#izlynn

She had known, walking onto the golden beach that it would be her last walk there. The Priestess took a moment to enjoy it, to remove her boots and feel the shift of the grains between her toes. It was quiet, the fierce battles that rocked the rest of the world not reaching this silent place. There was only the sand, the waves and the sky to be her companions through the long night. Eclipsed eyes lifted to look up at the stars twinkling sleepily in the heavens, a soft smile crossing her face. At least she was in good hands. The redhead traipsed down the shore, finding a nice open spot on one of the small peninsula’s to sit down and rest. A hand raised to cover the mark on the side of her neck, her delicate brow knitting together. She had asked for this, wanted it even, but what had it gotten her? There was no freedom from her own memories. There was no way to erase the many, long years of agony and she had been a fool to think that this - of all things - was her answer. A willing pawn in Their game she’d been, but no longer. The Priestess withdrew a slender dagger, the blade having been a gift from a man she’d loved in another life. He’d always known her fancy in weaponry, the beautiful fool. She’d miss him too.

Izlynn sat on the sands for a few hours, watching the night around her grow darker and the stars above glow more fiercely, as if they too were fighting back the encroaching shadows. She breathed in the cool night air, ran her fingers over the sand and her robes, memorizing the feel of things as she thought about Cassiel’s voice - his true voice - and the way he smiled at her. He had saved her and in the end, he had given her the strength to do what must be done.She would be eternally grateful that fate had placed the man in her path, and ever regretful that their time together had been so short. But this was for him. It was for all of them. The Eclipse took the dagger and placed it to the ivory skin that covered her heart. She had been a Lioness. She had been ‘Ishnelo’ of the Crimson Ring. She had been flogged and whipped and beaten past the point of reasonable recovery, but she’d made it through all of that with her head held high. It had turned the woman into a hardened warrior, a veteran of agony, a champion of pain. This would be nothing. She would bear this cross into oblivion. Izlynn took one final deep breath, one more look at the stars before thinking of the ones she loved - the hopes and the dreams that they had for a bright, prosperous future. All the beautiful things that could happen, all the possibilities for joy and serenity and comfort. The warmth of the thoughts coursed through her, filling her with radiating emotion. She wanted that for them, with every fiber of her being she wanted that and she was prepared to do what was necessary to see they had the chance. “I’ve loved you. All of you.” With that said and with the hopes of the many singing through her soul, the Eclipse changed the game and exited the world in a symphony of silence and stars.

Arriving in the Ghostlands before the sun was fully in the sky was a good sign, Yeven had had his daughter less than twenty-four hours. He could only hope the damage was minimal.

  A creeping fog encased the grounds that Yeven's Tower sat on, the foliage old and untouched. It was haunting in more ways than appearance. There seemed to be cries on the wind, snippets of conversations that had happened once or had yet to happen. Lukel kept his eyes on the large, arched doorway, the iron doors were shut and bolted tight.

  Stopping in the mist, Lukel raised his voice, his words strained and harsh in the early morning air. "Elekai! I know you've been expecting me! Open the doors!"

  When Lukel called, the doors gave a drawn out grown as it opened. A familiar face greeted them quietly, tilting his head as he looked among the three of them. "She is expecting you," Jakkin's voice came softly, his fel-touched stare bore into the Good Doctor for a moment, then he stepped aside and opened the door further. "How quaint to see you, again. We should really meet under better circumstances, Lukel. I'll take you to her, she has been waiting for you."  He gave a look to Izlynn briefly before moving forward to lead them through the house.

  Wards were visible, magic coursed through them and the tower itself. Suppressing something, if any of them were familiar with extensive Eredic. They pulsed, even, like a steady heart. The Imp led them up a staircase, stopping at the top to turn to Lukel, gesturing to a door. That doorway led to a dark room draped in black lace and drapery with a large, flat slab table.  "She'll be in there." He lingered by the door, watching Lukel closely.

  Masrin followed Lukel silently; despite his lack of ability to use the shadows at the moment, he still had over two full centuries of training under his belt, which was not insignificant. During the time it took to reach the Ghostlands, the rogue mentally pored over every conversation he and Kae'd had recently, searching for some indication that he was wrong... but just not finding a single one. Damn it, Kae.

  Upon arrival at the tower, the pale, scarred elf regarded Jakkin with a cool contempt. As the party followed him through the winding halls, he inclined his head slightly toward him and winked, murmuring under his breath, "Always a pleasure. How's the arm?"

  Jakkin regards Masrin pointedly, but he couldn't quite help a smile. "Even better than before," He raised the replaced arm, although he wore a full sleeve and glove to conceal it. It resumed by his side and curled into a fist. "How is your daughter, Masrin? Does she still have nightmares?" Jakkin eyed the scarred guest, then flicked them to Izlynn. He was cautious about the whole group, really, but his biggest concern was Lukel. He inclined his chin, drawing his lips thinly.

  The illusions he wore were to simply appear normal, for the child's sake. Horns were concealed, wings weren't visible, and the felblood seemed entirely healthy. If there hadn't been a child in the tower, he might not have cared what the group thought of him. The only one among them that didn't know this face was Izlynn, but she was far more knowing of Soril.

  The Good Doctor was oblivious to Jakkin, save to eye him up and down once, feeling him out enough before marching into the room hung with silks and dark tapestries. In the center of the room was an old stone table, the etching around the rim was in a very old, very dead language and Lukel could hear it hum softly on the edge of his perception. Whatever happened, he did -not- want to go near that table. He turned amethyst eyes towards Izlynn, relaying the message silently.

  The little Priestess nodded once, understanding the warning, and laying a cautious hand on Masrin's forearm, flicking her own orbs towards the table. She hoped the meaning went without words.

  Yeven sat in the far corner, the golden chair she had salvaged for herself as a sort of throne now housed a new occupant. Giida was still fast asleep, curled up on the seat, blonde hair freshly brushed and braided as the Relic sat at her feet, running her fingers tenderly over her child's head. "Ah, Lukel, you've come! And you brought friends. I might have known." Those curious eyes turned on the group, laying on each of them in turn before settling on the Good Doctor. "She's a lovely girl, Lukel, and deeply gifted. Though I imagine you knew that." Her grin widened. "I'm -so- curious as to why Kae would want to give her up, to betray -you- of all people to -me-."

The pale rogue grinned at Jakkin, leaning close. "Nope. She's forgotten all about you. Guess you should work on that 'scaring little girls' thing," he said, and walked into the room. Only Izlynn would be able to tell how Jak's remark had vexed him, and then, only from the tension in his arm when she touched him.

  He remained silent and still as Yeven and Lukel spoke, taking up a position behind and slight to the left of the redhead, just like a good soldier.

  And there it was. Confirmation.

  Well, not that they could trust a word she said, but the fact that the story she chose to use matched up with their own suspicions, well... That was damning.

  Jakkin smiled a little bit more with the rogue's remark. Did he strike a cord? His ears tilted back a little as he sizes the group up. He lingered near the door, to their backs. It gave him an opening, should they attack Yeven. Their flank exposed would be a prime opening for bursts of controlled fire. Or to grab Izlynn and throw her onto the slab. That table wasn't pleasant, the fair-haired warlock knew that personally. The hum of the dark, ancient magic had grown on him, but he wouldn't be careless around such a thing. He listened attentively to the group, grinning a little.

  Jakkin gave a vague gesture with his right hand at his side, shifting briefly from one side and back. "She is a special child, Lukel. Why not let Yeven teach her what is needed? She could bring an end to this unnecessary conflict."  His gaze lifted from Izlynn to Yeven, pursing his lips tentatively.

  A dark snarl ripped its way through Lukel's lips as he advanced a step on Yeven, then thought about the advice he had given the other two: no taunting her. He was here for Giida, not -her-. He took a moment to compose himself, letting that familiar mask slide back into place. He gave her his charming smile. "Elekai, my dearheart, isn't it time we end this?" He gestured to his sleeping child in the chair. "She is special, we all know this. But she is young, inexperienced. Why spend the next fifty years teaching her when I am right here?"

  He took another step forward, this time with his hands spread in a nonconfrontational gesture. "You and I, we work well together, do we not? As you can surely ascertain, I have nothing left to go home to after today, but my child deserves a life untainted by our history. Take me in her place, and I will do what it is you asked me to all those years ago."

  The golden eyed construct kept a careful watch on the Good Doctor as he spoke. Oh, he was good as he ever had been, seemingly unshaken by the betrayal that must still lurk near the surface. "Gor'tael, my love- you -had- your chance. Your lover tried to kill me, and you -failed- me. I think it's worth fifty more years as a prisoner in order to assure myself freedom." She smiled at him tauntingly, oh no, she wasn't done, she just wanted to toy with him some more in front of his 'family'.

  Izlynn looked over at Masrin before turning her cerulean eyes on the tyrant. Her hands clenched at her side as she steadied herself. The Lioness wanted to launch herself across the floor and strangle the golden goddess, but she kept herself level-headed if just barely. She had lost her son, she was not about to lose her niece as well.

  The moment Jakkin moved to threaten their flank, the old veteran simply turned, arms folded over his chest. The move kept both Jakkin and Yeven well within his sights and his hands conveniently close to his weapons. There was no malice in his expression now, not even playful vitriol as he'd expressed on the way to the room. No, right now, there was only a cool neutrality as he watched Lukel's back.

And quietly hoped that offering himself as bait was a ploy. If they were to take Giida back with them, -she- would be what he had to come home to.

Jakkin shifted a little, his gaze drawing from the rogue to Lukel. "The child could surpass her father easily, Lady Nedria. She would have great tutors at hand ... Lukel may deceive us at any moment, when he sees the tables have turned in his favor. Lukel's conflict is not with us, but the lover that has twisted the blade in his heart." The Imp gestured a little, articulating this and that.

  The fair-haired warlock hadn't ever considered being a parent, but he was never one to let a child be tortured. He glanced briefly to Giida, then back to Lukel. "The child will be cared for and protected," He paused, "What makes you think this will turn out so badly for her, Lukel?"

  Jakkin gave a look to Izlynn and Masrin, carefully scrutinizing them just the same as he did with Lukel. He smiled a little to Masrin, looking back to the good doctor. "You have committed a great injustice against us, to have rebound and experimented on Lady Nedria. Why not let us teach the girl how to do the task that you refuse to do yourself?"

  The Good Doctor paused and before long it was the Butcher that stared out at Yeven, bleak white eyes wiped clean of the emotional amethyst. His voice was soft and low. "I do not deny that she could very well be greater than I. It's not a concern to me. What does concern me is my child being raised by -you-." He pointed directly at Yeven. "It's not even an option. What -is- an option is how we leave here today. You can give Giida to her Aunt and Uncle and they can take her peacefully home, hopefully before she wakes, or -I- will take her out of here, and you lose your opportunity to trade me in the process. Likely your imp, your tower, and that pretty little head of yours too." He shrugged his shoulders, remaining neutral, but there was a fiery rage boiling just beneath the surface.

  Izlynn turned blue eyes on Jakkin, a dark look crossing her face. "My niece already has great tutors. Or have you forgotten just how many of us there are?"

  Masrin watched the conversation impassively, allowing others to do the talking while he simply focused on any shifts in position, minute as they were, that would give away intentions of violence. He needed to be even more on his toes now and he watched both the Relic and the Imp intently. Slim fingertips lightly twitched against the smooth hilts of the throwing blades, edged with poison this time. This time, he was taking no chances.

  Jakkin, while he didn't trust Lukel, knew he wasn't going to sway the decision in the end. Lips pursed thinly and he scoffed. He noted the uneasy calmness that Lukel spoke with and he grew even more cautious. One ward he put in place suppressed the use of Light, but just how much could they suppress of Lukel's power?

  His ears tilted back and he regarded Masrin somewhat. There were many, but he idly wondered if he could snuff a few of those people from her life, given the chance. If violence broke out, now, how easily would it be?  He frowned little and glanced to Yeven, holding back remarks that might otherwise enrage Lukel. "What is your decision, Lady Nedria?"

  Yeven sat silently, watching Lukel and his little pack with impassive golden eyes. She flicked her gaze to Jakkin for a moment, shaking her head just slightly before speaking to the Butcher. "You want your child safe and I want my freedom. Perhaps there are still deals we can make, Gor'tael."

  The little blonde shifted in the chair, causing Lukel to hold his breath. She yawned, stretched and rolled right back over.

  Lukel spoke softly, trying to not cause any further disturbances to his sleeping child. It would be best if she remembered none of it. "I will stay here in her place. I will swear to you that I will cause no harm to you or yours so long as I receive the same courtesy.  If you swear this to me, on your heart, we have a deal."

  Not even a flicker crossed Masrin's face to give away his thoughts on the deal that Lukel offered Yeven. He would have done precisely the same thing himself, were he in Lukel's situation. The rogue simply stayed still and silent, watchful gaze on both of their adversaries.

  He wasn't certain if Lukel would hold his word, but he said nothing. He kept a careful eye on Masrin and the rest, keeping his guard up and ready to react should he have to. If this deal was taken, the fair-haired imp would move from the door to let Masrin and Izlynn free. Otherwise, he stood his ground.

  Yeven bowed her head, her own contemplations spinning in her mind. Finally she spoke gently, her fingers still playing with the sleeping child's hair. "You may allow the Rogue and the Lady to escort Miss Giida from the tower. Our time with her is at an end, sweet imp." She waved her hand at Lukel, begging him closer. "I at least will allow you to tell her goodbye."

  Tenderly, and with more gentleness than he felt, Lukel gathered his sleeping daughter up into his arms. He stared at her face,  the only other person he could look at over and over again and still get lost in their beauty. His voice was deep and soft as he held her close. "I loved you even when I thought I couldn't. You changed me in ways I don't fully realize yet, and I'm sorry...for all this. You will have a life full of happiness and joy and I can only hope you turn out better than I." He kissed her brow softly as he moved towards Izlynn. His voice cracked as he lay Giida in her arms. "I'll always keep you, Giida. Even if its not by my side, I will -always- want you."

  The child slept on, oblivious to her father's words or the predicament she was in. Izlynn held the child against her chest, ready to shield her through fire should it come.

  "Tell her I came for her. Tell her I didn't give her up." His voice was soft, but the underlying emotion was hard to miss.

  Yeven held up a black nailed hand, offering it to Lukel. "Come. Sit with me a while. Let us talk about the end."

  Masrin tensed slightly as Lukel drew close and the exchange occurred. He didn't trust Yeven or Jak not to pull some last second stunt and try to keep them both. But, no... everything went smoothly as child was handed from father to aunt. No bloodshed today, it would seem. Yet.

  Reaching out, Masrin gripped Lukel's upper arm firmly. "She will be safe," he said quietly, that intent gaze lingering on the red head for just a moment longer than necessary. I heard you, that private look said. I got it. Whether or not the rogue's message was read or interpreted correctly, the scarred elf nodded once, then released him.

  Turning, he strode to the door ahead of Izlynn, keeping himself between Jakkin and the lady and child as they made to leave. The rogue's even gaze remained still utterly neutral, watchful, wary.

  Jakkin watched the exchanged, bowing his head. He attentively watched as Lukel gathered Giida and passed her off to Izlynn. Mistrustful as he was, he obeyed and moved aside as the two departed. He gestured a little, urging the Shivarra from hiding. "See that they leave the tower unharmed, make sure that they do not linger."

  She sheathed her blades and passed Jakkin to do just that with a quick word of demonic to him. She would close the doors of the tower after the three of them left. The Imp moved closer to

The Relic and Butcher sat in silence for a long moment, the unspeakable rage Lukel felt was practically tangible, but he kept a good face.  Yeven relished in it, a coy smirk pulling at the corners of her lips as she brushed a crimson strand of hair out of his face. "I must admit, Gor'tael, I never thought our dance would end. I've been chasing you for so long that once I am free... I'll hardly know what to do with myself."

  Lukel looked at her, eyes pale. "What you've always done - destroy. Me, them, does it even matter anymore? You've won. Congratulations are in order, but here I'm not in the celebrating kind of mood."

  The construct leaned forward, a dark smile on her face. "My my, has the Good Doctor given up so easily?"

  "Yes. He has."

  A frown creased the woman's face as she looked the red head over for a few moments. Finally, she reclined, folding her arms over her chest. "Then you know how this ends?"

Lukel had allowed Kae two hours before he went to retrieve Giida and take her to Masrin's. He didn't want to leave her with Abby all day when he knew Shae had been dying to show her how to paint on the bones, and more importantly, to listen to them.

  Replacing the red and black robe over his head, Lukel leaned back down to kiss Kae once more, softly, tenderly. "I love you, Sweetness. I'll be back before you know it and we can start our Anniversary night, hmm?"

  Two hours wasn't nearly long enough. With Lukel getting ready to leave, Kae rushes out of the bathroom in a towel, fresh from his shower to plaster himself to his lover, ears pinned back and clutching with no small amount of desperation. "Sure I can't jes' send someone t' tell Masrin t' get her? S' early. Don' go?"

  The Good Doctor chuckled, turning in that desperate hold so he could peer down at Kae. "I'll be back soon, but I made the kid a promise. I'm trying -not- to be the father that mine was. She deserves me keeping my promises to her." Before Kae could get fussy, the taller red head leaned down, kissing his nose before moving to kiss his lips firmly. "The same as you deserve. So I promise once I get her, I will come home and we can have a night to remember, yes?"

  His ears wilt back far enough to bump his shoulders, face turned upward toward his lover as it was. Leaning up on his tiptoes to meet his kiss, he reaches up with both hands to cup his face. "I love you. More than anything."

  Quiet for a few moments, he studies Lukel's face before he slowly lets go. Gods, it hurt to let him go, not knowing if he would ever be allowed to touch him like this again. "It will be, won' it?" He allows, smiling faintly. "You're my world, Lukel."

  Lukel smiled as Kae stared at him, memorizing his face all over again. He liked doing that. "You're my everything, Sweetness. I'll see you soon." He kissed Kae once more, letting their lips stay pressed together for a few heartbeats before he pulled back and winked at Kae. "Love you."

  With that he went to the door, retrieved his cloak from the peg and was out the warded doors without another word. Why had this felt so hard to do?

  When that door clicks shut behind him, Kae sinks to his knees with a thump, curling forward into a miserable pile for several long moments. He didn't cry, though his breath hitched. He brought this on himself and he knew full well what would happen when Lukel got to Abby's and found no Giida.

  Pulling himself together and back to his feet, Kae retreated to their bedroom to get dressed, armed, and as far away as he could manage in what little time he had, drawing that mental barrier Filo had helped him create around him. With any luck, that would keep him safe for now...

  Off across town, however, Abby is tending peacefully to her herb garden, humming to herself. Notably, no Giida in sight. Once she spots Lukel, though, she smiles warmly, "Good morning, sir!" Leaning to try to peek around him, she wonders, "Where is the little lady of the house today?"

  Lukel had felt a growing apprehension as he walked, a nagging sense that something was off. The numbers never lied. As he approached Abby's home, seeing her brought relief. That all came crashing down with her question. The Good Doctor stopped dead in his tracks. "What do you mean? Kae said he dropped her off here..." What was going on?

  The woman blinks at that statement. Kae said he had? "No, sir. I have not seen Lord Dawnstrike for several days, in fact. The last time he was here, you were bringing Lady Giida by for her lessons." Turning toward him, her expression is one of concern. "Is she not with him?"

  "No," he said softly, shock coloring his tone. Kae had... well wait, now. He hadn't lied. Perhaps there was a reason behind this. "If ah... if you see her, would you let me know?" His chest hurt, hurt to breathe, hurt to speak. What the -fuck- was going on?

  Oh he sure did lie, having stated the girl was safely with Abby, which she obviously was not. Abby herself, however, was only worried and confused, nodding immediately to his request. "Yes, of course. I will bring her home straight away, should she simply find her arrival here delayed. Did he say who he sent her with?" Surely he had misspoke about dropping her off himself, if she were missing!

  Those amethyst eyes lightened considerably, reflecting a pale lavender hue. "Himself." He offered her a tight lipped smile. "Thank you for your continued services, Abby. You are truly a blessing." With that said he turned on his heel and stormed immediately towards Masrin's flat. If she wasn't there, and -Gods- hope she was, there was going to be a fire in the City tonight. Perhaps several.

  The lights were dim in the flat's windows, but they were on when Lukel arrived. Someone was awake - and that someone was a little blonde. Alas, -not- the blonde that Lukel was looking for so frantically.

  Still in her PJ's, she was sleepily munching away at a bowl of oatmeal (which she had quickly learned to make herself, as Masrin wasn't due awake for several more hours). Bregon heard the Good Doctor's approach before she did, rising and staring attentively at the door. Catching the movement from the corner of her eye, Shae rubbed at her face and slipped down from the stool, going up on tiptoes to see through the tiny peephole.

  Seeing who was coming up the walk, she broke into a little smile and opened the door. "Hi, Lu," she greeted, her voice still soft with sleep.

  Lukel's face was grim. No laughter lined his eyes, and no smile graced his lips. Before he could even tell her good morning, he blurted out. "Is she here? Giida?" He waited to be invited in, but only barely. His eyes were still far too light and he carried himself with a bit of a feral stance, ready to attack.

  Shae blinked at him, suddenly quite awake at Lukel's expression and barked question. Scooting back out of his way, she peered at him in confusion. "Giida? No...   I mean, you were gonna bring her by but I didn't think it was gonna be until a little later," the little wildling said. "She's not with you? Or Kae?"

  Lukel shook his head, eyes very close to white. He forced himself to keep his voice low and calm. "If your father awake? Does he maybe know where she is?" He had built barriers in his mind to keep him from second-guessing Kae, from questioning his love or loyalty. They were impenetrable, or at least they had been. Cracks were beginning to form in his mind, and he was doing everything he could to keep them from crumbling. Masrin was his final hope.

  Shae slowly backed away from Lukel, her heart quickening. Uh-oh.

  "I'll go get him," she said, then turned and fled down the hall. Through the door opposite hers and, despite not being a morning person, at that small creak, the rogue was already sitting up. Spotting the look on his daughter's face, Masrin immediately slid from the bed. "What's wrong, Shae," he said quietly, keeping his voice down to not wake the redhead still sleeping in the bed.

  "Lu's here," Shae whispered, eyes wide. "It's about Giida. He doesn't know where she is."

  ... fuck. FuckinggoddamnedfuckingKAE. He'd WARNED him, he'd TOLD him- Forcing calm over his features, the scarred rogue set both hands on Shae's shoulders. "Sweetheart, go into your room with Bregon, close the door and stay there until I co- actually, wait. Curl up in bed with Izzy, here, okay? Tell her what you told me, if she wakes up, and tell her Lukel is here, and I'm talking to him. Don't come out until I come get you. Understand?"

  The tiny wildling nodded mutely and climbed up in bed, ears tucked low. Curling up next to Izlynn, she pulled the blankets up over her head, but there was no going back to sleep for her. Not til this was over. Masrin padded to the bedroom door - then paused very briefly. Plucking a long, slim blade from the weapons rack on the wall, he tucked it into his waistband at the small of his back, then dragged a robe over his shoulders. He trusted Lukel not to shoot the messenger... mostly. With a glance behind him, he walked out into the front room.

  "Lukel. She's not here," he said, without any peremptory warning. "Sit," he said firmly, pointing to the couch. "There's something you need to know."

  Dread stole over him and for a moment the Good Doctor couldn't move. No. No, he didn't want to hear this, the numbers already told him that much. But he walked in stiffly and sat on the couch, perching at the edge. He looked up towards Masrin with pale eyes, reflecting the rage inside. "What? What the -fuck- is going on, Masrin? Where is my daughter?" All the questions came tumbling out, but it wasn't truly Masrin he was enraged at.

  Masrin kept his distance from the man, not out of a lack of trust, but out of the preference for not giving him an easy target. Having his daughter disappeared was one thing, finding out what he was about to tell him was wholly another.

  "A week ago, Andreo, Haestus, Kae and I all met to discuss what to do about Yeven. She's been after Shae to teach her, still. Kae kept mentioning that an option was to give Yeven another target and at the time, I thought he meant a bait and switch so we could finally put her in the ground." Only relevant details, given in a neutral, expressionless tone.

  "Afterwards, I sat down and talked to Kae alone. He was extremely upset with your decision to adopt Giida after tell him him you wouldn't. He said that she needed to "go away". I told him that if he ever had anything to do with her disappearing-" Masrin shook his head and swore under his breath. "I thought I had fucking gotten through to him. I thought he understood what he stood to lose, Lukel." Goddamn it. Levelling a look at the redhead, Masrin folded his arms.

  "Do you understand what I am saying? Do you understand what I suspect Kae has done?"

  He did, but his mind and heart were at war. His hands shook as he tried to gain control over himself. It was hard. His words were uttered without inflection, dead words from cut lips. "He took her... to... to Elekai?" Those walls were crumbling and pieces of his heart along with it. "Please tell me you're joking," his voice cracked, "tell me this is some elaborate joke for... for our Anniversary..."

"I would give everything I had to tell you that I do not believe that Kae would be capable of such a thing, Lukel," Masrin said - and he meant it. The agony in Lukel's face was something that he had never known the scope of, not even when Shae had been in Yeven's clutches herself - because the one person he /loved more than life itself/ hadn't /put her there/.

  There was no coming back from a betrayal like that.

  "I have no facts. I have only strong suspicion based on conversations, but if there is even the /slightest shred/ of a chance that this is true, you need to put it away, Lukel. Somehow, you need to swallow it and we need to focus on getting her back," the rogue said slowly, deliberately, hardening his voice to make sure that the words sank in. "You know them both better than anyone. Where would they go?"

  His heart felt heavy and his head felt light. Suddenly the numbers were jumping sporadically and he felt lost. Kae was his center, his -everything-, without that anchor in place, steady and unshaken... what else did he have?

  Despair was something the Butcher was unfamiliar with, but there was no escaping the way it washed over him. He placed his head in his hands, wide pale eyes staring at the floor. Of course he had known Kae didn't like it, but he had thought that he would get used to it, hell, that he would even love Giida as his own someday.

  Put it behind you. Get her back.

  His mind reeled, trying to pick out pieces of memory from the wash of grief and heartache. "Her tower," he murmured softly, voice broken. "Her tower is her retreat." He knew of it, had even been there, but he also knew that her Tower was her stronghold. Sure, he could know where it was, getting in was the real issue.

  Once the numbness set in, the shock of what had happened, the rage would appear. With that fueling him, a tower would be of little coincidence.

  "Her tower. Good," he said quietly. "We have a location." Silently, Masrin swore to himself. Of all of the goddamned times for him not to be able to use his fucking shadows. Haestus still hadn't been able to repair the spellwork between them and neither of them could cast a damned thing without getting completely derailed by the other's magic.

  "Stay here," Masrin said, holding up a hand. Even with that directive, however, he didn't let the redhead leave his sight. "Izlynn," he called down the hall. "Come out here please. Leave Shae and Bregon in our room, just you."

  Walking over to the desk in the front room, he scribbles something on a piece of paper, rolls it up, then goes to the front door. Opening it, he gives a low whistle, speaks to someone quietly, hands over the paper and closes it again. "There's someone going to fetch someone to watch Shae," he said in explanation. "Izlynn and I are coming with you. We're going to get her back, Lukel, if we have to take her tower apart brick by brick."

  Lukel nodded wordlessly, trapped inside of his own personal hell. His mind was reeling, and he was rocking back and forth minutely, trying to calm himself back into a normal state of awareness. Truth of it was, he was shutting down hardcore.

  At Masrin's call, Izlynn's eyes blinked open. She'd been awake since the moment the door to the bedroom had opened, but had remained 'sleeping' to ease Shae back into relaxation. Whether it worked or not was of little concern now as the lithe redhead pecked Shae on her brow before slinking out of bed. She stopped at the closet, taking out the finely tooked white leather armor masrin had made her, slipping it on silently before strapping two blades to her hips. She looked down at Bregon, her voice low. "Keep her safe, big brother."

  Stepping out into the hall, cerulean eyes fell on her kin, rocking back and forth silently. She looked up towards Masrin with a crimson brow lofted. "Explanation is incoming, I assume?" Her eyes darted back over to Lukel, the very sight of him was heartbreaking, but she knew when not to approach her cousin and when not to -touch- him especially. Now would be one of those times.

  "Long story short, there's a strong liklihood that Kae has taken Giida to Yeven," Masrin said, summing up the entire conversation in one sentence. She knew him well enough to know that he would not have said such a thing if he didn't have some very damned good reasons. "Lukel thinks that they would have gone to her tower, so we're going to get her back." Left unsaid was, 'then deal with Kae'. Or Lukel would. Masrin had a bone to pick with the little redhead, sure, but it paled in comparison to Lukel's.

  "I've sent someone to fetch Malithas. He's the closest and most trusted right now. He can stay with Shae until we get back. Stay here with him while I go get dressed?" There was a look in his eyes as he drew nearer - not one word about his current handicap. He was going, that was final.

[6/2/2014 6:29:38 PM] Catalyst: Izlynn held Masrin's eyes as he neared, remaining silent, but giving him a nod. She wasn't going to tell him no, especially not right now. Yeven was always a terrifying interaction and she didn't fancy going alone with Lukel. Not like he was now.

  As Masrin moved to get dressed, Izlynn walked nearer to Lukel before dropping to her knees before him, trying to peer up at him through the veil of crimson hair. "Hey stranger," she murmured gently, eyeing him carefully before reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear and out of his face. "It's going to be okay, you know. If there's one thing I've learned about our family it's that we always find one another. She'll be safe until we retrieve her."

  Lukel just stared at the floor, nodding silently, eyes unblinking. His mind was turning over and over again, trying to place what he had done wrong when to have lead to -this- point. How had he let it come to this?

  The rogue disappeared back into his room, nearly tripping over the little blonde who'd been listening at the door. Teary-eyed, she stood up, her cheeks wet as she stared up at her father, an utterly stricken, disconsolate expression on her sweet face.

  "He didn't do it, Ann'da. Kae wouldn't do s-something like that," she said wretchedly, her voice shaking. "I -know- him, he wouldn't, he wouldn't hurt Lu like that- he wouldn't do it-"  

  Dropping down to her level, Masrin gathered her into his arms, holding her tight. "Shhh, shhh, buttercup. We don't know for sure what's happened," he said soothingly, though his expression was dark, since she couldn't see it. He -prayed- he was wrong, but there was a sinking feeling in his gut that told him he wasn't. It was just too much of a coincidence, the timing was too good. Or bad, really. "Right now, we're gonna go find Giida and bring her back safe, okay?" he said, his expression clearing as he drew back from her. "Malithas is going to be here any minute and he's gonna come stay for you for today. Make sure you mind him, and don't answer the door for anyone. Even Kae. Promise me, sweetheart, just until we know for sure," he said firmly, his tone brooking no argument.

  Lowering her eyes, the teary little wildling nodded, sniffling and wiping her eyes. "He wouldn't do it, though," she couldn't help but add, one last time, her faith in Kae unwavering.

  "Back in bed, buttercup. I'll send Mal in to say hello," was all the rogue could bring himself to say. Quickly dressing in leathers and more weapons than most could count, he walked back out to the front room. "How are we doing?" he asked quietly, glancing at Izz.

  As Masrin re-entered the room he would find the scene much the same as before, though now Izlynn's head was laying on Lukel's knee, the Good Doctor's long fingers trailing through it. Something familiar. Something to calm him down.

  "We're getting there," she said quietly, Lukel's eyes lifting to Masrin as he entered the room. He looked... unwell. His eyes were pale, rimmed in red and his hands shook. "I need... I need to..." He couldn't even complete his sentence, shaking his head to clear away the screaming that had broken through his walls. "The Tower is in the Ghostlands," he finally spoke, albeit forcibly calmed. "That's where we need to go."

  Masrin debated quietly a moment, wondering if Lukel should even go. He was not in any shape to be fighting or negotiating - but... but. But if he was in the same position? Neither heaven nor hell could have kept -him- from going along.

  "You need to focus, Lukel," Masrin said quietly, kneeling down in front of him. "You need to concentrate on -her- and not on -him-. If you are thinking about him, about what he did, about how he could have possibly done this, you are not going to get through this. Do you understand you? You will be giving her ammunition to hurt your daughter with if you do not pull it together."

  He hated to speak to Lukel this way, with the way the man was plainly hurting, but it had to be said.

  Lukel looked up at Masrin from within his own personal damnation. But the rogue was right, and he -knew- he was right... but gods was it hard to sit up straighter, to nod, to push that pain aside. He needed to get to Giida. After that... well, after that not a whole lot else mattered.

  Izlynn stood up, patting her cousin's shoulder. "You can do this, Lukel. I've seen what you're capable of. Just get things in order and let's get this done."

  The Good Doctor nodded once more, standing up and staring at nothing in particular. "If we are going to Elekai, you both need to follow my lead. Don't attack, don't taunt. Just... let me handle her, okay?"

  There was a quiet knock on the door. Masrin rose and moved to it, a blade dropping like magic into one hand. He peered out - and it disappeared again as he opened the door, allowing the tall, coppery and silver-haired hunter to step inside.

  "Evenin'," the ranger greeted with an incline of his head, shrugging out of his cloak. "Be careful out there, I'll take care o' th' lil lady," he rumbled. Without another word, he ambled down the hall in the direction of Shae's room.

  Masrin turned back to Lukel, raising a brow. "Follow your lead, got it. Whatever you need, Lukel. I'm behind you. We can go whenever you're ready."

  Lukel turned to Izlynn, his voice soft. "If either of you get hurt, I expect you to know how to handle that and whom to put it off on." And that was all that needed to be said. He moved towards the door, pausing for a brief moment as he realized that once he walked out of that door, it was all real.