Lyla. Sighing softly, she tried not to say anything else and let him lead the way. She sent Ozur a smile as they passed, letting Caine have his moment with the other male before stepping out the door with Ragnor. The trip to Lyla’s was about the same distance from the hall as their own home, which meant it was over rather quickly. It was a blessing and a curse, in her opinion, but Ri kept that to herself. The sound of Caine’s racing heart was pounding in her head, distracting her a bit from the task at hand. He really needed to calm down before the damn thing burst from his chest, she mused as Lyla’s home finally came into view.

The little conversation between Bior and Caine was ignored by her, starry eyes looking over the building to see that nothing stirred behind the curtains that shut the sun out. Rolling her eyes, she swallowed a sigh and waited for the men to finish. Caine’s knock, followed by Lyla’s voice, triggered the starting gun. It sounded in her head and had her taking a deep breath, her bright gaze lifting to look up at the man she loved. She sent him a supportive look, nodded her head as well, and let him lead the way inside. The darkness that greeted them had her brows furrowing in irritation. Damn it, the woman was acting as if she were dying or something. Why were all the women she considered to be sister’s so damn dramatic? Chalking it up to her just not being able to handle members of her own gender, Ristar searched the room before landing on Lyla. She sported the same outfit as the night before, no food or drinks at the table with her, and an air of something dark radiating off of her. It sent a chill down her spine and had goosebumps springing to life on her skin. Okay, she had expected something, but this was not it. Neither was the look that the blonde female shot her, or the words that followed it. Anger and irritation jumped within her, clawing at her throat to have her passing Ragnor off to Caine so she could stalk away from the male.

”Oh, so now you are getting down from your high horse to hear me out? I thought I was supposed to just sit by and let you say what you wanted, accept it as how things were going to be like some uninvited guest you are taking pity on.” As her words rolled out of her, Ri moved to the nearest window and snatched up the curtains. Without bothering to listen to anyone that happened to have an opinion on her antics, she tossed the damn things aside and let in the light and warmth. Pushing back the shadows helped take the chill in her bones away, her long legs turning her curvy form so she could march over to the next window. ”I might think you are acting like a spoiled child who got punished for something they would have normally gotten away with, but that’s not for me to comment on. You have a village to lead, people that need you, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to allow you to sit in here and sulk while those that care for you worry about you.” The next set of curtains were shown the same treatment, pulled back to bring even more of the lovely day outside into the doom and gloom of the room. Satisfied that there was enough of it, for now, the redhead spun on her heel and moved to stand before the table her future sister in law was sitting at. Her hands slapped down on the table inches from Lyla’s own, her body lowering just enough that she was eye level with the other female. Emotions raced over her ivory features, some more deadly than others, and all for the usually stoic blond to have a front row seat for. Had she not given Caine her word she wouldn’t slap at the woman, the fiery female would have taken things a step further. Since she had, she smirked at the chieftain and sent her a look of disgust and disbelief.

”You look like hell, Lyla, and you’ve royally ******** things up. Not only did you insult my sister, accuse her of being the one that lured Bjorn to his demise, but you nearly took the life of a man I consider to be one of my closest friends. You forced Caine to step in, to hurt someone he cares about, because you refused to see past your own ego. s**t happened under your nose that you had no control over, and someone you trusted screwed up. Does that give you the right to act as you did? Hell no! If I had my way, you’d be suffering right now. Be grateful you have a brother that loves you, who wants you around to be in the life of your nephew.” She all but growled the words out as she watched the storming eyes that were on her own. Ri wasn’t dumb enough to believe that her words had no affect on the woman. Hell, she’d be surprised if she got through more of them without Caine having to step in. But, the lid had been torn off the bottle of emotions she had within her, and she had no choice but to let them all out. ”Now, you’re going to knock off all this angsty nonsense you are doing, put on your big girl panties, and get out of that chair. If you don’t, I would be more than happy to kick your a** and do it for you. Take your pick, systir mín.” With her challenge issued, she arched a brow in question and waited for the blonde to respond. Either way, it would get things moving and that’s all the redhead really wanted. Well, mostly anyway.

'I've got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see,
That you’re the antidote to everything except for me...'

Location: Great Hall.
Company: Caine, RaRa, and Lyla. Thoughts: ‘I am surrounded by children…’

Sislana