Labyrinth

[Shadow of Twilight]

"You're close, but not quite."

And then he took to listening to Kieran talk about how Piper decribed him in her letters.

"Two sides indeed. I can't afford to show lavish affection on her most times, especially in Neriak, as it might give me a weak appearance. I have to be colder, more dominant. even here in many areas since Piper wears a collar. Can't have the others think I'm playing favorites, for her safety and my sanity."

Then a slight grin.

"Indeed. no bright colors down here. Do you know how many times I had to remind her that walking is just as easy to do down here as on the surface? I swear the girl can't walk three feet without tripping on something. And yes...especially in Neriak. everytime I turned aroudn she was upsetting someone. or something."  

[Fractured Moonlight]

Okay they were both teasing now and not holding back either. But she was rather used to it anyway at this point in life. "Yes I can...I can walk five feet without tripping thank you very much." And she looked away from them both for a moment, throwing on that act of being upset. " Well that's your fault that I got into trouble so much. Why? Because I say so and can't think of a better answer."

Kieran chuckled lightly and shook his head. "Well I can see why she trips a lot, she lived with Fianna and thus among trees. Tree roots have a certain science about them and you don't need to watch your feet when you walk. Believe me, she's clumsy...when she came to see me, my kind live in the mountains, she often tripped over rocks and the like." Then he cast a look between the both of them, steepling his fingers. "Collar?"

Damn that dark elf, damn him. "Well...not really a collar per say..." Yes she even called it a collar but she equated it to something different as she had always said and would tell her father now, "...more of a gift from Malik to Piper." Oh this just got interesting.  

[Shadow of Twilight]

"Yes Collar. when I first met Piper...my intentions toward her were slavery. her friendship to an old enemy and her naive personality actual fostered it rather well. and illusion mask for her ear...visits to my hoem that were kept pleasent and thing about my darker nature hidden. I offered and she accepted her collar, thinking it a necklace."

A small grin.

"Several came to her aid, to warn her about me. she didn't listen. refused to think I would treat her in such manner. Never once showed fear, even when it was revealed that I was teh slaver they claimed. I admired her lack of fear. and amazed that she chose of her own will to remain at my side. admiration and amazement became attraction and fascination..which eventually became love. I offered to remove it form her..and she said no. it wasn't a collar, it was a gift between malik and piper."  

[Fractured Moonlight]

Oh she wanted to pass out now. Again, damn Malik and his free flow of information to her father.Even about her ears. And Kieran...no doubt was soaking up every word of it. She was trying very hard to keep from hyperventilating. Of course that led to a cough seeing as cinnamon and concealed deep breaths didn't mix well at all.

Kieran indeed soaked up information like a man who had wandered a desert for five days without water and had just found an oasis. Yet his expression remained neutral, intrigued but neutral all the same. After all, Kieran was an elf who would rather hear both sides rather than judge on one. And they both already said the same thing with the gift bit. "Well...she mentioned most of that but left out the slavery ploy and collar part." A look to Piper with a smile. "See, I told you, details matter." However was he going to jump Malik for apparently collaring his daughter? No. Why? He knew his daughter...if she wanted to get away she would get away. "And what about your ears? Having that elvish difficulty of being on a non elvish plane and sticking out all to easily."

Piper stared at him a moment. "Yeah...you know, pointy ears just aren't that good to flash around on some planes. Like here for example as well." And she looked to Malik, giving him one of those looks that said 'bite your tongue'. There was just no keeping information private between these two.  

[Shadow of Twilight]

He gave her a look in return of 'he doesn't know?' before keeping his mouth shut on it.

"I wouldn't mind hearin gmore about your plane of origin. and maybe some about Piper's mother..and whom form there might be interested in locating her now besides you and her."

Yes, Mr. Gale was still lingering on his mind.

"I can't help but think Terran Gale was sent here by someone else specifically to find Piper and learn about her present condition. and that bothers me."  

[Fractured Moonlight]

The look back? 'No he doesn't and let's keep it that way'. No, not even beloved father knew about that incident. She wasn't proud of it herself and thought it best not to be spread around too much. After all, she still wore that bandana around Malik half the time. She merely kept herself by picking at food and chewing on that cinnamon stick she had.

Kieran further obliged Malik and his apparent worry with this Terran Gale. "The Andal plane is elvish in populace. Very few other...intelligent...races dwell there. Five main breaks of the races, four surface elven and the fifth being the drow of our plane. We all seem to keep to our own and ways, but in recent years and since Piper the Iaur'quessir aren't scarce anymore. In fact things are quite smooth now in the plane. A hierarchy does exist in the social class, with a set or royalty in each branch." A point to the tattoo that ran his right cheek. "This is the plane crest and also worn by royalty, makes them stand out."

Hm...how easy could she make an escape at this moment without them noticing her...or maybe she could fake not feeling well or something. No that wouldn't work...Malik knew nine out of ten times when she was lying to him. Accident's happen? Would that work in her favor?

But Kieran only continued his talking to give answer to Malik's inquires. And he got that look of being in love and he smiled. "Fianna Swiftfeather, love of my life. As I'm sure you know she's a wood elf. Tawny complexion, brilliant green eyes, honey brown hair, and quite the master with a bow. Stubborn though and when pushed hard enough she isn't afraid to push back. In fact she isn't afraid of most things. Though her ideals are...stricter...than my own and we do clash at that point, but that only one thing." Then that look passed and Kieran paused a moment to think some more. "Well...honestly I can't think of anyone looking for her, not even Fianna. You see back in Andal...most are under the impression that she's far beyond reach, or dead. They remember her but try not to talk about it all really. Of course they don't know she has Serino but that's a whole other story."

Excuse, excuse, excuse...why couldn't come up with one? Easy, she couldn't think of a plausible one at all. Did it matter? Malik was just going to want explanations anyway.  

[Shadow of Twilight]

Malik was listening, and Piper coudl almost see the connections forming in his head, teh reasonings and trying to make out threats of Gale.

"So you have some royal status, Keiran? nd tell me another question about this supposed threat from Gale, and then I won't mention it again. and you cna have you fill of questions. When I questioned Piper as to teh nature of this threat, she siad he said somethign about bridges, and sleeping. Now I know that Piper does not sleep as the word is used, we have reverie. so I'm curious if 'sleep' has a different connotation on your plane."

He grabbed a few things to eat, cracking crablegs and teh like, enjoying his food idly while listening. Of course Piper, and maybe Keiran, might notice the quiver in his sword had, that sign of addiction to Malvolence, mostly only seen if he used it alot and hten stopped for one reason or another.  

[Fractured Moonlight]

Kieran shrugged as he saw it all no big deal. "Yes. Current royal leader of the Ithil'quessir...king, if you would but the term isn't enjoyed on the plane to be used so freely. More of a just because we have to call you something thing." But he was ready as ever to answer Malik's questions. "Well...as on any plane I guess sleep could in face be scene as a sort of death. In Andal it's sometimes used as a omen of sorts...say if one says to you "may your soul sleep" that's something akin to saying I'm killing you now and there's no way you're coming back." At in seemingly realizaton of his own answer he turned a look to Piper. "This Terran Gale is saying things like that to you?"

"Like I told Malik I am now telling you. It is nothign to worry about and that's the end of it. I honestly think he's not that stupid as to try something with Malik around. And I don't intend to wander far at all." And she stared at the little bit of food still on her plate. Yes, she never ate much but she had ate less than usual tonight.

Clearing hsi throat Kieran finished off his own plate of food that he had gotten together earlier. A look to Malik. "Belive me Malik, I'll have more than enough questions for you. But right now, I'm due for my own revirie."

Piper nodded to that. "Right, you don't like to break schedule. Um...just take any of the rooms upstairs, except one done up in a rather elaborate fashion, that's ours."

With a smile he stood, walking around the table to Piper, petting through her hair before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva." That said he petted at her hair once more and gave another nod to Malik. "Till tomorrow Malik." Turning his back to them he made his way out of the room.

"Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva atar..." And she continued to stare at her plate.  

[Shadow of Twilight]

The very thought of that made his eyes go hard, but he nodded and smiled lightly at Keiran.

"Until then."

And once Keiran left, his attention turned to Piper.

"Why didn't you tell me you were writing home. Did you think I woudl be upset or furious with you? were you ashamed of something? And I want to know what happened to make you leave your home plane. I had assumed it was your wanderlust, but your father implies it was something else. You owe me some explainations I think. I haven't hidden anything from you. why didn't you trust me with this little thing about the letters..or trust me to know your past?"  

[Fractured Moonlight]

"It's not that I don't trust you Malik. It's not that at all. I just..." She paused for a moment...what did she want to say? "Yes I thought you would be upset with me for it." She would of told him sorry but in the grand scheme of things, how much did that really do to make up for it all. "You...met this Piper, and I didn't want you to see who I used to be. I didn't want you to push me away because of what I was or was supposed to be." She probably should of known that this would all come back to get her...if you stopped running it always caught up with you and quiet a moment before she continued. "Royal blood on both sides meet, giving birth to new blood. Kieran Silvercrest of Ithil'quessir and Fianna Swiftfeather of Taur'quessir bring the blessing of Piper Silverfeather, Iaur'quessir. A bridge to span a strife between, a path upon which new bonds will be formed." Sounded like something formal, and it was really, a formal description of what they wanted her to be. "Does that make you happy to know that? That's right Malik, elven princess of both moon and wood elves, seen as some stupid bridge, self exiled from her own plane and to top it all off her ears aren't quite that elvish anymore." For a moment she looked over to him before looking to her hands which were folded in her lap. "I couldn't be what they wanted me to be...so I left. Couldn't act how they wanted or do what they wanted me to do. I'm not one to be a bridge of any sorts. I didn't even stop to think what would happen when I did leave, I just did. In one word, cowardice." Could she cry now or something. Half of her was hoping he yelled at her because then she could get angry right back.  

[Fractured Moonlight]

"I didn't know what you would do if you knew...what I do know is that you have a thing about power. In all honsety that title gives me quite the power in my own right. You could of turned me over and gotten whatever you wanted from them." This was not going well at all. She couldn't look at him, he didn't look at her, both staring at her hands. Silence again and she felt that familiar feeling of someone being disappointed with her, of someone who wasn't happy with what she had been doing. "I felt trapped...and I could see myself just...turning into someone I hated. I had to deal with enough by just being mixed blood, and they were asking me to take the reins of something I knew I would never be ready for." She shook her head. "Everyone was planning my life but me. I was to marry one who was brave enough to call me his wife and take my roll in life as it had been handed to me. And I broke..." Another moment of silence and she looked over to him again before dropping her eyes once more...she felt that looming breaking point coming on, but she was refusing to cry in front of Malik. "I'm sorry..."  

[Shadow of Twilight]

"Wait a minute. you were supposed to marry someone? And take your place of power in your own plane, which you say. Are you sure this person isn't still looking for you?"

He got up, and walked over to her, kneeling down by her chair and taking her hands, kissing them both lightly.

"There are somethings, Piper, that even I won't do for power. turning you over to anyone is one of those things. I do want you to be able to trust me and tell me everything about you, alright? I've never held anything back from you, and I don't want you to hold things from me. EVen if I did get furious, it's a storm that passes, you know that."

Then he got himself up, and looked down at her, before pulling her up to stand infront of him.

"If you are the princess of wood and moon, it means little to me. you are still Piper, my piper, and Innoruuk help anyone who tries to dispute that claim. You know I have no problem maiming nad killing. and if anyone so much as lays a finger on you from that plane of your birth save Keiran or Fianna, they are going to answer to me."

Oh yes he was dead serious about that.

"From now on though, no more secrets. no going behind my back, no hiding your past from me. the past has a way of coming back to haunt you. and it's better to have someone stand with you then to kepe everyone away or in the dark. My darkvision may be good, but it's not that good."