Draeken's Mansion

[Lady Phia]

She had enough time to move her left foot back about 90 degrees, the tip of his blade glancing her chest but not making solid contact, there was just a hair's width for that. With this action, it forced her blade forward towards his throat by mere inches. She looked down at his blade then across towards him and grinned.

"It seems we ar' at a stalemate." She said and dropped her weapon to her side, taking a relaxed stance. "I will not lie. I do miss spar'n wit' yae D." She smiled.  

[Draeken Aakarshan]

With a grin Draeken let his own sword disappear before he allowed himself to start falling backwards. Stretching his hands out behind him, he caught himself and vaulted into the air to land several feet from Phia, still grinning. Bringing his right index finger to his chin, he drew it across the small scrape that lay there. As he lowered his hand the cut was gone without even a scar. "I would be lying if I did not say the same."  

[Lady Phia]

She smiled at him, glancing down at the small tear on the chest of her suit. It could be fixed later.

"I wouldn't mind if we did spar from time to time. I dun wannae loose contact with yae D, yae were my friend firs' before our romance....I dun wanna let tha' fall to the wayside...If not fer us then...maybe for the children's sake." She said softly.  

[Draeken Aakarshan]

Draeken nodded, still smiling pleasantly as he looked at Phia. "Sparring from time to time would be good fun. It would be a shame though to let our friendship slide away. And I'm sure Devon would enjoy having you around more often."  

[Lady Phia]

She smiled and nodded at the mention of their son.

"Aye...It's not easy be'n apart from 'im..." She said sadly. "I miss our kids...really I do...I love 'em."  

[Draeken Aakarshan]

Nodding he shrugged. "Then why waste time trying to beat me to a pulp when you could be with them for a bit?" He grinned then and nodded towards the door. "Go ahead. I'm sure they'd love to see ya for a bit."  

[Lady Phia]

She smiled and laughed softly.

"D...the kids ar' asleep...tha's why we decided to spar." She shrugged and looked up to him.  

[Draeken Aakarshan]

Chuckling he shrugged. "So they would be. Doesn't mean you can't watch them sleep. I do from time to time."  

[Lady Phia]

She nodded and fell silent for a moment remembering when they used to do such a thing together. She looked to him and smiled.

"I think I shall go do tha' fer a bit. Thank ye D." She said and walked towards the shadows to disappear among them.  

[Draeken Aakarshan]

With a sign, Draeken put his back to a wall and slid down to sit heavily on the floor. For a time he would just sit there, looking blankly at the wall across the room from himself. Thought's would not even come. He just sat, stared, and became quite unaware of the world around himself.  

[Lady Phia]

Phia appeared in Devon's room and set on his bed, pulling his sleeping form into her arms, holding him and stroking his hair gently. She said there for a long time, how long she didn't know. She hummed his lullyby, then kissed his fore head, setting him down and walking into Aria's room, she had fallen asleep with a book, Phia smiled, carefully pulling the book away, placing a marker in it then sitting it on the bedside, she pulled a blanket over her daughter, kissing her cheek. It was time to go, she needed go home now. With that Phia's form disappeared into the shadows.  

[Truinthil]

Truinthil, the better half, strolled the empty hallways of the mansion whistling a rather ghastly tune to himself. This place just wasn't the hive of activity it once had been. Such a sad sight, really, after Draeken had gone to so much trouble restoring and refurbishing it. No matter, however. He was sure that there would come a time that this place would once again be a-buzzing with activity. Whether it was with the current Aakarshan family, descendants or perhaps some day in the distant future by some unknowing folks that would find it. What would such times be like? Truinthil shrugged as he idly walked and whistled. Undoubtedly he would be around then so wondering about it would prove mostly useless. He would see it.

Upon thinking of Draeken however, his tune changed slightly to become a bit more jovial. That man was off battling somewhere. For a while it had been intense enough that Truinthil was able to feel Draeken's elation. That elation somewhat disturbed him. Draeken was the good one. Supposed to fight when necessary, not enter battles upon a whim and enjoy it in a sadistic manner. That was much more in line with his own character, or rather, his former character. It was as though they had switched roles. Perhaps Draeken was switching more slowly, but there it was. Thinking on these strange ideas he changed his tune once again to a more whimsical note. Someone was coming.  

[Lady Phia]

Phia stepped from the shadows into the parlor of the mansion and looked around for a moment. She smiled sensing her children in the library, stepping into the shadows and into the library.
"MAMA!" Came her son's voice. The five year old slid from his chair, leaving the book sprawled on the arm rest. She scooped the boy up in her arms, kissing his cheek.

"'Ello me love...." She murmered into his hair.

"Hi Ma." Aria said, emerging from the shelves.

"'Ello Ari."

"So, what's the visit for?" She asked, her brow arched.
"Well, I was wonderin' If ye'd like to come stay at the Keep fer a few days....I miss ye."

"Lab?" Devon asked.

"I'm sure Xol wouldn' mind if ye were in there with him..." She said softly. "Aria?" She asked.

"I suppose I could go....could Aethi?"

"I think Aethi would be very welcome."  

[Truinthil]

Truinthil wandered into the library, still whistling lightly to himself. He had caught the majority of the conversation and was at the very least intrigued. "Family trip to Xol's place huh? Sounds like fun! Though normally I'd be upset over not getting an invitation myself, I think I'll get along just fine not going there." Scanning the kids and Phia, Truinthil smiled a bit. "You know...It's been a while since I saw you all together like this! Well, you are missing one, but that can't be helped. If by any chance you were hoping to speak with Draeken during your visit, he's off killing angels and enjoying it far too much. And here I thought I used to be the blood thirsty one..."  

[Lady Phia]

"I can tell tha'....'ello T.....I trust ye ar' well?" It troubled her that her ex-husband was so overly joyed in his malicious nature, but she had no control over him, and no say in his life any longer. She glanced around, wondering when her incarnation would show herself. "Where is Athaele? Is she still about?" She asked, more curious than anything. She adjusted her son on her hip, who was currently poking at his mother trying to figure out what she was hiding, but Phia was a smart woman and had thought ahead enough to conceal the lives within her until they were at the Keep safely. She glanced up to Truinthil.