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Araya Lucaris (Elora Krisara x AndrewS)

Kelaria expressed her concern that she wouldn't be able to do it alone, but she did so with her voice so faint that he had hardly heard her speak in the first place. Still, the point had been made, and even though he had been certain that separation was the correct choice for her safety, the way she wavered when she shut down the idea tugged at his heart in a way that it really shouldn't have. She didn't want to be alone, especially after all she had lost. Vander recognized that, and he also recognized what it meant for him to suggest they go split off from each other, and yet he had suggested it anyways. Did that make him a cruel person? With what he had already done, her perhaps already had that answer long before hurting Kelaria's feelings came into play.

"Then misdirection it is." He focused on his other option, the one he had mentioned before. She had asked him what he meant, but truthfully, he wasn't even really sure if it would work. Still, it was worth trying, even if it would drain him entirely and potentially force his dark magic to become unstable again.

"If it's me he's tracking, I can misdirect him with my teleportation. It would take a lot out of me, but..." He paused, already wondering how his body, and his self-control, would feel under such duress. "If I teleport around quickly enough, I would leave traces of my magic in several places at once. If he's tracking my magic, that would throw off any spell he's using. He'd have too many places to check, all at once, too many potential places I could be. If I do it enough, I could potentially make him think I'm in five, ten, maybe fifteen places at once. He doesn't have enough demons he trusts to check all of them at once, and every wrong choice he makes is more time that we buy ourselves to make this journey."

Vander would need to exhaust himself to a near-breaking point to do this properly. It was a tall task, especially given all he had exerted already, and the fact that even just a day ago, he was so badly injured that he only recovered because of Kelaria's intervention. But what choice did they have? Caring on just as they were, without trying anything, pretty much guaranteed his brother, or one of his subordinates, would catch up to them once more, and it would be Finlay all over again. They didn't have the Nither to intervene and help them this time, if they were caught in an open field, or anywhere near a town, he feared to think of what would happen.

"You must not protest this. It is the only way we can give ourselves the opening that we need and I will not be deterred. If you will not allow me to leave your side permanently to draw him away, this is our best chance at making it through this with our lives in tact. I may not be deserving of your mercy, or forgiveness, but your survival must be guaranteed in order to rebuild either of our kingdoms and if I can help assure that, then perhaps there's redemption yet to be found for me."
 
When he so quickly abandoned the suggesting of separating Kelaira relaxed a bit but Vander's idea to misdirect his brother still made Kelaria very anxious. It made her anxious for so many reasons but she was really only able to name two of them and only willing to admit one of them. She didn't want him to lose control of his magic. He was right though. Either they would have to separate or he would have to try this to redirect his brother and his minions. Since she had decided she couldn't handle being left on her own again, this was the only viable option. They had to ensure their own survival for the sake of both kingdoms.

"I won't fight you on it. If this is what needs to be done then it needs to be done. How can I help? What do you need from me?" Kelaria looked at him, refusing to let her concern show in her eyes. Instead she straightened and hardened herself, hiding away the vulnerability she had just exposed moments before. Her face set in a look of determination. Gone was the scared and lonely girl. The Crown Princess fighting to save her country, willing to sacrifice just about anything to make it happen, returned and took her place.
 
"I don't need anything from you." He told her, shortly, but it wasn't at all true. It wasn't that he didn't need anything from her, it was that he didn't feel like he was in the position to take it. He couldn't take advantage of her powers, nor could he rope her into this anymore than she already had been. It seemed so much simpler for him to just do this alone, on his own, the way he should have from the start. This was his responsibility, after all, and his guilt for what happened to her kingdom. "And there is no other way. Unless you have another idea or plan better than this, I don't think we have a choice."

This wasn't going to be easy. He would need to exert a lot of magic, and he also needed to think of several different places, all far enough apart from each other in a kingdom he had barely been to before. Maybe he did need her help.

"...actually, I suppose I do need your assistance." He backtracked, sighing, showing his sense of confliction. "I need places where I can go. I'm not from here, this is your home. I need you to tell me about it. Tell me about places you've been, things that you've seen. If I can visualize some of them, I may be able to get myself there."
 
The shortness in his tone nearly took Kelaria off guard. Nearly, but she knew his mood. Even without the ability to read his thoughts she could guess at them with ease. "No.... I don't have any other plan. You know how your brother's magic works better than I. I do know that once we enter the radius of the Araya Lucaris neither of our magics will be traceable. It's surrounded by wards, powered by the Araya Lucaris itself, in order to keep it's location hidden. Until we reach it we'll have to settle for this, regardless of how we feel about it." Kelaria's eyes widened a bit while he wasn't paying attention. Had she really just given up that much information about the Araya Lucaris? Had she lost her damn mind?! Hours ago she hadn't wanted to trust this man to follow her anywhere near the artifact. Now she was spouting out all it's secrets through loose lips. Perhaps she really had lost her mind. She reasoned that she was simply trying to force herself to trust him. What other choice did she have?

Kelaria looked back at him when he sighed and admitted to needing her help. She blinked three times in a row, a bit surprised, before sinking into her own thoughts in order to answer his question. "There's a deep ravine to the far south of the kingdom. When touring the country my father and I would sneak off for a bit to explore it when I was a child. It's so deep that as a child I was convinced the surrounding earth was trying to swallow me whole. It is so very hot that far south but the ravine was nice and cool, mostly shaded by the sun. there was a creek that ran through it. Frogs, birds, and all sorts of other creatures would seek refuge from the heat there. I used to run around trying to catch the frogs to show off to my father" Her voice grew thick with emotion as she spoke of these fond childhood memories. As she spoke about her father.

After clearing her throat Kelaria tore herself away from that memory before she could let her emotions get a hold of her. "Up North there are mountains so steep and cold that it's impossible to cross them on horseback. You have to climb nearly the whole way up them. I have never traveled to the tallest peak myself but a knight employed by my father who visited the castle frequently, he used to tell us stories about his climb to that peak. I scried on it a lot as I was practicing divination, trying to experience it for myself. You can see the whole world from up there. I always wanted to see it through my own eyes. You could practically touch the clouds."

Kelaria thought some more, intentionally trying to think of places far from any major settlements, determined not to sign death warrants for any more of her people. "There are so many wide open fields to the west. Excellent for riding. We often attended peasant festivals there. We would dress down or in the styles of the nearby villages. My father and I would dance together every year along with the other people in attendance. When I was little he would swing me around, letting the tall grass tickle my bare feet. I loved watching my mother and father dance together in the moonlight, not in the formal styles of the court but in the loose and boisterous styles of the smaller villages." She realized she was getting carried away and describing more than just the location. "Well, there are no villages actually nearby, everyone traveled there every year because the fields were so open and full of the most beautiful wild flowers. They were called the wild flower festivals. When it wasn't festival season my father and I, or my lady's maid and I, would go riding through those fields that seemed to stretch on forever. You could see for miles without pause except for the trees off into the distance, marking the edge of Westmont forest."

Kelaria went on to describe several other locations around the kingdom, with as much detail as she could so that he could visualize them. She refrained from giving quite so many personal details and anecdotes as she did. He hadn't asked nor did he care about that. He simply wanted to know where to teleport, not her life story.

"Does any of that help?"
 
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Vander seemed enamored by Kelaria as she recounted different places and memories, opening up parts of herself to him that she probably hadn't revisited in ages. It was helping paint a better picture of her kingdom in his mind, but it was also helping to bring back into focus exactly what it was they were fighting for. Sure, they had a demon to stop and a usurping brother to defeat, but it wasn't just about that. This was about the people of Arellia, about the places. It was about the ravines and the mountains, the fields and the cities and everything in between now being touched by his family's darkness.

So, while it gave him what it needed, it also helped put into perspective the scope of what it was he was fighting for. Make no mistake about it, this was a selfish bid for revenge and atonement, but it was becoming so much more.

Vander hated that he was feeling that way while listening to her. It was making his decision to distance from her all the more difficult to uphold. It made him feel more connected to her, more intimate; how was he supposed to walk away when all was said and done? How was it she had so quickly become so much more than a means to an end? It was an impossible ask already for him to accept that he was worthy of her friendship, or of even being in her life. He deserved the same fate as his brother, be it the coldness of a cell or the swift release of an eventual death, but she made him want to see all of those places she spoke of for his own eyes; not as a fleeting glimpse during a mass teleport but as a tourist looking to make his own memories of them the same way she had. With her by his side.

"I think that's more than enough." He told her with a nod of his head after staying quiet for a couple of moments, taking in everything she had said to him. There was a passion in how she spoke of her home, he adored the way she recounted those memories, though he wouldn't tell her of any of them. "A ravine. The cold mountains. Open fields and beautiful flowers. I think I have enough. Your recollections were thoughtful, I feel as though I can see each place."

When he closed his eyes, he could see small flashes of these places, like they were familiar. Their magic was probably interacting without them even realizing it. He felt that familiar, dark warmth in his chest as his own power began to ready itself. For him to teleport that many times in such a short while, it was going to take everything out of him. He hoped he'd return to her by the end, that there wouldn't be enough left inside of him to fight her or to overwhelm him...but if he did wind out stranded on one of those mountains or lost n one of those flower fields, at least she'd be safe from whatever he'd be bringing back to her, be it himself or the demon.

"Thank you." He spoke, suddenly, with a nod of his head. He took a couple of steps back, making his intentions known without saying a word. "I will take care of the rest." Vander's magic initiated and he vanished in the blink of an eye, gone from the field before her and off to one of the places she had told him of, leaving her alone for a moment before returning only a few seconds later. When he arrived back again, he gave her one look, his eyes distorted in color, before collapsing face first into the dirt.
 
During the silence that stretched out after her stories and descriptions, Kelaria avoided looking at him. She was embarrassed at herself for getting so carried away, certain he was annoyed that she had carried on in the way she had. What had come over her? It wasn't long ago that she didn't want to give this man her name, much less some of her most treasured memories. Her gaze remined down until he spoke again. Her eyes returned to his face, though it was obvious he was still avoiding hers. A very small, almost indiscernible, smile tugged at just the corners of her lips when he complimented her words. The whisper of a smile didn't quite reach her eyes, the unease in the air still leaving her unsettled and worried.

Kelaria watched him wearily as he stepped away. She had a very bad feeling about all this. For some reason the thought of sending him off alone, on what could easily be described as a fool's errand, made her stomach turn. What if he didn't come back? What if his magic took control over him and she wasn't able to stop it this time? There were so many ways this could go horribly wrong. It shouldn't matter to her, it shouldn't matter at all. Vander was her enemy only days ago. Why should she care if something happened to him?

'I just don't want to be alone' Kelaria thought to herself. That was the only reason. It wasn't concern for Vander, just a fear of being alone again. That had to be it.

The second Vander vanished from her sight, Kelaria felt her stomach drop and even though it was only a few seconds, she felt completely and utterly alone. In a way she was. Vander or no Vander, she was on her own now. This would all end eventually. They would fail or they would succeed but at the end of it all, loose or win, Kelaria would be alone.

When Vander reappeared only seconds later Kelarai met his gaze for a fraction of a second before he collapsed. She lunged forward, allowing her knees to thud painfully against the ground as she dove to catch him. She wasn't fast enough to stop the fall but she was able to catch his shoulders and let his head fall into her lap before it could hit against the ground. "Vander?!" there was no hiding the panic in her voice. Carefully, she turned him over so she could see his face.
 
A cool shade blanketed him, protecting him from the heat of the sun. He had landed near water, feeling it splash against him when he appeared from his teleportation and nearly landed face first inside of it. He looked up, briefly, finding himself within the ravine she had told him about. The chirping of birds and the croaking of frogs played background music, just as she had described, animals peacefully waiting out the bright sun, blissfully unaware of the danger that seized parts of their kingdom. Vander smirked, still in control of his powers, because he realized it had worked. The vision she had painted for him, the one he had kept in the forefront of his mind when he teleported, had been enough to connect him to a place he had never been.

He shut his eyes and tried again.

His magic activated a second time, depositing him somewhere else. Before his eyes had even opened again to confirm where he had arrived, he could feel the sheer cold digging into his skin. The air felt too thin for him to breathe, causing him an initial sense of panic that was followed by a bout of what could only be described as vertigo when his eyes actually opened and he found himself practically hanging off of a steep cliff nestled within a range of mountains. So far, so good.

Perhaps it was the change in altitude, or simply the exertion, but his head was feeling feint already. His hands dug in deep against the stone and dirt, steadying himself. He drew as deep a breath as he could, and then, thought of the wide open fields she had told him about. He vanished from the mountains and found himself in the grass, staring up into a crystal blue, clear sky. He would have been amazed at how different all of these places felt, despite being in the same kingdom, had it not been for the fade around the periphery of his vision, and the rapid beating of his heart.

It felt like magic was escaping every pore of his body. He could hardly contain it any longer; the dark arcane, triggered by his constant use, grasped at whatever it could to try and crawl out of his skin. His eyes were darker, his breathing shallow, his control waning. There was a village in the distance, untouched by the arm of his brother. The darkness inside of him begged him to go towards it, to slaughter and ruin that peace. Vander held himself back, desperately trying to activate another teleportation. He had nowhere else to go but back to her. He had to go back to her.

He vowed to keep her safe by staying away, but she was the only one who could stop him if he lost control...and she was the only one who brought him comfort.

Vander tried twice, failing, finding his body moving on it's own volition, a puppet to the sinister magic inside of him that wanted him so badly to slay the innocent. Each step was labored, like his body weighed a ton, his resistance and attempt at wrestling back autonomy failing despite the strain it was putting on his body.

He thought of her, one last time, and exerted everything he had left.

"Vander!?"

Her voice repeated in his head though she had said it once. It was panicked, looping, over and over like the ringing of a bell at point-blank to his ears. He couldn't open his eyes, he couldn't catch his breath, and he didn't dare try to do anything other than lay there in the dirt, something soft beneath his head, cushioning his fall. He felt Kelaria tug at him, rolling him over, but still, his eyes remained shut, unable to open to face her directly.

"I made it back..." He whispered, tiredly, his voice slightly deeper, but the magic in his body having been so thoroughly exerted that there wasn't enough inside of him anymore to flare up and fight against her light. "I saw them. The places you told me about. It was...beautiful. And terrifying. Kelaria, I..." Vander seemed as though he wanted to speak something else, but nothing followed his utterance of her name. He fell unconscious almost immediately afterwards, her lap as his pillow, inviting him into an impromptu sleep.
 
A strong wave of relief washed over Kelaria when he spoke, chasing away her previous panic. He was ok. He was him. He was still Vander and he hadn't been replaced by the demon that always loomed over him. She let out a breath and couldn't resist a small smile. It had worked...he had seen the places she had described and Kelaria couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride that he had appreciated the beauty of the places that she loved, even in the short moments he had seen them. Her smile slid slightly when he passed out before finishing what he was saying but she reasoned that if it was important he'd say it when he woke.

As much as she'd love to get moving again, there was no chance she could carry him as exhausted as she already was. He clearly couldn't go on until his body had a moment to recover. They had both exerted themselves so much fighting Finlay and this had simply been too much for Vander. She wouldn't let him get his rest.

"shhh. It's ok. You're safe for now." Kelaria whispered soothingly, although she wasn't sure he was even conscious enough to hear her. After shifting into a more comfortable sitting position, Kelaria settled his head back into her lap. Kelaria let a little of her light surround him and soak into him as her healing light had. He wasn't physically injured but she hoped it would heal the exhaustion a bit and lend him some of her strength. Slowly and without realizing it at first, she began to softly stroke his hair and began softly singing a lullaby her mother used to sing to her, as if trying to comfort him as he slept. She kept this up as she allowed him to rest.
 
Vander wasn't sure how long it had been since he had passed out. It may have been a few minutes, it could have been hours, it all felt the same to him. What was different, however, was the soft sound of her voice singing to him, and the feeling of her fingers pushing through his hair, stroking away the tension and exhaustion, ushering it out of his body. When his eyes opened this time, they were of their regular color, looking up at her from below in equal parts tired confusion and relief. "Kel-..." He whispered, his throat sore and weak but his body feeling like it was rejuvenating itself from her light, the dark magic inside of him too exhausted to fight against it's healing property.

He was frozen in that position when he should have pulled away. He was too close. They were too close. He knew it was dangerous for him to let himself get comfortable with her touch, with this intimacy. They were using each other, after all, and he had already established clear boundary lines about how he would only burden her and compromise her safety and yet, here he was, laying on her lap, as still as a stone that refused to move even an inch from the place it had been perched.

~~~

Blood dripped down the metal of a rusted chain, pooling on the tiles of a castle floor. A man hung from shackles, his upper half bare, his tired, wrinkled skin on full display, gashed and torn, raw and red. Balthier Albright circled him, a small, sharp knife stained crimson, twirling about his finger tips and his prey, the man who was once his advisor, too exhausted to even feel pain any longer.

"You are a disgrace, Regis." Balthier's voice was cold, emotionless. He spoke with venom and disdain towards a man who had taken care of him, who had taught him so much when he was young. He thought of Regis a traitor, the demon inside of him, and the demon who had demented his mind, now allowing him to feel an ounce of remorse for the betrayal he himself had performed upon someone he was supposed to have cared for. "Conspiring with the enemy. Organizing the escape of an exile. Disappointing your king."

Balthier brought the flat side of his knife along a deep cut etched into the elderly man's shoulder, aggravating the afflicted wound. "I would brand you a traitor as I have my brother, but you already bare the marks of your transgressions. You have failed me, Regis. You have failed our family, my father. Why should I let you live? Beg for my mercy. Beg for my forgiveness."

"I will...do no such thing." Regis' voice was tired, not just physically, but mentally too. He had lived a long life, one that he had watched crumble and fall apart. The death of his closest friend, the loss of both of the children he had helped raise, the acceptance that one of them now rested deeply nestled beneath the black wing of a demon to the point where he could murder and torture his own family. Regis was tired, and he had never been more sad in his long, storied life.

"Then you will die as you lived. A stubborn fool longing for the acceptance and adoration of somebody who was only using you. My father never cared about you. My brother never cared about you, he left you here to die, did he not? And I certainly never gave a damn about you, either. You were always a burden. Old, weak, a foot in the grave."

"Balthier" The wicked voice of Alzahar cut through Balthier's scathing monologue.

"Yes?"

"Something has changed."

"My brother?"

"Yes. The location spell has been disrupted. He appears to be...in four places at once."

"How is that possible?"

"I would speculate that he has discovered that we have been following him and has taken precautions to mislead us."

"And Finlay?"

"Most likely deceased."

Balthier turned the knife over, flipping it in his fingers so that the blade was pointed downwards. He sheathed it at his side with no care for the blood that had remained slickening it's steel, sparing Regis the killing blow but only prolonging his suffering as he continued to bleed out onto the castle floor. "Four places, you say?" Balthier mused. "It's a shame. Finlay showed great promise."

"He was disillusioned by power, you know this. He was never going to have the focus to defeat your brother."

"Be that as it may, it has certainly given us more knowledge to work with. Vander is stronger than we've expected, as is the princess. We should not take them lightly."

"Shall we launch an assault on all four points?"

"We do not have the man power for that. Any suggestions?"

"You have an entire kingdom of servant at your finger tips. Great numbers, all disposable, you just haven't subjugated them yet."

Balthier's lips curled into a smirk. "Right you are. Come, Alzahar...this kingdom shall become our eyes and ears and, if needed, our unseen blade."
 
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Kelaria hadn't noticed Vander's eyes open until he spoke. "Kel-..." his voice was barely above a whisper and his throat sounded dry and crackly. Her hands froze their movements and her body stiffened a bit. Her singing stopped as if frozen in air, her voice caught in her throat. Kelaria's cheeks flushed in embarrassment as if she were a child who had just been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. Her eyes traveled to his, locking on to them. She was relieved to see that they had returned to their normal color. She found she was quite fond of the color of his eyes. She resented herself for appreciating them. She shouldn't appreciate them.

Kelaria didn't move, seemingly just as frozen as he was. She didn't speak and she didn't move. She should move. She should move him off of her and put some space between them. She should but she didn't. Instead her eyes danced across his face, studying his features. After what felt like an eternity of silence, but may have just been a few minutes or a few seconds, Kelaria finally spoke. Her voice was soft and vulnerable. "I thought for a second there that I had lost you..." Her eyes were sad and almost pained.

The second the words left her mouth she realized the vulnerability in them. Kelaria realized how they sounded, as if she actually cared what happened to him. Kelaria shook her head and cleared her throat. The hardness seeped back into her voice and she seemed to put back up invisible walls to protect herself. "Well, you're back. That's good. I'm glad you're alright. You seemed like you needed some rest so I chose not to wake you. I wouldn't have been able to carry you anyway. It's best that you took the time to recover your strength anyway. Thank you for doing that...It was a big risk. Hopefully it worked."
 
She looked sad. Concerned. Was it because of the condition he had returned to her in?

This was different. New. He wasn't used to anybody other than Regis caring about his well-being. His brother certainly never did, and the relationship between him and his father never ran that deep anyways. For Vander, seeing someone on the verge of tears out of fear for what might have happened to him was so foreign that it made him wonder if he had truly woken back up to the same reality he had left from or if his teleportation had dislodged him in another world entirely. What was he supposed to do with that? How could he respond?

He said nothing, at first. He just continued to look up at her, blinking slowly, his breathing slow yet labored as he tried to find the strength to move an inch of his body or to remove his head from it's new found pillow.

"It worked." He told her, choosing that to be what he responded to. It felt easier that way. Mixing emotions with what they were trying to accomplish was a recipe for attachment and disaster, whichever came first was out of his control once they barreled down that path. "It had to."

And if it didn't, they'd know soon enough.

"We have to keep moving. We've created an opportunity, I won't allow us to waste it." Vander struggled and groaned, hoisting his body upwards. It was clear he was going to push himself to the absolute limits of exhaustion and he wasn't going to listen to her reason him. By the time he'd made it to his feet, his legs had already turned to jelly, tried and unable to hold his weight. He staggered forwards, half-catching himself on her while the other half of his body met the ground, reacquainting him with the hard mattress that the earth provided. "Damn it..."
 
"It worked."..."It had to" Kelaria only nodded in response but her nod seemed final and determined, as if between the two of them they could simply decide the outcome with sheer force of will. He was right. It had to, or they were doomed even more than they already were. She watched his expression, trying to interpret what he was feeling but was unable to decipher much.

Kelaria looked to him doubtfully as he declared they would have to keep moving. She didn't argue with him. It was obvious, looking at him, that he wouldn't be talked out of it. Kelaria shifted slightly as he lifted himself off of her but didn't seem to be in a rush to get up. One look at him, as he awkwardly made his way upright, and she knew he didn't have the strength yet to keep moving. She watched the exact moment his legs failed him but wasn't fast enough to stop him from tumbling back to the earth. "Vander!" she cried his name softly as if on instinct, as he fell. Sitting down as she was, there was no chance for her to properly catch him as she had before. Instead her hands reached out uselessly as he crashed into her and onto the hard ground.

It really wasn't funny but for some reason Kelaria erupted into giggles. She brought her hand to her mouth in an attempt to stifle her giggling. "I'm sorry! It really isn't funny" she apologized through her giggling. "Are you-" more giggles. "Are you ok?" She finally began to settle herself, eyes catching his in their sudden proximity once again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. It really wasn't funny" she repeated.

The amusement slid off her face and was replaced by concern "are you alright?" She asked again now that laughter had subsided. She wasn't sure what had come over her. She didn't think she even had it in her to laugh like that at this point. Her brain must have reached some sort of breaking point. "I'm not sure we're going to be able to just carry on like we did before. I agree, I don't want to waste the opportunity you created but I can't carry you and you are still far too drained to walk."
 
The last thing Vander expected was to hear her laughing at him, but yet, her voice melodically broke through the frustration and pain he felt with a giggle that she attempted, but failed, to stifle. He could tell she was still concerned, but the way he fell must have been amusing to her. He could have thought it rude for her to act that way, or insensitive to his condition, but something about it granted a jovial air to an all-too-serious moment, and he brought a weathered smirk to his lips as well, though it went unseen by her and unspoken of by his own accord.

"I'm fine." He reassured her, as he had many times before and, like prior attempts, this one was as unconvincing as those that came before it. "We keep going. Stop worrying about me."

He was continuing to disregard his own well-being, forcing himself back up to his feet once again. If he were a normal person, there was no way he'd even be conscious right now, or alive at all, given all the trauma his body had gone through over the past couple of days from his fall from the palace to their fight with his darkness, and with Finlay, to the over-exertion he had just put himself through to try and cloak them from his brother.

But he wasn't normal. He wasn't allowed to be. Part of him wanted to stop, to be held by her, to feel the warmth of her light reinvigorate his aching muscles, but he had shown himself vulnerable enough and he didn't need any more reasons for them to become more reliant upon each other than they already were.

Ahead, the sound or wheels turning, coinciding with the trotting of horseshoes, seemed to be drawing closer. Vander looked off into the near distance, down the beaten path they were walking, and saw a carriage coming their way, drawn by two brown-haired mares, a man with a bushy, white beard sitting behind them with reins in hand. A miracle? Or a coincidence? "Looks like we found our ride." He told her, making it unclear whether he intended to ask the man for a ride, or take it from him.
 
When Vander brought himself back to his feet Kelaria quickly stood as well, prepared to catch him if he fell a third time. She found herself scowling at him. "While I admire the determination Vander, you're physically incapable. I can't carry you and you can't walk more than a few feet at a time. Don't run yourself into the ground. We are of no use to anyone if we kill ourselves in the process." Admittedly she almost admired him for his stubborn determination to redeem himself but he was no use to her like this. He was no use to anyone like this. However, she couldn't admit to herself or anyone that she was concerned for his well being not just his usefulness.

Kelaria reached out to Vander, prepared to allow him to lean on her in order to walk. The sound of the approaching wheels made Kelaria jump. Without any flourish Kelaria cast a glamour over herself and Vander. Her raven hair shifted to a dull sandy blonde. Her eyes became dull and uninteresting again. Vander's hair and eyes also shifted to match her disguise as well. Her eyes turned to Vander as he suggested they take advantage of the possibility of a ride. She couldn't tell what his intentions for procuring that ride was.

Quickly Kelaria grabbed his hand, not leaving the option open for Vander to possibly try to take the ride. She pulled him towards the carriage. "Wait!" She shouted, trying to get the man to stop. "Please sir! My brother is injured. Could you possibly give us a ride to the nearest town? He was thrown from our horse before he ran away leaving us here. Please." her voice was different, she had taken on an accent from some of the western villages.
 
Kelaria immediately jumped into an explanation of what they were and why they were here, attempting to charm the passerby into offering them the ride they sorely needed. Vander nodded, playing along. "Yes, please. I can barely stand. We do not have much by means of money, but she is an expert herbologist and I am as capable a work hand as you can find. I will repay your kindness when I am able." Vander pleaded, doing his best to sound sincere and genuine, though he couldn't quite match the accent she had put on.

Vander had barely noticed the glamor that she had cast upon them, only the feel of her magic interacting with his own making it apparent that she had cast some sort of spell over them. They weren't being attacked, or treated like exiles, at least, and this rider appeared unable to tell she was anything more than a traveler and certainly not her kingdom's last hope and heir to a stolen throne.

"Thrown from your horse, you say?" The man asked, lifting a brow. For a moment, it felt like he was judging them, or trying to confirm who they were. Vander half expected the man to see straight through them, some how, but it was apparently just a show for him as well, as he broke into a hearty laugh afterwards, his facial expression softening from one of judgement to that of a man who had seen and helped many a troubled wanderer before. "Climb aboard, the both of you. Can't have you wandering alone out here when you're too tired and injured to even defend yourself. There's a lot of real, awful things happening around these parts lately."

He motioned to the carriage behind him, still smiling. Vander looked at Kelaria, still needing her for support standing. His expression was one of tepid surprise that it had worked, but now, he had only one other concern; could this really be trusted or was it too coincidental to be a genuine, sincere coincidence ?
 
Kelaria felt anxious as the man questioned their story, worried he wouldn't believe the tale. She had kept it simple on purpose, so that hopefully he wouldn't look too much into it. Maybe that was a bad call. Just as Kelaria was beginning to try to come up with an alternate plan, the man laughed and invited them to join him. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and gave the man a tired and grateful smile. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much sir! With my brother's injuries I didn't think we would make it! Thank you! We promise to find a way to repay you." She played her part well.

Kelaria wrapped Vander's arm behind her neck and snaked her own arm around his waist to carry most of his weight so that he could make it to the carriage. She helped him up into the carriage the best she could but she was still quite a bit smaller than him so it became a bit of a struggle. Once they were both inside she helped Vander get comfortable, making his injuries seem worse than they were to align with their story. As distrustful as Kelaria had been so far, she seemed oddly calm about this arrangement.
 
Aboard the back of the carriage, the rocking it created as the horses began to move caused some slight discomfort in Vander that left him leaning against Kelaria for further support even though they were seated. At this point, it was almost as if he just wanted to be close to her rather than needing her to keep him steady, though that was something he would neither consider, nor admit to himself, and would rather remain a silent worry for him to struggle with after the fact.

The trotting of hooves against dirt and soil created a rhythm, tap-tapping, relocating them from the open field and towards the town in the distance. The man at the front turned his head, looking over his shoulder. "The name's Sam, nice to meet you both." He introduced himself, a hearty smile lingering over his bearded features.

Vander looked back at him, meeting the man eye-for-eye, searching for a sign that something, anything, felt off about Sam's kindness, but he couldn't sense or feel anything wrong. Maybe when he was in better shape, he could, but right now, it was either the exhaustion interrupting his intuition, or there really was nothing to worry about with this kind stranger. He at least owed him a name, in return, but he wouldn't dare use his real one. "My name is Vincent. And this is..." He trailed off, hoping Kelaria would chime in with a name chosen by herself. "We can't thank you enough for the kindness you have shown us..."

"Aww, don't mention it, Vincent. Just doin' my part. There's an awful lot of sadness and tragedy happening around us these days, the least I can do is offer a ride to some friends in need, ain't that right?"
 
"Lana" Kelaria chimed in when Vander went to introduce her, sensing his intentions. She didn't at all seem bothered by his proximity. She actually took a great deal of comfort from it but didn't let herself dwell too much on that. It was necessary, not a luxury, he was simply too weak to hold himself while being jostled about by the cart. Any time the cart hit an exceptionally hard bump, her eyes would dart anxiously to Vander to make sure he was alright. She found herself resenting these feelings of concern for him.

"There surely is sir. We were fleeing from such dangers ourselves. We were fortunate that our home wasn't attacked but our mother sent us away anyway, for our safety. It hurt terribly to leave her behind. That mare was all we had. We strayed too close to the Nither and it spooked. I only hope she remains safe, even if we never see her again." Kelaria sighed, playing up the part of a sentimental young girl with no real worries in the world until now. Her eyes watered a bit as though she were fighting tears.
 
Kelaria continued to be an expert in playing her role, manipulating the tone of her voice and the way she spoke to sell the idea that they were indeed just two siblings stranded by unfortunate circumstance in need of a ride back to civilization. Vander nodded along, still leaning against her side, playing his part while not needing to act as though he was hurt or exhausted because that part was true regardless of the different appearance and character he had taken on.

"I'm sure she'll turn up." Sam responded, looking over his shoulder once more before focusing on the road again, tugging on the reins firmly to keep the horses steady and on the path forward. "I feel for 'ya, I really do. Couldn't imagine what I'd do if I lost one of my old girls here." He continued, speaking fondly, with a hint of sadness behind his weathered voice. He was a man who had put many years, and many roads, behind him, yet something gave Vander the impression that he had been together with his trustful steed for quite some time and they had formed a bond that he cherished. Maybe there wasn't anything to be worried about after all, Sam just seemed a kind, old man looking out for two people in need. "Wait until you meet Shara, you're gonna love her."

"Shara?" Vander asked, keeping up conversation if only to keep himself from passing out.

"My old lady." Sam spoke, with pride. "Just celebrated her seventy-third birthday but doesn't look a day over twenty-five in my eyes." He let out a hearty laugh, one that would have been infectious had it not hurt Vander so much to even consider laughing along. "She makes a mean pot of stew and she has a heart of gold. Once she sees me bringing in you lot, she'll probably be all over 'ya, checkin' to make sure you're okay and whatnot."

"She sounds like a lovely woman..." Vander kept going, gritting his teeth as the wagon took a bump, forcing him to clutch tighter to Kelaria's arm, instinctively. When he noticed, he awkwardly pulled away, leaning towards the other side of the carriage interior instead.

"The best this kingdom has to offer, I'd reckon. Besides the princess, of course, Gods help her. Wish I could've found her today too. It would sure take a load off of all our minds to know she was still alive and well after the awful attack on the castle..."

Vander cast a weary look towards Kelaria from the corner of his stunning eyes, wrapping him back around to his original thought process before he had tried to reason himself away from it. This was far too coincidental.
 
When Vander reached out to clutch Kelaria's arm her own arm reached out to steady him, wrapping around his waist without even a thought. Her arm slipped away as he leaned away. Her cheeks flushed slightly and she found herself grateful that Vander had looked away and Sam was focused on the road ahead of them. Kelaria watched the road and saw more bumps and dips coming ahead. She reached out and wordlessly took his hand and gave it a tight squeeze. To the outside world it might look simply like a sister comforting her injured brother but Vander was suddenly filled with a slow growing warmth very similar to when she healed him before. His pain eased up, not entirely but quite significantly. What he couldn't see, and what Kelaria did her best to hide from him, was that by easing his pain she had to take some of it onto herself. That pain couldn't just vanish, it had to go somewhere.

Kelaira stiffened a bit when Sam mentioned the princess- mentioned her. She felt Vander's gaze on her. She peered at him, catching the weary look. Kelaria looked to Sam next. "yes, knowing the Princess was alive and safe would do a great deal to comfort us all. We heard no word of her or if she survived but I have to believe in my heart that she's out there somewhere fighting for us. I have to believe hope is not lost."
 
"Hope is all we've got these days, ain't it?" Sam added, nodding his head, though his eyes were affixed to the path forward rather than looking back at them anymore. "Faith, and hope. Lucky, we've been, that the invasion hasn't traveled this far east."

If only Sam had known what had happened in the Nither, so close nearby, and what they had barely survived. If so, he wouldn't feel so lucky, or like the invasion hadn't strayed too close to the place he called home. The small town they were trotting towards was coming closer in view and Vander was thankful for that, it meant an escape from the rocking motion of the carriage. Kelaria's support, and her light, made it bearable, and he silently thanked her for the healing, but he still couldn't wait to be some place more comfortable, even for a short rest. The carriage pulled up at the front gate, a wooden sign hanging over an archway that read Verdan.

Lowering himself carefully down out of the carriage, Vander noted that Sam had already left the front of the carriage and was at the side door, there to help them both safely down and back onto solid ground. "Easy there, I got'cha." He said, Vander groaning a little as his legs made contact with the soil. Already, he could hear the commotion of the small town coming to life, seeing one of their own return with strangers who clearly needed their help. Like Sam had warned, a woman was at the front of the pack, her body as aged and worn as his was. Her hair was long, yet silver and white, her face kind but imprinted with cracks and wrinkles formed over a long life of hard work and compassion shared with her people. "Shara, my sun and star." He greeted her, grinning, causing a smile to light up her features as well. "Met these two on the road, the man is hurt pretty badly. Vincent, and this is his sister, Lana."

"Vincent. Lana." She repeated, in her sweet, older voice, reaching out to check on 'Lana' first, making sure she wasn't injured, before moving on to examined 'Vincent'. Vander froze, instinctively, as this stranger got near, her hand lifting up delicately to feel around his rib cage, checking for any damaged bones or any signs of pain. "Oh dear...let's get you both inside, right away..."
 
Kelaria smiled warmly to Sam and thanked him as he helped her to the ground. As soon as they were both firmly on the ground, Kelaria wrapped her arm around Vander again, offering her brother assistance walking. As soon as they made contact again, her magic was already working to ease his pain, taking it on herself. Kelaria hid the pain an discomfort well. She had more practice than she cared to admit. Her eyes turned away from Vander to watch Sam and his wife. She couldn't help but smile, and feel a small tinge of envy, as she watched them greet each other so lovingly. They had somebody in this world still. They had each other and there was absolutely no doubt they loved each other. Why did that envy make her eyes flicker to Vander for one brief second?

When Shara made her way to Kelaria to check on her, Kelaria visibly stiffened. She had no problem trusting Sam and Shara but something about her sudden proximity and attention put her on edge. Kelaria was physically exhausted, her magic was depleting but not in as dire condition as Vander's. She simply hadn't gotten the chance to recover fully from their fight with Finlay. However, her appreance only showed bumps, scrapes, and bruises from both fights with Finlay and her escape that night at the castle. It was obvious that Vander was the one in greater need of her attention.

"Thank you both so much for your kindness and hospitality. You are truly angels sent by the gods themselves." Kelaria smiled, helping Vander inside as they followed Shara.
 
"Oh, it's the least we can do, truly." Shara spoke with such warmth and kindness in her voice that it was hard to believe there would be anything fabricated about what she was saying. "We all play our little part in something bigger."

"Indeed, we do. My work may only be running the trade routes, but today, it gave me a chance to do somethin' greater." Sam added, looking at Kelaria and Vander, still concealed by their magic, as they were ushered inside of their home and directed to sit and take a load off of their weary bodies.

"He's far too humble. Our little town wouldn't survive without him bringing in supplies, trading goods...though, I do worry for his safety more and more these days."

"I'll be alright, dear. Been doing this for as long as I can remember. Plus, I've got Luna and Mara with me."

"Those old girls are about as ancient as you are." She teased, giving him a grin.

"And almost as good lookin'. Only almost, though." The two of them shared a laugh amongst themselves before Shara turned her attention fully towards Vander, who's eyes had been wandering across the interior of their humble abode while the two were talking with each other.

They seemed so in love, living in a perfect little slice of the kingdom unaffected by his brother's rampage. Their home was so small, yet, it felt greater; like it held secrets and memories earned through the years they had spent together. Vander wondered then, given the affection they seemed to have for each other, if they had never bothered to have kids. He felt like they would have been fantastic parents.

Shara began to pull out home made remedies, pastes and medicines. Vander eyed them, wearily, looking towards Kelaria for confirmation that any of these things might be safe, as she had a better idea on this than he did.

"You said you fell from your horse?" She asked, curious. "It must have been quite the fall...nothing a little rest and relaxation can't fix, though! And maybe a bit of this." She poured one of the bottles into a wooden bowl, the liquid inside shimmering a light blue. "Made it myself from Ransen Roots and the petals of an Eternus Flower...and maybe a little bit of wine, but that's our secret." She laughed, her voice lowering to a whisper.
 
Kelaria smiled softly as their hosts spoke. She felt a pinch of envy at their obvious love. As Crown Princess she never expected to get that kind of relationship. Though her father always promised he wanted to let her marry for love, Kelaria knew that in the end she'd end up with whoever was best for her kingdom and her people either by outside pressure or her own. Kelaria never figured she'd care enough about that sort of affection to miss it but watching such an obvious display of such devotion made her mourn what she knew she was missing. There was no hope now, after all that had happened, that she would ever have it. Her eyes flickered to Vander again for the briefest moment. She caught his questioning eyes on her.

Trying not to be too obvious about it, Kelaria peered at the remedies and medicines that Shara pulled out. She tried to see what she could recognize. She didn't see anything that should concern her but without further inspection she couldn't be sure. Eternus Flower and Ransen roots...should be harmless enough and she could see how it might help. She had never seen the mixture that color before but figured it must be colored that way because of the wine. Kelaria looked back to Vander and gave him a subtle nod. She didn't have the same paranoid worry that Vander did.
 
Shara and Sam continued to go back and forth as the older woman administered her medicine and care to Vander. He was relieved that Kelaria seemed to approve, he knew he could trust her, and so he allowed Shara to do as she intended, all the while playing along with the role he had been cast in. When it was over, she had insisted that he get some sleep, despite his protest, pulling Kelaria out of the hut so that Vander could have some peace and quiet. Though he was worried, his exhaustion had reached a point of no return, and he fell asleep almost the exact moment his closed.

Sam went about unloading the carriage with help from other people in the village. Meanwhile, Shara introduced "Lana" to some of the townspeople. They all seemed very happy to meet her, there was an overall feeling in the air that this village wasn't letting the events of the kingdom dull their hospitality.

It wasn't long until another stranger wandered into town, however. It was a rarity for the two of them to have shown up, even more so now was this third person. It was a woman, tall in stature, yet obviously quite well built beneath the cloak and tunic she was wearing. Her eyes were an entrancing blue, her crimson hair tucked into a bun that looked haphazardly thrown together. She was stunning, in a unique way, a combination of beauty and strength that made her seem a formidable woman. She feigned some sort of injury and soon, found herself in the same building as Vander, being tended to by Sharla.

"It's quite all right." She reassured this traveler, as they protested about causing trouble. "A bit of excitement is sorely needed around these parts. Besides, you're not the first injured traveler I've had to deal with today." Sharla cooed, nodding over towards Vander, who was beginning to wake up.

His eyes opened, slowly, adjusting. It had been at least an hour or two, but that short rest had done wonders for his body. He wasn't sure if the rest did it, or the medicine, but he was feeling a little bit better, lifting himself up.

"Speaking of which..." Sharla trailed off, grinning. "Feeling better, Mr. Vincent?"

Vander nodded his head. "Yes, thank you. I..." His eyes caught wind of the person sitting in the bed next to him and his face instantly turned into one of pure dread.

"Are you sure? You look rather ill..."

Vander's eyes moved to the exit. He was searching for Kelaria, desperately, but he couldn't just run from the room without making it obvious. The woman sitting across from him was one of his brother's men, a woman he had spent many a battle fighting alongside. Alexandra Van Arbos, second daughter of one of his country's most influential politicians and an invaluable ally on the battle field. As far as Vander knew, she wasn't afflicted by any kind of dark magic, but her being here was no coincidence and a tremendous cause for concern.
 
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