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A Bloody Cause ( Ava & Valanaer)

Seth already knew Gabriella wasn't like her brothers, that had been obvious from the very beginning and he didn't mean to imply that she was like them but it didn't change anything when it came down to it, her brothers were the problem and he had no intentions of forgetting. "Gabriella, I feel as I should apologize for what will happen in the future, I know that not all of your people have done wrong to mine but your brothers, they use the death of your father and our families history to rally your people and kill us any chance they get. That only gives me one real option as the leader of my people, I must fight and I must defend my people and try and take out your brothers, it's the only solution I can see... So I am sorry for whatever happens." Seth didn't say it but he also wanted to apologize for the possibility of his own death, of dying trying to do what he had to for his people, for finally meeting her again and then leaving her forever, the idea didn't make him happy either but his current state was indication enough that it was a serious possibility.

The mention of her father and his brother being similar didn't offend him as many would expect, the Lycan in general, including the DeLune household held her father in high esteem. Unfortunately his father had not been the same, he had believed their ancestors would weep if their vengeance was not sought. It was truly unfortunate that her father died before his brother became their leader and that his brothers reign was ended by his cruel sons. "I know it may be hard to hear Gabriella and perhaps I am too bias but now, in this point and time your family is responsible for all the death, they have ordered and participated in slaughtering innocent villages and they have forced us to retaliate. Then they have the audacity to call us monsters and have your people keep us as back as they enjoy lavish lives and watch the chaos they created. He wasn't trying to be hard on her or turn her against her brothers but he didn't like anyone thinking his people mere monsters and that was especially true for Gabriella.

When she left he just thought back at all he had said, hoping she took some of what he said to heart, understood his people a bit more and understood why he would have to continue fighting the moment he could. That being the case he wasn't hoping for as speedy a recovery as before, he wanted to stay and talk with her for awhile, though he knew it to be selfish, he would have to go back to his people and get them under control as soon as possible. He sighed staring off at the wall, it was irritating but it was reality and he would just have to enjoy the situation while he could. So he tried to readjust his attitude to stop being so dark and cheer up again and as she entered the room again he put a smile on his face, eyeing the food. It wasn't given to him though and instead she put in in the bedroom and told him to walk over, the playfulness definitely helping his smile be genuine. Seth forced himself up from the chair and steadied, walking a few steps and finding it difficult yet possible, moving slowly until he was near Gabriella, "Handsome huh? Glad to hear you think so." He didn't stand there though and instead got himself to the bed, plopping down on the edge and sighing, it was comfortable and he knew it would be nice. Of course he immediately grabbed the food, hungry enough to nearly ignore Gabriella, though he did mutter a quick, "Thanks..." Before digging in, opening up a bit more.
 
With all other things she deemed idiotic, she ignored his apologies. No matter the sweetness and consideration of it, she would not accept the idea of him taking out her brother or her brothers taking the only true friend she had. Both options were too painful to consider and when given the option between the two, she just could not come up with an answer. Many would have deemed it easy enough, no? Go with your family, but... what if one's family were the murderous type, like hers. Everything Seth mentioned about her family was not news to her. Her brothers had put themselves on a pedestal that they did not deserve. More importantly one that they did not earn. A moment outside of the room gave her a moment to clear her head and when she saw the look on Seth's face upon her arrival with the tray of food she wanted to laugh. Again with his contagious smile. As he stood near her and spoke his words Gabby could not help but roll her eyes at the Lycan. "Handsome and cocky." She said with a little laugh as she followed him into the room. His hunger was clear and she barely caught his thanks, but this proved as a good a time as any to fix the bandages upon his back before he got too comfortable.

The linen wraps were grabbed and a thick opaque ointment made by hand. Crawling from the opposite side of the bed on all fours until she sat behind him on the soft surface of the bed. Being gentle as her fingers peeled away at the bandage and discarded the rag. The wound was completely sealed off so his bleeding was no longer a problem on his back, although running was still out of the question at this point. The silver had done its damage internally and that would still take some time to heal. The ointment was spread upon the surface of his skin with the tips of her fingers before she bandaged it up once more. This would dull down the pain for a few hours. An ointment that could not be placed on an open wound. Once the patchwork was done she crawled back over to her side of the bed and placed the basin on the side table along with the rest of the items. Since his back was turned she figured this was as good a time as any to change her gown. The lacing on the front of the gown was carefully undone. Her back turned to him as she plucked a thin ivory gown from her wardrobe and the gown she dawned fell to a pool of fabric at her feet. Instantly she slipped the gown over her head. Thin traps hanging the gown from her shoulders. The creamy skin of her shoulders exposed. The thin veil of a gown ending at her knees. Gabby stepped out of the ring and picked up the gown and set in aside in a basket.

She sipped on a goblet of blood and already had plans for tomorrow. A more human like color over came her skin as the blood flowed freshly through her veins. She crawled on the top of the bed and sat on top of the covers with her legs at her side. "I am going to talk to my brother tomorrow. I doubt it will go well, but I think some changes are going to be made." As she sat on the surface she stretched out one leg and looked at the right side of her right thigh. The faint outline of a bruise still healing itself. A hand print. A bruise was nothing serious, but the person behind it was someone she truly hated. No one really knew how harsh the VanBuran family truly was. Even to their own. A vampire could snap as easily as a werewolf. Her brothers had done so on more than one occasion. Once, on her. Gabriella hopped out of bed once more and walked into the ante chamber to make sure the door was barred before heading back to her room and slipping herself beneath the covers. She had to admit that Seth's company in her bed had her a little.... nervous? Excited? She knew not which, but she was not scared as she had once been before. She leaned back against the pillows as the blanket stopped at her hips in her lap.

"I am going to try and put a stop to this one way or another... and that entails leaving my home." Gabriella was one to just wing it. What happened happened. If everyone else was risking there lives, the so would she. It wasn't as though she played an important part in this anyway. "I'm going to find out how this chaos started and force my brothers to stop." Even her own words made her laugh. They were far stronger than she and though a VanBuran she may be, she felt the least important or powerful. Oddly enough though... few know that she could take the pain and degradation rather well. No matter how many times she was pushed down she would get back up. "If you can risk your life... then I can risk mine." She said with a small sigh as she she silently sat in thought. A dangerous thing indeed.
 
It seemed being handsome was not enough to make Gabriella visibly nervous so Seth had to keep himself calm, he didn't want to be obvious in his nervousness. Of course it was a rather difficult thing to do, especially as he tried to eat and Gabriella decided it was a good chance to change his bandages. It seemed his wound had healed fully though so for the moment the good news outweighed the situation and he was able to keep his mind off the hands gently rubbing ointment on his skin. Of course he thought about how his wound still wasn't completely alright despite its appearance and no doubt she knew so as well or he would already be allowed to go on his way. The harsh reality was that silver blades did serious damage to his inside, not only just a bad slow healing wound but such a serious wound could sometimes lead to a type of weakness similar to poison. The seriousness of his wound had not only left him in pain but much weaker than he would usually be and that was due to the silver entering his bloodstream. As with his wound it would go away soon enough but it meant there was absolutely no chance of him going anywhere and that his seemingly healthy look was not what it seemed.

The Lycan sighed at the thought, not liking the idea that if worse came to worse he would be weak due to the blade which had struck him, it was a major disadvantage for his kind. Of course the sun was one of the vampires disadvantages and perhaps the greatest advantage his people had so it evened out but silver was not a welcomed sight for any Lycan. His thoughts didn't dwell on such things long though as his sharp hearing caught the sound of clothing sliding off of Gabriella behind him and onto the floor, the faint sound barely discernible but it was there. Seth swallowed hard and tried to focus on his food as he heard every little movement, his ears seemingly tuned in to what was going on behind him. He didn't look though, his mind winning over that situation and deciding it wasn't worth a peek at the risk of making his friend mad and no doubt making it all the more nerve-racking to sleep in the same bed as her. So he focused on his food and let her slip on something else, only turning once he heard the sipping sound. It was quite a sight though, the blood aside she looked quite stunning and even as he gazed upon her he could see color flow to her skin and making the new gown stand out all the more.

The last he wanted was for it to be awkward, so he finished his bit of food and sat it on the bedside table and decided to try and do the only thing that would get his mind off of sleeping next to Gabriella, actually fall asleep. She seemed to have some rather dangerous thoughts before bed though and upon hearing them a slight feeling of happiness washed over Seth, the thought of her leaving the vampire castle intriguing but at the same time he didn't want to think too much about it, the chances that the VanBuran female would leave her home was not one that would end well he was sure and losing her did not appeal to the werewolf at all. "Well do be careful when speaking to your brother, if he gets a hint at you hiding something or decides your words have finally crossed a line I am afraid of what will happen." He didn't say it but he was scared of losing another friend when he had so few left and he was in no condition to take on one of her brothers, they were powerful and at the moment he was barely at twenty or thirty percent. He wouldn't lecture her though, part of him felt it was useless and without saying anything more he got comfortable on top of the covers, placing his head on one of the luxurious pillows, and letting his body melt into the soft bed hoping slumber would soon take him.
 
She read the concern in his voice and his words as he spoke. It was sweet and made her want to hug him all the more, but she feared where that route would lead her. Gabby was happy that he had taken to laying down. Having just realized that she was staring at him, only confirming that she really did like him. "Why do you have to be so nice?" She said, proceeding with smacking Seth with a pillow with a little laugh following afterward before she placed the pillow back where it once was and laying her head down. "You will get better, and you will get back to your family and I will try and stop my brothers from spilling anymore innocent blood. Especially if it means keeping you alive. Gabby was well relaxed and yet still a little nervous. She was no longer strangers with the lycan that now shared her bed, but friends. Not to mention his physical appearance was certainly something to gawk at. That coupled with his semi hidden sweet personality, had her really liking him and she had called him handsome early. Perfect slip of the tongue Gabriella. Some days she cursed her natural gift for talking up a storm. She grabbed the other blanket and pulled it along the length of his body, just in case.

Right nowr all she could think about was possibly losing him and never being able to see him again. She had things to say to him and selfishly wanted more time with him, but that was not something that she could see happening while her brothers were still running amok a his family was in disarray. She had gotten far too close to him and already she could see the toll at the horizon. Her thoughts were keeping her wide away at this point and she was desperately looking for an 'off' switch. Of course, another thought occurred. The raven haired VanBuran turned on her opposite side, facing him. A cool palm coming to rest upon the toned, warm surface of his arm. "When you get better... you must promise to do me one favor before you leave." She cursed the blood rushing to her cheeks as she found the request to be rather silly in her mind, but she wanted it. "You must promise me I can get a hug from you before you leave me. We didn't get a proper good bye last time, and I really want one this time." Gabriella could not help it. "The idea of probably losing a friend so soon after getting him back is ... well... not a good thought." she said with a little sigh, feeling quite odd for her request.

Honestly, it would probably coast Gabby her life. Already she had pictured it. In Damion's rage with her announcing her alliance with the lycans... he kills her. It was not a pretty sight, but no matter how subtle she tried to slip in the idea of peace, her brothers always got more and more furious with her. At this point she thought of taking their lives with her own hands, but something really bad had to happen for that to take place. Like... them taking Seth's life. It struck her then. Her brother's were the head of the clan, but their decisions were run through the council. The elder council. Gabriella had only heard of them and had never actually seen them, but even they have turned down requests from her father. It would not hurt to try. It would no doubt take some serious serious convincing, but something... anything had to be done to stop this wretched war. her brothers were so harsh. If they walked in on Gabby in bed with the lycan, even as the were it would be deemed bestiality. An idiotic thought to Gabriella, yet a thing punishable by death. The cool palm of her hand ghosted down the warm skin of his arm before she placed it back on her side once more.
 
"You just think me to be nice because you haven't seen me at my worst yet. On the battlefield I have recently been thrown into rages, that is how I got these wounds. I usually get them as soon as I see a vampire, but perhaps you are special as I haven't felt myself losing control once." Seth looked at Gabriella as she looked at him and he almost laughed at how odd it was, the two who should be at each others throats by normal standards were instead staring at each other, not to mention sharing a bed. "Well I appreciate your concern but I am more worried for you than myself, I have a much better chance of defeating your brothers with my people than you do on your own. Just make sure if you decide to stand against your family that you do so cautiously, neither of us want to lose the other it seems, I don't want to lose another friend. Seth was not going to be able to sleep so easily and this time it wasn't from nightmares or memories but the present, for once he felt oddly awake and although he needed his sleep he just didn't feel like drifting off and ending the moment.

When Gabriella spoke of a hug it only caused the unrest, the thought of squeezing the beautiful woman, friend or not, in his arms was not such a calming thought. Instead he couldn't help but think that it would make it all the harder to actually leave after doing such a thing. He couldn't refuse though and when she finished speaking her felt a bit warm inside, saying goodbye a very nice thought and the how even better. "Alright, I promise I will give you a hug before I leave, I mean I would have for us to part in such an unpleasant way again and this way I can have another fond memory to help counterbalance all the bad ones." The request was odd but to Seth it made perfect sense, that feeling of comfort, what he would have done to say a proper goodbye to any of his friends and especially his brother. The last thing he had spoken about with his older brother had been so casual and meaningless, if he could have only given the man a hug and told him he loved him once more it would have been enough to give the young leader more closure and make everything more bearable, as it was he was left with hollow words and a horrific scene in his mind, nothing good to take from and certainly an experience he refused to repeat.

His promise did not make it any easier to get to sleep though, the thought of hugging her even in the future was quite difficult to put out of his mind, the image impossible to erase. That combined with the feeling of her cool palm against his arm for a brief moment made him turn his head to give her a quick once over. He didn't make a move or anything of the sort though, he didn't love her and that hadn't changed in such a short time, it was simply emotions overflowing from such a long time apart and their quite remarkable reunion. Besides, it was one of the first times Seth had just relaxed in quite some time, since his brother died the man had launched an almost all out assault, sending troops to defend their border, attack when needed to in order to reduce casualties, and most of all he had been at the head of all of it, keeping himself busy with tasks of every sort. So the man turned himself back over and attempted to get comfortable without bumping into or looking at the beautiful vampire by his side, knowing that no matter their family names and how taboo it was that if he didn't watch himself that he would take it too far.
 
A smile sprouted on Gabby's soft lips as he agree and spoke of his concern. She rolled her eyes and shifted in bed with her back to him and drew the covers up to her shoulders. "Go to sleep Seth." She said before closing her own eyes. She drifted off into the sweet abyss that was her slumber. Not a dream, nor nightmare in sight. The most peaceful sleep she had in a very long time. In her sleep she shifted, naturally, only slightly. Gravitating more to the center of the bed, where she always slept. Sunrise had come far too soon and the vampiress found herself battling reality as she fought to stay asleep. Longed to live out her days in the peaceful black recesses of her mind as her body relaxed. Soon the battle was lost and long lashed lifted to reveal hazy green eyes. She laid for a moment, almost forgetting that the werewolf was in bed with her. She saw how far her body had moved from the other edge of the bed and thought it nothing new. In a zombie like manner she sat up. The blankets falling into her lap. The left strap from her gown having fallen off of her shoulder as slender fingers raked through her tousled raven mane. Soon green orbs looked upon the lump just to her side and half a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

It was already early into the evening and she slipped out of bed to try not and disturb the healing lycan. It took a little while for her to wash up and get dressed in light blue gown that hugged her body and flowed at the waist, with lacing up the front. her hair was pinned up with a few curls cascading from above. A fresh goblet of blood and she was out of her ante chamber. She closed the door to her bed chambers and made sure Agatha delivered some food into her ante chamber while she prepared for her brother's arrival. All was well thus far and Gabriella came back into her room and brought the well stocked tray of food and set it on the side table next to Seth. The longer he slept, the better. It would give him more time to heal. Once more she left her chambers when Agatha told her of someone having arrived, but it was not her brother. Before the guest could be admitted access into her ante chamber a boot came in contact with the door and a gentleman with a silver hair and a smile that stretched from fang to fang, allowed himself in. "Gabriella! You look.... delectable, as always." The lithe young pale male dawned the most stylish of garbs. gold rings on almost every finger and eyes as blue as the sky.

"You may leave us now, servant lady. Gabriel knows I left before him." Agatha, of course looked to her mistress for the final words and when Gabby nodded the door was closed. "Victor... what do you want?" The male made himself comfortable before the fire. His eyes boldly roaming over Gabriella's figure. "Now do you really have to ask that, my lovely lady?" Gabriella walked over to the male and a finger ghosted just beneath his chin. His hands came to rest upon her hips and her lips were but a hairs breath away from his own. "You will have.... nothing from me." She dawned a smile and gave him a kiss upon the cheek. A kiss so soft yet felt like the presence of a black widow. As she tried to pull away his grip grew tighter. The palms of her hands came to rest upon his chest as she tried to get away. "Let me go Victor." He tried to steal a kiss but found a heated sting upon the right side of his hairless face as the sound of flesh slapping flesh pierced the air. Gabriella slapped him clean across the face and he let her go out of shock. "That.... that is what I want. The passion, the fire... I want tha-" "OUT!" Gabriella yelled. "I have no problem spilling your blood on the floor. Or have you forgotten last time. This time I will not be patching you up." The door opened up and a guard peeked his head in. "No need, I will be on my way, but not before your brother arrives. Until then, my love." She bowed and backed out. The thought of him made her blood boil. She barred her ante chamber and headed off to her bed chambers once more and took a moment to breath as she sat before her vanity. There were, no doubt bruises upon her sides. She could feel them, but they would go away soon.
 
Seth didn't go to sleep immediately, his mind raced for a time thinking about all he had discovered that day and thinking about what was to become but when he finally did decide to close his eyes it wasn't difficult. For the first time in a long time he felt absolutely comfortable and at ease, his body relaxing and his eyes slowly drooping down until he slipped into slumber. That night his usual nightmares didn't come, he didn't have to relive the deaths of those he loved or the horrific battles, instead he dreamed of much more peaceful thing and remembered pleasant memories he hadn't thought of in a remarkably long time. So when he woke to a strange voice he was not at all pleased, though he did wake up refreshed and rather pain free for the moment. Gabriella was unfortunately no longer by his side, a disappointment to be sure but when he noticed the food he was sure she was busy, no doubt out with the other voice, lest someone was talking to themselves. He made sure to keep himself quiet as he sat up in the comfortable bed, picking at it a bit as he waited to figure out just what was going on. He didn't eat much though, chewing at a few pieces but as he was much more interested in who was so close and talking to Gabriella his full attention was on the other room.

The voice was a mans voice, most likely a vampire, but the way he spoke immediately told Seth he was not one of her brothers. Hearing the name Victor didn't help either but when the man spoke and began flirting with Gabriella the Lycan found himself getting a tad angry, listening to every little sound his sensitive ears could pick up, which was quite a lot. Hearing what happened in the next bit of time almost sent Seth into a rage, having to hear the man try and do something to Gabriella, whatever it had been, and the resulting slap was hard to sit and listen to. Seth wasn't use to being weak, he was never the kind of man to sit and ignore something that made him angry, but he was forced to and he knew deep down Gabriella wouldn't want him intervening, especially in his condition. It didn't stop the Lycan from seething with anger, his face twisted in a low growl and he gripped the sheets below him on the bed. When Gabriella returned he watched as she went over and sat in front of a vanity mirror, he wasn't sure if she knew he was awake but he was watching and he could see that she was worried about something, perhaps the man had put hands on her.

The thought of some dirty bastard putting his hands on her and the man forced himself out of bed and onto his feet, ignoring the bit of pain, though the pain wasn't bad to begin with. He could walk a bit better now and as he made his way over to Gabriella he spoke in a low voice, not wishing to startle her. "I nearly got myself up and came out to see what was happening... I figured you could take care of yourself but I was tempted nonetheless..." His voice was indeed low but the raw anger was obvious, the hotheadedness of his Lycan blood peeking its head out and really making him look like a bit of a different person. Not that he was going into the blood rage, that hadn't been seen since he awoke, but he was worried and it was obvious by the was he stood behind her, his eyes soft when looking at her even when his temper was flaring. "But tell me Gabriella, who was the man that dared do such a thing to you? Was he one of your brothers thugs?" He was baffled that anyone was allowed to do such things to the female VanBuran, it was frankly unacceptable whether he could succeed or not and if he had his way the man would be battered and bruised for treating a woman in such a way, especially one he was fond of.
 
She sat before the vanity. Green eyes looking at the cool smooth surface of the oval mirror, but the image was flawed. She could not see herself in the reflection. As it had always been so. No matter how often she was called 'beautiful', she was cursed to never see what others saw. Wandering thoughts seemed to calm her down a tad, but the soft sound of Seth's voice from behind was even more comforting. Her eyes looked down into her lap as he spoke on. As he brought up the question as to who the man was she looked up and turned to look him in the eyes. "You do not have to worry Seth. He is... he is a friend of my brothers. His father also happens to be on the council, making him... a very important man." She could tell that he would not let it end there. "This happens on occasion. He is just another hot blooded male with a love for power and he finds entertainment... in blood shed. Just like my brothers." With a slight sight she took Seth by the hand and walked him back over to the side of the bed where she sat, giving him the option to sit if he please. "My brothers think that he is just playfully flirting. They often suggest I get to know him better and have spoken of us seeing one another more often. An idea I find idiotic since I have no interest in the pompous, air headed, lecherous beast that is Victor Wallace."

Again she realized she had spoken too much. She grew somewhat of a smile that spoke of her last effort to tie the ends of his worrying. "It is nothing new Seth, and nor will it be the first or last time. So let me do the worrying and you... you just relax. If it will help, have dreams of crushing his skull with ease. Just... just relax for me." Again her fingers rake through his soft tendrils and the palm of her cool hand cupped his cheek for a few seconds before she took the hand and had it resting into her lap. "You have your own things to worry about, leave me to mine." She gave him a feeble reassuring smile and stood up from the side of the bed. "Now, my brother will be here any moment and do not be surprised if he ends up wanting to lunge in my ante chamber. No matter what you hear... do, not, leave, this, room. All will be well. I am not a damsel in distress Seth." She bit back a small humble laugh and placed a kiss upon his cheek. "Just relax." She said softly before leaving the room once more. One heavy sigh later she was out of her room and roaming the halls once more. Snagging her lower lip between her teeth with a bit of a nervous smile, running through what she had just done.

She was lounging in her parlor room and so lost in her thoughts she did not even hear the knock upon the open door announcing her brother's arrival. Her brother stood before her and caught her attention and she smiled wide and bright and caught her brother in a hug. He hugged her and lifted her in the air and he had her laughing. The strong young male hoisted her over his shoulder and she was laughing and her closed fists were hitting at his back. "Put me down Gabriel! This is not the way a lady should be held!" She laughed as he carried her up the stairs and had the doors opened to her ante chamber. "Funny, I see no lady. I see my little sister." He finally set her down and she was allowed to sit in a chair and he sat in another across from her. "So... I presume you are not here to tell me that, that stupid war is over and you've finally let the lycan's have their peace?" She knew the slight downturn that this conversation would create. "Gabriella, we let you have your fun, but these animals are..." Gabriella laughed and tried to stop. "I am sorry, did you say 'animals'? I think them far from animals, since they are intellectual being who could wage a war with beings such as us and keep it up so well. An animal is an inhuman, brutish beast... I could name a few 'animals' within our own home." She wore a charming smile and a sweet tone bound to annoy the crap out of him rather easily.

"Gabriella, do not start this again." Gabby feigned a look of innocence. "I know not what you speak of Gabriel. Never mind the fact that Damion, Jacob, Adam, and yourself all work so hard from within the soft and cozy confines of your homes while our family and friends throw their lives away over some ancient argument." Gabriel groaned and threw his head back upon the soft surface of the chair and massaged his temples as his eyes closed. "You are killing me Gabriella." She smiled once more and sighed. "Oh no, no, no dear brother is you who are doing the killing... to so many.... others." Even her brothers could not find the words to try and argue with their sister. Gabriella was known to be their mother's duplication. A touch so soft and a tongue so lethal. "Gabriella... I will talk with Damion, but..." She laughed once more and stood up from her chair and walked over to her brother's and stood behind his chair, leaning over as she spoke. "You are a terrible, terrible liar Gabriel. All four of you are far too thick headed and prideful to call off this war. Let me ask you this Gabriel... what if I... was completely neutral and... I went with the Lycans. Would you kill me too?" Her words dripped with a silent dare and a bit of anger she tried to hold back. "That is a dangerous question Gabriella. Where are you getting with this?" She took a moment and sat on the arm of his chair and placed a cool hand upon her brothers. " I was just curious Gabriel... calm down. How long will you be staying?" She asked with a little laugh. "Just this one day. I head out tomorrow evening to meet up with Adam."She wrapped her arms around her brother and placed a cold kiss on his cheek. "I will leave you to your business then. You know my home is, of course your home. I will be here, I am... fairly tired and seek a little time to myself while there is still a moment of peace outside of my home." It was another small slap in the face but her brother returned the kiss on the cheek. "I will see you again later Gabriella." He said as he walked out of her room. She left him with a smile and barred the door once he left. Plopping herself in the chair before the fireplace with a sigh of relief. Nothing had really been accomplished, but she had pushed a few buttons and it was bound to spread to her other brothers.
 
Gabriella's attempts to soothe his anger did nothing but make him more irritated than before, the thought that the man was allowed to treat her in such a way due to his friendship with her brothers and his father's influence was disgusting. It didn't help that Gabriella seemed to be trying to convince herself it was fine at the same time, her soft voice telling him to relax over and over when she seemed more shaken by the entire event than he did. It was just how things worked, for Seth anger and rage were part of his nature, he was able to control himself a majority of the time no matter how much he wanted to smash someone's head open. For Gabriella that was no doubt a different story, the elegant woman deserved respect and when she received none from a man so 'powerful' through connections it had to be difficult to handle. It didn't help him calm down hearing her brother would be arrived soon either, the fact that one of the men who allowed his sister to be treated that way would be arrived angered him more than thinking about him as a VanBuran. It was funny how that sort of thing worked, how his emotions were more easily tampered with when he knew Gabriella was from his past as opposed to her being in the family responsible for his brothers death.

The Lycan was stubborn though, he didn't want to simply let it go but as she took his over and they sat on the bed he began to calm, her touch making the beast within him docile like a puppy and before long he was simply looking at her with nothing more than a small smile, nodding to her instructions. "I know you are not a damsel in distress but that doesn't mean I can't worry..." The kiss on his check ended the conversation and Seth just sighed and tried to relax as she asked him to, watching her leave the room. The male took a calming breath before standing up and walking back over to the plate of food, picking a good bit up and chewing on it with a pouting face, he was still not so happy and relaxing wasn't in his nature, especially now that he was able to walk relatively well, though the pain was still a bit distracting. The food helped take his mind off of it even if just for a moment though and he fell back on the bed, careful not to get crumbs everywhere. He wasn't really tired after the good night sleep, so as he laid there he waited, kind of hoping the ante chamber would soon become interesting with the addition of her brother, as Gabriella had warned might happen.

The Lycan just laid there for a bit, staring up at the ceiling lost in thought, unsure how much time had passed before it finally happened, he heard someone come into the ante chamber. The voice wasn't familiar but he knew who it was immediately, Gabriella's initial statement making that abundantly clear. The response however was not a pleasing one to hear for the Lycan, being called a beast made him angry but Gabriella defended his people without hesitation even in the face of her brother. It wasn't exactly a tame sibling relationship, both Gabriella and Gabriel remaining civil in tone but their words striking at each other, especially the female VanBuran. She was so relentless that the male was lost for words at one point, even trying to get her off his back by saying he would speak to the oldest brother, a man Seth hated more than anyone else. If anything he would just like to meet the man face to face one day and see what he had to say for his monstrous acts, what he had to say for the death of his brother. It wouldn't end with that though, in Seth's mind it ended after the Lycan ripped the Vampire's head from his shoulders and one day if he had the chance he would do just that.

Gabriella surprised him when she spoke of going with the Lycan's, it was a question that seemed to catch Gabriel by surprise as much as it took Seth by surprise. Sure she had mentioned something similar but he hadn't taken it seriously, she was a VanBuran and it was obvious despite it all that she loved her people and her family. Part of him was happy to hear her say it even if there was no intention behind the question, the very idea of her joining him when he left and going to the Lycan's a good one. It would be an odd thing though, his people wouldn't be so happy to hear it as many of them hated all vampires after the raids on their villages and the death of their children and loved ones. Regardless they did respect the DeLune family, they could be convinced but it wouldn't be an easy thing. He did not think of it too much, instead standing from the bed when he heard the ante chamber door be bared and the sigh from Gabriella. The Lycan walked into the room slowly and looked at Gabriella as he walked around and sat in the other chair, ignoring the faint scent of filth from her brother. "I wish you would be more careful, you no doubt will have some extra eyes on you after saying those things... Regardless though, thank you for defending my people, many think us beasts as your brother does, our outward appearance when we turn immediately makes them think of us as mere savages..." He knew he should have stayed in her room but he couldn't help but come in, the door was barred so he could get away if he had to.
 
( Pardon the compact length. My muse seems to have eluded me this evening.)

She heard as the werewolf approached and took a seat in the chair across from her. His stubbornness, oddly enough, matched her brothers. Of course that thought would never see the light of day. She was not surprised to hear his words of caution. Of course she had to be careful. If her brothers wanted. They could kill her or have her disowned from the family. Of course many of her people thought the lycans as beasts, mostly based on their looks and the added rage they showed when angered. "You and I both know I can never go with you. I'd be ripped apart at the seams, no offense." She quickly added. "Just as I could never take you with me, you would be bled dry and mounted on a wall." On a good note, he was walking much better. Or course she wouldn't know of the pain unless she asked. An idea did pop into her head though. First she had to see if it was even possible in the first place. When her brother left, then yes it would be easily possible, but still she did not wish him to go. However he would be much safer healing within the confines of his own home. "Just know this Seth, I know I an help you people in one way. If I get word of oncoming attacks, the least I can do is pass on word. I do not know how many lives it will take but I can win more than a few hearts over in that council and have something changed. I can tell you that the servants within my own walls, while they may not have the same opinion of you, tired of this war. Sadly I can not say the same for the knights that my brother have stationed all around."

Oh so true. His concern was nothing short of sweet, but their relationship was far beyond the norm for this point in time. One way or another, they had to part ways and simply hope for the best. Gabby had no idea how she was going to go about her small plight with her brothers, but one thing was for sure. It would entail a trip outside of these walls. She found herself staring into the fire once more. Ripping those green orbs away and looking at Seth. "You're walking rather well." She pointed out. Hinting at the inevitable moment soon to come. "As much as I would love to keep you here, the moment you think you can ride a horse or trek back to your home, I suggest doing it." The thought sucked. It may well be the last time she saw him when he left. Why did she have to remember such things. They were not even halfway through the night yet and she felt weighed down by something. She wanted to do... SOMETHING..... anything, but she did not know where to begin. Someone had to have the solution. The answer to this all. "Just thinking about this all makes my head ache." Was there no off switch to her mind? One thought led to another, and then another. Like how that pompous lewd boy was walking the halls of her home while her brother was visiting and tending to things. Probably scouting the lines of the battlefield, where he would find no one. What she wouldn't give to sleep for a century or two. Many have done it. It does not guarantee you will be fit to live when you awaken. Lack of blood would cause you to weaken, but when asleep long enough some could see the world through the eyes of others. Again her mind was wandering and she almost forgot that Seth was in the room.
 
Seth understood where Gabriella was coming from, she was a vampire and he was a lycan, it would be difficult for either of them trying to integrate with the others people and in their current situation near impossible. He would like to think he had the power to protect her if she really decided to go with him but even he wasn't confident, his people trusted him but many hated vampires to such an extreme that it wouldn't matter, and he was usually one of them. It seemed the experience of near death and meeting a friend had softened his opinion a bit, not completely but enough that he was attempting to separate the people from their species in his mind, the citizens from her brothers and their knights. "I understand it would be near impossible for either of us to survive near the other species but uttering those word really could get you in trouble, they could even be looking for reasons to drag you away from the border." No doubt they wished to have the keep for supply purposes, to control it and use it as a military launch point but at the same time if they wanted Gabriella to get to know Victor or any other 'friend' having her away from the front lines would help to that end as well. As far as Seth was concerned even if they didn't see each other again he wanted her to be happy.

Seth smiled as she mentioned sending them word of impending attacks, it was a sweet gesture but it wouldn't be so easy, secret messengers and both would have to hope her brothers didn't get word of what she was doing. "I would appreciate the warning but if you ever did such a thing you would need to be incredibly careful, if anyone found out you would be punished severely and my people could be hit worse than ever with misinformation." He did appreciate the idea but unless it was executed precisely it would be to risky than the reward of knowing when things were coming, besides it could cause them to become lax in defending their borders if they believed they would always know what was coming. It could be worked out, he would have to be back home before it mattered though, quell the civil panic and aristocratic struggle for power. His health was the more immediate concern and he couldn't do a damn thing until he was better, "I can walk but it still hurts quite bad and I think running is out of the question. If I need to leave I could at any time, though another day would probably be good so I can move a bit faster if discovered, horse or not I could always end up having to make part of the escape on foot and that isn't possible yet.

It seemed Gabriella could use some time off from the conversation and he had no reason to continue thinking about it either, for now they should both be enjoying the moment as perhaps it would be the last time they met. "Then don't think about, perhaps one day a solution will be found but I doubt it will be today or tomorrow, so for now we can both relax." He didn't actually say it but he wanted to enjoy his time with her because it could be the last time, though he did like to think fate had brought them back together now and it could again, but it was unlikely. The male lycan looked at Gabriella, the light from the fire only making her look more beautiful, the natural feel in the room so comfortable, though she seemed out of it. "Gabriella, perhaps you should go lay down, you seem rather stressed and contemplating unanswerable questions will not help, it will only make it worse." He didn't know how to reduce her stress, usually talking to people helped but both of them had lives centered around horrible things and it was hard to find good moments in all of that. Truthfully though, for Seth, being with her was one of those times, a time that he would be able to think about where due to the circumstances he was unburdened.
 
Her smile grew by a hair as he spoke of her being careful. "Careful? As in I am now hiding a lycan in my bedroom careful?" She had to laugh at that one. "I ran into the woods as a child and made friend with my family's enemy. I took in, what has to be, the most powerful lycan I have ever laid eyes upon. All the while knowing that he could easily rip my throat out. The very same lycan that now occupies my bed, and harbors a soft heart beneath that seemingly dangerous physique. We may have to find another word other than 'careful'. She was somewhat relieved to hear that he was still in no condition to leave her home. With the internal pain going on she could only imagine riding on the back of a horse would be heinous and excruciating with the movement. It was nice to hear a change of topic as Seth tried to get her to relax from all of her thinking. She had dine quite a number on her head by the time he suggested she lay down. As nice as that sounded it would have have made her feel better to remain in his company. His company proved comforting and here she was over thinking things in his company. Although it was probably best for the two to head to her bed chambers if they were to continue conversing.

Better safe, than sorry. "I will, on the condition that you come with me. I doubt I'll be able to just pass out, so a little light conversation would relax me." She said with a coaxing half smile before she stood up from her chair and walked past the handsome being and into her bed room. The bed looked so inviting and Gabriella was never one to turn down the sweet and silent invitation. Slippers were removed from her petite feet before she sat upon the edge of the bed and made herself comfortable and laid down on her side, facing Seth's side of the bed. Green orbs were hazy with weariness. She waged a silent battle with the drowsiness that seemed to overcome her relaxed form. "One day I asked my brother Damion, when I was still a little girl mind you, what would happen if a lycan and a vampire fell in love." She could hear her little voice repeating those very same words in her head and a small laugh escaped her lips, followed by a sigh. "He said that such a thing was impossible." He also said that if a vampire fell in love with a lycan, it was called bestiality. "It seems like an impossible feat, at first, but I like to think that some day it will not be all that impossible. I mean... look at us. We're friends." In her eyes she could not have made better friend, even if she tried.

Another day or two, she had him. Her mind ceased its incessant throbbing and it was finally relaxing. She was not in love with the lycan, but he was a great friend to have. All be it, he was very, very handsome. He was just a friend. Anything done to disturb the peace she held right now would have been met with a swift punishment. She needed this moment, desperately. "So..." A slight change of topic. "You went looking for me after that first night?" It was a cute thought. She could only imagine how he felt. She would have thought the girl was a mere dream. It would have been nice to relive that moment once more. "I can not fall asleep right now." She sighed. "Not with my brother here and Victor." You could hear the weariness in her voice. Esily note her half laden eyes.
 
She had a point, hiding him was not the act of a careful person, especially when she hadn't known who he was. Even when she found out he was the leader of the Lycan she had kept him around and seemed more interested in doing what she believed to be right than keeping herself safe. So perhaps careful wasn't the best word to describe her but it was what he wished she would be. It was also a situation where a very careless person was instructing another to be careful, as if he had a right to talk, his actions always being done in the heat of the moment. He did think some things out but not nearly enough and he would have to do well in the future to act with some care. Of course mention of the bed got him attention a bit, it had been true that they had slept in her bed together and that he had been everywhere in her room which made him a bit nervous, not simply because of the fact that she was beautiful but he had to hope that his scent didn't get embedded into anything and detected by one of the other vampires, especially her brother or Victor. He was not sweating or in a rage though so it was unlikely a strong scent would find its way into her fabrics but he would need to be discrete and try to ensure nothing of the sort happened. It didn't help thinking about both of those men, and following his own advice Seth began to relax and let the heavier thoughts float away and to enjoy the moment.

The bed took center of his mind again when she told him to come with her as she laid down, apparently needing some company in order to get to sleep. He nodded, obliging her wish being easy to do and it would help keep him calm as well. "Sure, though I am not sleepy so I am afraid I could drone on a bit as you try and slumber." The male followed Gabriella into the room, her graceful form gliding into the bedchambers and swiftly onto the bed as he moved in a more normal way. The bed was inviting before Gabriella got on but as she slid on her side and waited for him it called him all the more like a Siren and he was unable to resist, walking over and plopping himself down on his side of the bed. "Yes we are friends and I think one day it could be possible for such a thing to happen and for all I know it already has, but it is a hard thing to believe living in the way we do, in constant struggle against each other, Lycan against Vampire and all because of something that happened so long ago. The amount of transgressions built up since then has only fueled the fire and few can even be friends as we are now, much less lovers." It hurt somewhat to think about love, he had never experienced such emotions for another, his life full of hardship and barriers, his brother had found such a thing but it had been taken from him the day of his death, not only his life but the life of the woman he loved, a woman Seth had liked.

Love was a difficult topic, it had different degrees and changed in every situation, all he knew for sure was he didn't understand the concept, friendship he could understand, wanting to spend time with someone, he was in that mood with Gabriella, but love, it was foreign. A change in topic was welcomed, even if it was an embarrassing memory of Seth's past, and he nodded before answer, "Yes I did, for several nights in fact and finally my brother came and got me, he told me I had been seeing things or whoever it was had figured out what I truly was. It was actually quite hard to understand back then, I had thought myself mad until recently when I put it all together." A small smile cracked on his face, he had thought it was but a dream when he woke up in her keep, the revelation changing all that but it still seemed rather surreal. "I definitely recall that single night with fondness though, it has always been one of the few pleasant memories I have to look back on, one of the few real treasures in my mind, though seeing you again gives me a few new peaceful memories to recall in future days." Seth didn't care if she couldn't sleep, she seemed more relaxed and he was certainly in a comfortable mood so he would just talk and let Gabriella do whatever she wished.
 
The night seemed to be going at an unusually slow pace. Agatha had knocked upon her chamber door once to inform her that her brother was sending a message to Damion. This was either very bad or very good. She had calmed down significantly and did not wish to bring back the bout of nervousness that she had before. Sleep never greeted her and the conversation she held with Seth and another nice moment. Again the pale figure had to leave the room and headed downstairs to look about and spotted her brother, through the cracked door of her parlor room and she gave him a smile. A smile that soon ebbed away as she opened the door completely when she found Victor in the same company as Gabriel. "Preparing to leave early tomorrow evening?" She asked as she stood at the side of the comfortable high back chair that her brother now occupied. "Yes, yes we are. Victor and I will be heading over to Damion's tomorrow." Gabriel took his sister's hand into his own and gave it a squeeze as he looked up to her. "As much as I would love to spend more time with you, we have a little argument to settle." Gabriella had the urge to correct her brother on the fact that arguments did not consume lives, but wars did. Yet, Seth's words of caution happened to pop into her head. "Well..." She said as she leaned in a gave her brother a kiss upon his cheek, "I will leave you two to your plotting, I am going to head to my chambers a little early and relax before sunrise.

As the young vampiric woman walked over to the door her brother caught her attention by uttering her name. "What is wrong?" Gabriel looked to Victor. "Will you not tell Victor goodbye as well?" Her brother was expecting her to give Victor a kiss. "Fare well on your journey tomorrow, and I hope you sleep well." She gave him a curt bow and walked off before any more words could be uttered from either man's mouth. On the way up to her bed chambers she stopped Agatha and told the plump little old woman to have one of the other servant fill up the tub in the lavatory connected through a door in her ante chamber, with hot water and that she would be up shortly. Gabby hoped that Seth was in the bed and would think nothing of the servant entering her chambers. Meanwhile, she headed to the kitchen and took a few breads that were baking. Oh the aroma was so nice, but she could not taste it. Nothing tasted as it smelled, for her. Another curse to her kin. By the time she was done fooling around in the kitchen, she headed back upstairs and looked around the room, to find it empty and in the lavatory was a tub full of steaming water. A sigh of relief escaped her lips and the door was barred once more.

Gabriella walked into her bed chambers with a fairly lax smile and placed the bread on Seth's side table and sat on his side of the bed near the foot of it. This was going to be almost as awkward as the two of them sleeping in bed with one another, but it was not without purpose. "Okay handsome, come with me." She took him by the hand and took him through the ante chamber and through a door the led to the lavatory. The tub was large enough to fit two of Seth and sunken into the floor. One could see the steam lifting from the surface. Laying on the edge was a bar of soap, a rag, and a large plush cream colored towel. "This is for you. Take your time, and relax. This will also let me see how your wounds are doing once you're done, especially since you no longer need the bandages. I'll just be getting changed in my bed chambers, so no need to rush." With that out of the way, she left in a moment, silently cursing the rush of blood flooding her fair cheeks. Once in her own bed chambers she slipped out of her heavy gown and dawned something more comfortable. A long thin gown with long bell sleeves and a sweet heat neckline. She took to sitting before the fire, holding a goblet full of her own sustenance. Sipping on it as her mind wandered and her eyes stared into the fire. Some of the thoughts were enough to make her head hang in shame, but not this time. Yes, Seth was taking a bath. Yes, he had to be naked, but it was a natural reaction. She had yet to realize the trousers and that she had brought for him. It was an old pair of her father. They were bound to be a little loose, since her father was a fairly hearty man. If he wished to dawn his old clothes, than that was fine too, of course.
 
Seth was extremely disappointed when Gabriella left, he had been quite comfortable and having her around was a bit part of that. He understood that her brother being in the castle required some constant attention though and he wasn't going to whine of complain like some child just because she left the room for a time. Instead he rolled over on the bed and stared at the wall, getting a bit comfortable as he awaited her return. It was not really a happy wait. In the times in which she was around, in which they were talking, he could think happy thoughts, he could keep his spirits up and actually smile a bit. Yet in the times when she left the room and let Seth sink into his own thoughts it wasn't so pleasant, his mind wandering to different things, from having to leave Gabriella to having to return to his people at each others throats. It was all such a mess. That was the way life was though, that was the way it had always been, and while having Gabriella around and lounging in her castle was pleasant, it wasn't exactly reality, it was a brief recess from the harsh war, a separation from the death and destruction being caused by both sides. It was a hard thing to ignore when alone.

Someone coming into the room caused him to perk up, listening to see if it was Gabriella coming back like some puppy listening for its master. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him but Seth didn't much care what he seemed to be, he was just hoping she would come back sooner rather than later, because left to his own devices Seth would become depressed or sour. It wasn't her though and while he didn't move he became very on edge at the sound of someone else in her room, so close to discovering the secret she had been hiding, him. Luckily whoever it was didn't enter her room, something he should have expected considering Gabriella's position, but the sound of the door closing let him drop him guard again. That was until another opened the door, but as if he was really a dog he knew, before she even came back in the room he knew, the smell of fresh bread and soft footsteps, it was her. She seemed to be torturing him though, placing the piping hot bread down on the table next to him only to drag him away second later. She should have known that with his nose he would smell it wherever she took him, the scent filling his nostrils but him being unable to eat it, that was torture to a hungry man.

The smell was nothing compared to what came next though, a hot bath, it was an uncomfortable sight. Not that Seth was afraid of bathes or water but he always bathed in a cold stream or lake, it had been a very long time since he used hot water for anything other than making tea. He said nothing, only looking at the tub of water, even being called handsome once again didn't cushion his discomfort. He waited for Gabriella to leave, not saying a thing about his dislike of the current predicament. When she was out of the room he took a deep breath, throwing off the dirty rags his clothing had been reduced to, to the ground. It took him a moment but eventually he went over to the water, slowly lowering himself into the steamy pool and trying to let his body relax, something that proved less difficult than he imagined. In fact it seemed to relax his muscles quite a bit, and while it stung at first the wounds on his body slowly felt better as well. That wasn't all a bath was though, Seth knew that much. It had been awhile since he had a full bath, his constant appearance on the battlefield and living conditions making it more of a luxury than most of them could afford on a daily and sometimes weekly basis. Being around Gabriella he wanted to smell pleasant though, her sense of smell maybe not being as keen as his own but no doubt the stench was unpleasant to her nose. So with that in mind he slowly scrubbed his body, removing the blood and dirt, and finally using the soaps and other things left for him to ensure he smelt quite nice.

When he finally stepped out of the bath he felt almost oddly clean, his entire body dirt and grime free, as well as smelling of some sort of fragrant flower, not exactly his smell of choice but it was better than body odor. That was when wearing his old clothing made him sigh, they were dirty and smelly and would defeat the purpose of bathing. Luckily for him Gabriella had set a clean pair of pants out for him, a pair he quickly slipped on. Now they were a bit large on him but he could walk around without the pants falling and that was good enough. Of course it dawned on him that there was no shirt but perhaps that was because she wished to see the wound. So without hesitation he walked out of the room and back to Gabriella's room, his hair still a bit wet and his revealed muscular form glistening with remnants of the bath, it was a dangerous sight. "Thank you for the bath and providing the pants, I feel much better." He was oblivious to his current look, his ignorance in that sort of situation making him unable to see the problem with being a tad wet in nothing but pants in front of her.
 
She sat upon the surface of the bed with various medicinal supplies laid out at her side. There was no need for most of them, but she would not be sure until she got to survey his wounds one more time. They could only cross their fingers for the internal damage to repair itself, which seemed to be doing rather well since he seemed to be walking with considerably less pain than before. A folded shirt sat in her lap, for Seth to where when she was done. Nice, clean, and breathable. The hostess was pulled out of her thoughts by a sight she had not seen coming. Instantly she felt idiotic. A warmth alien to her kin seemed to flood the skin of her cheeks as her spoke. All she could think was: Oh my. A deep breath was much needed and certainly taken advantage of as he approach her. She hardly caught his opinion of the pants and caught herself staring at him a second to long before she ripped her green orbs away from the sinfully appealing sight and began idly fiddling with the instruments on the bed. "Sit... you are making it very hard to concentrate looking like that." She had to admit it. "Let me start with your back." Maybe she would have collected herself before tending to the front - where he could see her. Gabriella tried to find a reason for her sudden... nervousness?

Arousal. Plain and simple. Almost as second nature as breathing. Especially when in the company of someone who looked so.... appealing. That paired with the fact that they were friends. Never mind that he was a lycan. That was no longer a make or break fact between her and who ever she came across. If he sat upon the edge of the bed, she would get a good look at his back. A bit of water still damp on his skin. It almost felt odd to touch him. A finger trailing along the edging of where his healing wound was. It resembled nothing like what she had first seen, which was wonderful. She applied a bit of pressure and wanted to see if he felt any obvious pain. She took her time. Probably a little more than necessary. The contours of his muscular figure were almost memorized by her finger tips as they ghosted along the skin of his back. A small dot of cream was lightly applied to the surface of his healing wound and gently rubbed in before she wiped her hands clean and a small sigh of relief escaped her lips. "Okay, of course, it's looking far better."

She crawled off of the bed with the ointment in a jar. Standing on the edge of the bed. Taking a small rag in hand and dabbing the remnants of moistness around the area where his wound once was. Taking great care not to look him in the eyes, because she was a little frightened what effect it may have on her. Why? She had no clue. Again her fingers pressed along the edging of the wound. Her ears listening for a grunt or a his of minor pain while her eyes kept watch for an easy tear in his flesh. None of which she got. After that was done she coated her finger with a pit of the ointment and rubbed it upon the wound until his skin soaked it up. The shirt was picked up from the bed and placed in his lap and she crawled back on the bed. Gathering up her supplies and placing them on her own side table before slipping beneath the covers. Her nerves were still somewhat shaken, but they ebbed down a bit once she was done tending to him. His body was certainly something to be marveled. No male she had know every dawned such a build and did make things clear that he was a very powerful person and no one to be trifled with. I also made her think about how such a strong man could have such a sweet, though conflicting, personality. "So... how long do you give yourself before you will be leaving?" The earliest he could leave was tomorrow, but still... she would have loved to keep his company a little longer. she would not admit it out loud, but this bed was going to feel a tad empty when he was gone.
 
Seth usually didn't catch on to what people were inferring and Gabriella's comment wasn't anything special. In fact he simply smiled when she told him he was making it hard to concentrate, figuring she meant him being so far away or standing above her made it difficult to see his wounds. Of course his wounds were practically gone, the remnants being some small scratches and red skin, the new flesh still a bit raw and sore. "Alright, I don't think your going to have to do much though, the only real damage left is under the surface and even that should be mostly better by tomorrow." Seth quickly sat on the edge of the bed, his back to her and he leaned forward a bit to give her easy access. He wasn't worried about his wounds though, the way it went with Lycan such as himself made them heal quickly and while they could be killed by a pierced heart or decapitation they healed much faster if they lived. Even with his wound he had only suffered normally for a day, maybe not even that. Now he was nearly ready to leave the castle, he would soon be well enough to depart from her side. Her touch felt good though and he couldn't help but relax a bit as her fingers traced along his back, she was gentle, a trait he never believed Vampires could be, but once again he was proved wrong and glad to be wrong. Gabriella was nearly perfect in his eyes, her lineage made it seem a bit star-crossed. Despite that she was kind and strong at the same time, her acceptance of his kind into her castle having started those thoughts even before he learned who she was.

When he felt ointment he stopped his silly thoughts and took a deep breath, the coolness of it being quite soothing, and while he had been sore it seemed to help rid him of that annoyance. When she placed shirt the shirt on his lap he felt mixed emotions, on one end he liked having her staring at him, he wasn't entirely sure why but it made him smile to see her looking at him so shyly. He also wanted a shirt for his own comfort though, having to sleep nest to her without a shirt on, well, that had the potential to be rather embarrassing. "Thank you." He decided to go ahead and put it on, slipping the shirt over his head and down onto his body, covering most of the muscle beneath but it was there and even through the shirt it was obvious how muscular his form was. Seth followed Gabriella as she slipped under the covers, not getting under them with her but turning over on his side, getting as comfortable as he could and looking at the woman laying next to him, not tired enough to just go to sleep and hoping that she would speak to him for a bit longer before they both went to bed for the night, as it would possibly be the last night they ever spent together.

"I think if I need to I can make my escape tomorrow, my recovery has been good and while it would be difficult to escape a chase on foot it would no longer be impossible for me to do so. Also since I will no longer be bleeding there will be no trace for anybody to follow and if I am lucky nobody will even see me as I cross the border." He wasn't happy to say that, leaving the next day was not what he wanted to do but as Gabriella had stated, and as he knew, the longer he stayed the more danger he would put both of them in and the longer his people would go on believing their leader was dead. "I will miss you when I am gone Gabriella, it has been a long time since I felt so comfortable around anyone and most of my others friends have long since been taken by this war. I wish we had more time before I had to leave, perhaps if the wound was greater." A small smile came on his face, he was only jesting but part of him wished it had been, wished he was still lying in bed unable to walk well, wished that he was human for once so his healing was not quite as quick. For a moment he just looked at her, his eyes soft in a way very few had seen and even fewer caused, he would definitely miss her. She brought out a side of him long since buried beneath hatred, reverted him to his true self, and while it wouldn't last he enjoyed it as he laid next to her.
 
His points were valid and also a little disappointing, only because it was true that he could and would leave tomorrow. There was little she had to worry about. A hand reached forth from beneath the covers and the tips of her fingers ghosted over his shirt. Tracing out the area where is wound once was. "It was a lucky shot. And I bet you could take on an army. At least that is what I will tell my self so that I do not worry." She looked from his shirt covered chest and into those eyes. She trapped a little laugh behind the lip trapped between her teeth as he jested about his wound. She could not help but lea forward and gave him a light kiss on the cheek before settling back in her place on the bed. "I will miss you too Seth, but you know where to find me. You're always welcome to my home. You just have to brave a few guards and a battlefield to get here." She bantered, "But you are welcome none the less." She was far from eager to see him leave. For that one moment she forgot that there was a war waging between their families. "I wish you didn't have to go. I also wish that my family was not so stupid, but that is no closer to being achieved, now is it?" She found herself thinking back on when he had first arrived here. "When I first saw you I thought you were just going to be a grudge holding, stubborn, and revenge hungry lycan. I could not believe that one of my kind managed to land a lethal blow on such a powerful being. If the fates wished you dead then my people would not have brought you here, and for that I am very grateful." It was true.

"I hope that this is not the last time that I see you." The odds had been in their favor thus far. Maybe it will continue to be in such a way. But oh how wrong was she. Needless to say, her brother Gabriel was already having thoughts about his sister's behavior. He spoke to the uards and found out just how much his sister had been aiding the lycans. Apparently they trusted her more than he and his brothers had thought. Rather than the handful she spoke of, she was aiding them by the dozens. It had no dent in their advances, but still it was something he would probably tell Damion when he reached his destination. Maybe he would speak to their little sister, or fit her with more guard just for added protection. Gabriel only cared fort he safety and well being of his sister. Not about the beasts she was playing doctor with.

Gabriella had never felt so relaxed in a while. "I'm almost afraid to go to sleep." She words were uttered in a soft, almost whispered like tone. Words meant for Seth and Seth only. "I guess I fear going to sleep and waking up to see you gone." She did not like the idea of a lack of good bye. The send off that they did not have before. She would only assume the worst if that actually happened. Maybe her brothers had gotten a hold of him or maybe he got ambushed on the way back home. A good send off meant that she could try and turn this war around and bring it to the abrupt halt that she desired.
 
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