| Logs |
2005 February 13
| Idlewild |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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| Realms: Idlewild Logs |
February 13
Sol's face crumbles, and he actually wilts into tears right before Lauren's eyes. It takes him a few tries to speak coherently, and it's very soft. Heartbroken. "S'over. Doesn't want me anymore."
Lauren points down the hall again, looking alarmed. "I'm not a counselor," she protests. "Don't try to cry on me. Just go talk to HIM. I think something's gotten fucked up in translation here."
Soleil looks at Lauren... and covers his face with his hands to muffle the sobs, as he sits down in a miserable pile in the hallway.
Lauren flusters in place. Crying guy. Crying guy. Should she DO something? Leaving him alone doesn't seem like a good idea. Compromising, she calls for backup. "AIDENNNNN," she keens down the hall. "AIDENNNNNNN come HEEEEERE."
The hallway remains entirely empty of Aidens. Sol cries HARDER, slumping even more. From the pitiful elven hands-over-face comes a muffled, hiccupping "He WON'T. Don't bother. Nobody wants me. Nobody CARES."
"Aidennnn," Lauren tries again, more softly, before humpf-ing and crouching to try to haul Sol onto his feet. "Don't be stupid," she chides. "I'm sure somebody does. We'll, uh, I dunno, get you tea or something."
Sol gets to his feet when tugged decisively, though his entire body stays limp and dejected. Everything but his bright, wonderfully tiger-striped new haircut looks sad-- the haircut, however, could not possibly look other than very fine and cutting-edge. "You certainly don't," Sol says bluntly. "You think I'm a slut, which is pretty funny considering you bagged Zhi the day you met him, same for Ayali, are angling for Kip, and look at Melierel like he's candy." Orange eyes, though teary, are not at all devoid of intelligence. As a matter of fact, Soleil comes off as noticeably smarter now that he's too miserable to be cute and carefree.
"Can it," says Lauren curtly, tugging. "At least I didn't bag them two at a time. You want tea or not?"
Sol snickers, albeit bitterly, and follows, wiping his eyes roughly on the back of one hand. The black patterns on his skin do not smear. The eyeliner does. "Tea's fine. It's the closest thing to warm comfort I'm likely to get, isn't it? At least you're blunt. I know you would have if you could've bagged them together, though. Don't bother denying, I can smell it when you lie." He gives Lauren a sardonic, bitter little grin. "Oh-- and I shared Aiden, yes, but I had to. I never touched Seodil." He pauses. "So there." And actually smiles a little, almost normally.
He can smell it when she lies? Lauren almost leaves Sol in the hallway, but...well, he's a slut and a bitch but now that he's grumpy and bitter she finds that she might like him a little better. "How'd you...uh. Share. If you didn't actually touchOH NEVERMIND. Come on. Tea." She steers him toward the main parlor.
Candidly, Sol says "We don't much like each other. We touched Aiden. Happy? There's always taking turns, as well. So to speak. You might keep that in mind, I believe there is an incest taboo in Fall." Lauren is flashed a sweet smile as they enter the main parlor and a few passersby appear in earshot.
Lauren plunks down, ears pink. "I'm not related," she explains. "And they're damn well not sharing ME." She smiles back, getting her Beast Queen back on just a bit, and orders up strong tea and a haystack of little pastries.
Sol snickers and says, "Would you care to place a wager on that? --Ahh, thank you," and the waitress gets a charming smile that doesn't reach to his eyes when he turns them back to Lauren. Instead, they look hurt, tired, and older than usual. "Pastries sound lovely, dear. Now. We can discuss your sex life later, unless it's relevant-- why don't you fill me in on anything I've missed? Try to look like you like me and lean in to talk, as I assume we're still part of a terribly select group."
Lauren takes a deep breath, leans forward, and puts on a lovely show of sharing clandestine tidbits with the striped elf. The terse tone in her voice could be for show, but it's probably because Sol's little crisis has cut severely into her soak time, and her back is still killing her.
Upstairs, Seodil has secured his own morning update on the Rathskeliad/Clairchiare situation from Steven, the silver elf not having been invited to the earlier conference. Nodding reluctantly to the news that only Aiden, Lauren and Steven will be entering tonight's underworld party, Seodil sighs. "I would prefer to be on the inside... it can be discussed later. Perhaps there will be windows. Please, let us see how the search for Soleil fares."
Steven splits off to check the morning's meeting room, while Seodil ends up, after a few stops, knocking gently at Melierel's door. On the other side of that door, the dark chocolate Fall elf is hugging Aiden, not for the first or even second time in this visit. Startling a little at the knock, Melierel quirks a smile at Aiden. "Are we ready to recieve company, my friend?"
Aiden moves back from Melierel and leans his back against the wooden part of the wall, "Yeah, I think so."
With a little nod, Melierel calls out "Enter, friend." Aiden notices, however, that Melierel has one hand touching a long knife beside the pillow-pile providing them both back support. The Fall elf relaxes upon Seodil's entrance. Shutting the door quietly behind him, Seodil remains standing with a small, easy smile. "May I intrude?"
Aiden's face fairly well lights up when he sees who it is. "You're not intruding." He stands up and walks over to hug Seodil briefly.
Melierel watches the silver elf return the hug with a thoughtful, measuring look in his pale eyes. Aiden sees none of it, facing away; Seodil meets the shorter elf's gaze calmly. By the time Aiden turns around again, his companions look as though something has been resolved, but it's hard to put a finger on what. "Have you found Sol?" Melierel asks. Seodil shakes his head, once. Melierel nods, rising. "I will join the search."
Aiden nods, "I'll help too." He's worried about Soleil, even if part of him dreads what will happen when he sees him.
The search winds through the hallways and common rooms without luck until it makes its way downstairs and finds a brightly tiger-striped and boldly-painted young man finishing up his tea in close conversation with Lauren. They look remarkably friendly as they lean together, murmuring. Aiden recognizes Soleil immediately, despite the color shift and new haircut-- most of that torso is exposed, after all, and despite the paint it's a shape Aiden knows well.
Aiden stops dead in his tracks. Soleil looks so different that he'd have hardly recognised him if he didn't know him better. He waffles for a moment, not sure what to do, and glances over his shoulder to look at Seodil and Melierel. "There he is."
Melierel blinks, taking a visible second look. "So he is." It's quiet, but startled. Seodil says nothing, with no visible reaction even to Aiden-- alothough Aiden's attention is not precisely undivided at this time. The decision of what to do, faced with this new Soleil, is not left up to Aiden. Orange eyes look up, and see him standing there. A few moments later, Lauren is rising with Sol's courtly hand in the crook of her arm, and they leave their table to come toward the group.
Aiden steps forward to meet the duo halfway. He doesn't shy away, just watches them both as he moves forward. His heart is in his throat, but he's trying to cover it.
Lauren drifts forward suavely. "I was looking for you," she says levelly. "After you ran off. Where were you?"
Aiden gives his sister a level look. "I stepped out to compose myself."
"You bolted like a hosed cat," Lauren points out. "I was worried."
Aiden says, "You refused to stop picking at something that I obviously didn't want to discuss. It seemed like the best way to dissuade you from continuing any further."
Lauren ruffles, and checks Sol's expression for signs of more tears. "You could have SAID so. I'm perfectly able to understand the words 'I don't want to talk about it', you know. Instead you snarted sniffling and ran out the door. ANY girl would have followed you. That's grade-school speak for 'follow me or I'll hate you forever'."
Aiden's look is not particularly kind. "Yeah. Because you've been so good about not poking at things that are an obvious source of pain in the past."
Lauren holds up one hald, palm-out, so Aiden can talk to it. "I was trying to help. Go ahead, be snippy about it."
Aiden looks at the hand and shrugs. "Whatever, Lauren. Every time I've tried to make peace with you, you've thrown it back in my face. Welcome to the fucking club. When do we get this thing over with?"
"Thing? I shut the fuck up and cooked breakfast for TWO WEEKS in Fall, and did anyone even notice? No. As I recall I tried to save your ass from Kabi as well, and now that I try to figure out what you actually want me to do about this stupid fight you're having with your boyfriends, obviously it's STILL not good enough. Hmph." Lauren withdraws her arms from Sol's, the better to fold it and glare at Aiden.
"My dear friends. As much as I favor better communication between you... Perhaps we could all go upstairs first, rather than stand at loving length in the thoroughfare," Sol murmurs. His eyes are unreadable, his face pretty and still. The eyeliner is smeared as if rubbed while wet, but no new tears look imminent. "I'd rather not add my piece right here. We're drawing enough attention as it is."
Aiden does exactly as suggested, he heads for the room upstairs where they actually have some privacy. He's not done with Lauren yet, though.
Lauren sighs and follows in Aiden's tracks. She's NEVER going to get that bath.
Aiden rounds furiously on Lauren when they get into the room. "Don't even fucking start martyring yourself over the cooking for us in Fall, Lauren. No one here has forgotten that you used that as an opportunity to DRUG all of us. If you think cooking for a couple of weeks before drugging us gets you off the hook for that, you are sadly fucking mistaken. And you can fucking well leave Seodil and Soleil out of this. You've made it perfectly clear what you think of my lifestyle, despite the remarkable similarity to your own."
Lauren gives as good as she gets, all but spitting. "No matter how many times I tell you, no one will EVER believe the drugging was a goddamn MISTAKE, was it? I was trying to make people GET ALONG BETTER, and if you can't see that's what I've been trying to do ever SINCE then, then fuck you RIGHT in the ear, Aiden!"
Aiden says, "How do you accidently drop a drug that you were gifted by Grennit into our food? Just slipped while you were holding the bottle and figured we could all eat it anyway? It wasn't an accident, and you and I both know it."
Lauren says, "The DOSE was an accident, god damn it. Grennit told me it was romance assistance, not a sex bomb. I KNOW I've told you this before.""
Aiden says, "Forget it. Don't you have a date to be getting ready for? Your loyal servants will be awaiting the Beast Queen when she's ready." Aiden spins on his heels and walks out.
Lauren throws her hands up. "He does it again. CHRIST." The other elves in the room get a look halfway between angry and pleading. "He didn't want me to follow him last time, I'm sure as hell not going to follow him THIS time."
Sol sighs, and looks at Lauren. "You are going into a situation tonight together that may kill you all, also together. The rest of us will be on the outside, and will get there too late to save you. All I can tell you is that Aiden is hurt and tried to meet you halfway before, and now that you are trying the same thing he doesn't trust you enough to believe it anymore. So it's his turn to ignore the peace treaty. I'm not deeply impressed with either of you right now, but at least you're trying. Thanks, Lauren." He shrugs.
Lauren looks at Soleil incredulously. "You can say that the day after he breaks up with you? Damn." She rubs her temples. "I have a terrible feeling that tonight is going to go straight to hell. I'm going to go have my bath and hope he can duct-tape himself in the meantime."
Shaking striped hair, Sol leans against the wall. "I can say it because he broke up with me. It just doesn't matter anymore. Nothing does, really. But I still don't want him to die. I love him, you know." His mouth twists painfully. "I'd say give it time and then a good apology without so much swearing, and it might work out. You needed to talk like this for a long time. Pity I'm only recently careless enough of my own comfort to help.. and that you don't have time to give it. Sorry."
Shoving himself upright off the wall, Sol walks out after Aiden.
Seodil and Melierel are no longer in the room, and Lauren's not sure when they left.
Lauren sighs heavily and hopes Meli's in the bath, 'cause that's where she's going.
Seodil enters their quarters several long moments behind Aiden, and stops to consider his younger lover quietly.
Aiden's in the process of carefully taking his armour out of his pack and laying it out on the floor so he can change into it once he's had a quick bath. Angry as he might be, he's not willing to risk himself or his siblings being killed.
Seodil says quietly, "I am not comfortable with you going in with only your kin for support."
Aiden stops and turns to look at Seodil. "Neither am I, but I don't know if there's any other choice."
Aiden turns in time to see Soleil walk in without knocking. Sol answers first. "I'll be as close as I can be. That talk needed to happen weeks ago, and now you don't have time to get over the hurt and listen to each other. I pointed out a few things to her. I'll tell you that I think this time she's actually trying to reach out and care; if you both survive tonight and I don't, it might be worthwhile for you not to give up on her. Not to stay given up on her, that is. Of course, you'd be safest of all just running off with Seodil. I suppose I'd really recommend that, honestly."
Aiden looks like he's trying to find a reason not to do exactly what Soleil suggests. He says, quietly. "I can't. Have to stay and protect my family.."
Sol nods. Shrugs. Says a little gruffly, "Your family's stupid and clumsy. But they do care. I'm starting to think it might be possible to get through to Lauren after all." He pauses, looking suddenly sad, scared and at a loss for words. He settles on "...I'll be as close as I can, no matter what Kabi says," before turning on his heel to walk out. Aiden sees his composure crumbling before his face is out of view. The door shuts.
Aiden takes a deep, steadying breath and starts getting into his armour. At least this will shift with him so he's not without protection.
Aiden and the other combatants do what they can to ready themselves for an uncertain night. Seodil is quietly affectionate throughout, a steadying presence in his own armor. Lauren gets her bath, and almost feels divine by the time her aides finish primping her elegant, newly cleaned self back up to splendour. Steven joins Aiden, and they go together with Soleil and Seodil to gather Lauren. The promised jewelled collars manifest, and all too soon everyone is both ready and moving through dark and secret ways with Kabi's whispered advice. "This is only a scouting mission. Do what you can to secure his interest and get another date, private if possible, Lauren. Promise or hint as you please. Remember he's vicious. He'll admire you more for it. Stay an hour or two, at most, then back out. Confirm his identity and we'll kill him later... unless you have a truly excellent chance. Remember he has support, too. We need to attend to that as well before we're all safe."
Steven murmurs, "And by 'excellent' imagine it as being something like him blindfolded, naked, and not looking at you, and preferably with all his limbs bound." He considers for just a moment, then sighs. "Just let's not try to arrange that sort of situation, though." he nods to Kabi. "Will do."
Aiden listens carefully to Kabi's advice, nodding inwardly. He's ready, and focused.
Painted claws click on cobblestone and then smooth wooden floors as wolf and cat follow their Beast Queen into a ramshackle building. Within, guards eyes her... and a familiar voice speaks softly. "Please, let her enter as my guest. We have much to discuss." Abruptly, the guards bow instead, and the trio passes unmolested up the stairs to meet Rathskeliad, who stands elegantly clad at their head. The building is in much nicer repair inside.
Lauren is trying to get a handle on a bad case of nerves. She makes the appropriate courtesies to Rathskeliad with her skirts. I'm going to screw this up, look like a suburban dork, and die, she evaluates inwardly.
Aiden is the very picture of calm when faced with Rathskeliad. He stays near Lauren's side, like a protective pet.
Steven, once feline, tries to remain attentive, and not more intelligent than a large, man-eating and barely-tamed big cat. To wit, he tries to not react to what's said so much as what tone it's said in: sharp tones will get reactions, softer ones will seem to be somewhat put at ease. Nevertheless, beingfeline does have it's advantages in that he can cast slow, lazy glances all around without rousing too much suspicion.
Taking Lauren's arm smoothly, Rathskeliad's eyes widen a fraction. He recognizes her. "We have so much to talk about, my lady..." he murmurs, and shows her inexorably into a well-appointed, candlelit room. Seating her, he pours red wine and offers her a choice of either glass, smiling with what appears to be genuine pleasure. "I m delighted to see you again."
Steven paces the two, not leaving Lauren's side at all. When she sits, he sets himself beside her, tail flicking idly and remaining attentive, breaking the routine with a stretch now and then at irregular intervals.
Lauren chooses the glass nearest her, and sips it at once. "You've caused me some trouble," she says, swirling the glass. "I would like an apology."
Aiden sits at Lauren's left side.
The shadows here are thick enough to hide much. Aiden and Steven both notice drapery covering windows and one tall oval object that might be a mirror, but the mirror face is entirely hidden. Rathskelliad completely ignores the beasts as he talks, sipping his own glass. "I owe you? You stole my fiancee," he points out with raised and haughty eyebrows.
Something about that mirror tickles Aiden's memory. It looks remarkably like the one from Lady Averet's rooms... the one that made a portal to the seaside.
Lauren smiles narrowly. "Your fiancee ran off without so much as a thank you," she says. "Since you owned her so thoroughly, I assume you'll take responsibility for it." Sip. "This is good."
Aiden feels his bond with Sol no longer blocked, Soleil listening again and open to him. It's not alarming, surprisingly enough... the intent comes through clearly. Sol is doing exactly what he promised, and using every means at his disposal to stay as close to Aiden in this situation as he can.
Aiden's definitely touched by the gesture. He's not particularly worried at the moment, just cautious and doing a fairly good job of keeping calm, even in the face of his enemy.
The banter between Lauren and Rathskeliad continues smooth and fast-paced, as though they're both enjoying themselves. Aiden finds himself tuning it out now and then as other things catch his senses-- the stirring of the curtains, for instance. Ever so slightly. And then... the scent of Soleil enters the room, faint but unmistakable even with the slight salt breeze.
Heavy drapery covers the windows, but Aiden is fairly certain he knows exactly which one shelters Soleil.
Aiden stays quite and looking mostly ahead, though he does glance now and then around the room, like a good faithful watchdog. He's more than a little concerned at Soleil's arrival into the room.
Sol sends a quick pulse of reassurance, and does not move again, staying hidden at the window. A glance at Rathskeliad shows him clearly focused on Lauren, ignoring even Aiden and Steven more or less completely. He doesn't even bother to look at them. Lauren's face... and cleavage... are apparently much more interesting.
The drapery over the mirror wafts out a little as the smell of saltwater intensifies.
Aiden is something less than surprised at the things that hold Rathskeliad's attention. His mother must be at the coast, then, while he is here taking care of business. Aiden actually does turn his head to look at the drapery when it wafts out and the smell of the sea becomes stronger. His hackles go up.
Steven frowns inwardly at the smell of salt water. He remembers -- uncomfortably -- what he remembers about Rathskeliad's mother, about the home by the sea and what they did there. (Bile rises in his throat as he remembers the taste of siren.) He flicks his ears, looking around, trying not to look much more alert than usual but worried that this is all about to go to hell and won't be coming back.
Though the sea-smell remains, Elis' scent does not-- thankfully-- make an appearance. Seodil's does, after a few moments, though not from the mirror. He has apparently claimed a window himself, and not left Aiden entirely to the care of Aiden's own kin.
Aiden carefully ignores the window, his head going from the wafting curtains, to the Beast Queen, to Rathskeliad. He waits, listening and watching.
Rathskeliad's words catch Lauren's guardians' attention once more. Voice smooth and caressing, he says "...we have powerful backing. You would do well to consider my offer rather than oppose us. You have heard of the mage Haasha?"
Aiden's eyes go back to the wafting curtain, but his ears are completely on Rathskeliad. Haasha is backing him. They had a feeling that was the case, it's no real surprise.
Steven tries not to make any sort of physical reaction to any of this, not the window, not the mirror, not even Rathskeliad's mention of the mage Haasha. If something's about to happen, he wants Rathskeliad to think that he got the drop on the Beast Queen's animals.
Lauren points out that Rathskeliad is lacking his bribe to said powerful mage, and dark green curls shake as Rathskeliad laughs. It sounds a little forced, and he smells of frustration. "...It would be a completed deal once we deliver the goods. Which are in your possession. I don't suppose we might offer you something you would enjoy more than a double handful of squalling brats... which you took only for spite, after all?"
Aiden keeps his attention on what they're saying, curious what Rathskeliad will offer his sister.
Lauren's laugh sounds like tapped crystal, a neat trick. She manages to get Rathskeliad to continue without herself saying anything of substance in reply. He actually sounds admiring, now. "You would make a fine queen. That is my offer, Lauren. Am I plain enough for you now? Bring me the children, and through a portal in this very room we shall both be Haasha's guests... long enough to deliver our gift, and collect its fruit. You shall be my queen, and I your king, if only you wish it too." His voice is getting low and melodic, as he moves closer.
Steven thinks it's about time to let Rathy know that Lauren's not alone. At his aopporoach, he flattens his ears, watching him intently and almost unblinkingly, lowering his head a little but not -- audibly -- growling yet.
Aiden remains seated and calm while Rathskeliad approaches Lauren, but his eyes are locked on the green elf.
Rathskeliad murmurs to Lauren, ignoring Steven and Aiden both as he strokes her arm. "I have only to speak his name three times, and we could be at the edge of Winter and Fall before you took another breath... ready to forge an alliance and a kingdom together. I respect your skill and cruelty. Linden is well lost to you, my beauty. The Lady Shh is willing to leave us this kingdom and rule weak Winter, as soon as the blood delivery is completed."
Aiden's inner voice says all the things that he can't. He won't leave you a Kingdom to rule, no matter what your mother wishes, you fucking moron. He's out to rule for himself. He's using you to facilitate that and you'll be cast aside the moment you stop being convenient.
Steven inwardly grimaces. So this is it, then. I wonder how long it would be before Haasha turned on Rath and Shh? Not soon enough to save Winter... or us, for that matter. He quite deliberately looks up at Lauren, casting his glance between her and Rath as if waiting for orders to stand down or nibble on the elf's kneecap. he's rather glad that Clair, Seodil, and Sol aren't here to hear this; they'd be trying to kill Rath, going through the mirror to kill Shh, going thrugh the mirror to try and kill Haasha, or all of the above.
Rathskeliad coaxes a reluctant, coquettish Lauren. "The great mage has concerns enough of his own with wayward children. He does not want our small kingdoms, and talks of madness or magery-- it matters little which, for he is quite capable of giving us aid even so. I have seen our warriors budding, and they need nothing more than blood to ripen. With this city in my hands, I can provide that."
Lauren reaches down a little distractedly to pet Steven's head, scratching behind his ears. "There's a good pet," she murmurs, and withdraws, her attention still on Rathskeliad as she makes ambiguously supportive conversation.
Steven tries to let that visibly comfort him, while still watching Rath.
Rathskeliad grins at Lauren. "Let the mage have his Grey World. I would be content with this one, to bring it back into the splendour this Court once enjoyed. Our magic is spilling away through the cracks, Lauren. This affects us all. Let other mages play at closing the gates between lands, and save your own strength to rebuild our Court with me. The gates will be closed if Haasha has his way. He wishes no rivals there after his children are ready to invade."
Aiden cringes inwardly. There's more of us. He's built himself an army.
Rathskeliad tries to coax Lauren to stay the night, after that. "We could spend it by the seaside, lovely, and let me show you how a king would treat you... returning here would be no more than a blink."
Lauren makes I-don't-think-that's-a-good-idea noises, but they sound a little conflicted to her guardians' ears. Rathskeliad has gotten very close indeed by now, and is doing a good bit of careful stroking.
Steven places a large paw on Lauren's slippered foot, just to remind her that he's there, still.
It seems to steady her. Lauren's voice firms, and she reminds Rathskeliad teasingly that her pets might eat him if he becomes too familiar.
Aiden's ears go back at Lauren's teasing, as if to reinforce that.
Steven yawns. Largely and with much display of teeth.
With those reminders, amazingly enough, Lauren manages to extract herself from Rathskeliad's clutches. Nothing attacks the trio as they depart, with a promise from Lauren to meet him again tomorrow night. Darkness swallows the departing Beast Queen and her pets, until Kabi materializes beside them to guide their way. Seodil and Sol have rejoined the party by now, and it seems safe to wait in the secret ways and talk again as creatures with speech. Lauren and Kabi are in close conference, leaving Steven and Aiden a little extra space after Lauren impulsively hugs them both and whispers thanks.
As soon as the way is clear, Aiden shifts back to his elven form, immediately saying, "You're welcome" to Lauren and shooting a quick smile at Soleil and Seodil in thanks of his own.
Steven shivers a bit in the evening air. "Well. We know more about what's going on, at least, and what Rath hopes to get out of this." he's surprised at the impulsive hug, but returns it comfortably, just glad they made it through all right. "You're welcome, Lauren. Rrr, I wonder... we're on a time limit now. How long might it be before Rath tells Haasha about all this."
Seodil looks levelly at Steven, then Aiden, and says too quietly for Kabi or Lauren to hear, "Perhaps no time at all... or perhaps he will wait until tomorrow night, when he hopes to have the blood-children back. He may well wait until he does not come empty-handed..."
Aiden nods at Steven and at Seodil. "We don't have much time, that much is certain. I don't know what we should do, though. The portal leads to Elis, I'm sure of that.. but Haasha? I don't think he's through that portal, and killing Elis isn't going to do any good."
Sol looks grim. The bond shuts slowly again to Aiden's senses, as if there is reluctance involved. He glances at Lauren and Kabi, then back at his own group. "I heard Rathskeliad say that speaking Haasha's name three times would activate a portal in that room... and killing Elis would do me good. Killing both sounds more effective yet." He squares his shoulders. "I will volunteer."
Aiden says, "I don't think that's a good idea."
Steven murmurs, "We don't know Haasha's power. We do know he's powerful. We can't go after him. As for Elis...." He bites his lip, and shakes his head. "I agree. Not a good idea yet. But maybe sooner than we'd like."
"Why not?" Sol asks quietly. "You don't need me here, and I can take Elis. I could at least distract Haasha, after that."
Aiden says, "It's not safe to be going after any of them alone."
Steven deadpans, "Distract him for maybe five seconds. This isn't a slam against you, Sol. No one of us could take on Haasha and at this point I don't think even all of us can give him more than a few moment's irritation."
Seodil frowns. "I agree with Aiden... but I would rather not take Lauren, nor would I leave Aiden's sister alone without kin here." He looks at Steven. "What if, instead of attacking the mage himself, we were to attack his army? Or Rathskeliad's? At least one is still budding. Incomplete. It would give us more time."
Steven glances to Aiden. "If he's raising an army to take on the Grey World, and Rath is sharing that army... that's going to be a big army. I'm picturing an... an orchard or such. That might be a good idea, to take out the army.... That'd delay both Rath and Haasha.
Aiden nods at Seodil. "And if they're still growing, they'll be easier to deal with. Give Lauren time to deal with Rathskeliad from here."
Clairchiare's voice slips softly out of the darkness. "Take me with you."
Sol startles badly, and scowls. "You're needed here."
Clairchiare shakes his head, and says quietly "I would rather join my brother... and delay killing my best friend."
Aiden says, "It would make Lauren's take-over much more plausible if Clairchiare were to be deposed."
Steven frowns, though he has to admire Clairchiare at least a little... even as he sighs at the fact that his 'best friend' is plotting the potentially successful invasion of an entire world.
Steven glances to Aiden, and nods a little. "True. Rath already buys the fact that Lauren has arranged for the release, or capture, of the children." He rubs his eyes. "What if he wasn't, though? Damn, I could think myself into a circle. What if he suspects Lauren is just a player in an elaborate drama and is just stringing her along?"
Sol looks at Aiden, then Clairchiare. Bites his lip. "Please don't leave me." It's very quiet, but audible. "Four is not too many."
Aiden looks at Seodil. He doesn't particularly want to leave Soleil behind, either.
Steven sees that he no longer has a say in the matter. he sighs a bit, and nods. "All right. When do you leave? Might want to make it soon. We're not sure how long it'll be before Rath mentions casually to Shh or Haasha about his 'future queen.' If they don't already know and Elis was on the other side of the mirror-portal."
Seodil nods, and looks thoughtfully between Soleil and Clairchiare before returning to Aiden. "Four may do well," he says quietly. "We would work well in pairs." Looking at Steven, the silver elf says "As to your worries regarding Rathskeliad, which I share... You will protect Lauren, if you must... and I think Melierel and Kip would gladly aid you. Call up Zhi and Ayali as reinforcement."
Steven nods a little. The die, as his teacher once said, has been cast.
Aiden smiles at Steven, "We'll throw them off of their game and keep them off balance for you."
Steven says, "I hope so, Aiden. I'm more worried about what you guys will run into. I'd wanted any move against Haasha to be at least with all of us." And a few army divisions, too, wouldn't hurt, ether.
Aiden says, "The crowd of us is both too many and not enough. Better to send a small group, or an army. Since we don't have an army to meet his, this is the best way."
Aiden says, "All the same.. Steven, I don't know when our paths will cross again, but I want you to know that I'm going to miss you."
Steven nods a little, "Well, I hope that's a good assessment. only one way to find out." He takes Aiden's hand, sighing a little. "And I'll miss you as well, Aiden. But I have faith our time together is not yet ended. Luck to you. To all of you. Pelor's Light guide you." Pause. "Come back safe, all right? All of you come back safe."
Aiden says, "We'll come back safe, Steven. All of us."
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