Claire walked in on them in the middle of a disagreement and the tension was thick. Velentham stood at the door, Gilean on the couch, and Claire felt her energy begin to wane once more. Gilean didn't want to tell Velentham where Sanria lived. It was more than she could bear, and Claire took matters into her own hands, telling Velentham where he could find the sage.
Velentham had barely closed the door before Claire turned to find Gilean. The priest was in the back of the cottage, standing amidst the roses. "I'm sorry..." Gilean said, turning to face her. "I don't know why he upsets me so much."
'I can't do this, Gilean. You have me so upset right now... I just want to leave.'
"How have I upset you? I didn't try to tell him what to do. I just wasn't going to help him."
'It's one thing for him to be arrogant and haughty, it's completely another for you to be antagonistic. Telling him to watch out for himself because they'll be looking for him... what is wrong with you? You've only succeeded in reminding me what I was headed off in the first place.'
"Well, yes I'm angry at him, but I meant that. As upset as he makes me I don't want to see him dead. I'm not trying to antagonize him. Didn't you see how he kept trying to rile me? Now I won't stand for him trying to influence you. But I didn't mean to do anything to him. I just refused to help him do something I disapprove of."
'You don't think I felt him trying to influence me?'
"Oh, I... I didn't know. I just felt what he was doing and..."
'You felt you had to step in. I noticed.'
Claire felt her frustration mounting and her energy slipping away. Again, she turned to go back to her family, and again Gilean stopped her. "Tell me, what am I to do with him?" he asked with a pleading gaze.
'Nothing!!! Don't you understand that? That's exactly what I'm talking about! He's not your charge, Gilean!'
"You think it's wrong for me to choose not to help him if I disapprove?"
Claire walked back into the house. Things were going downhill fast. She questioned whether her feelings for Gilean were only there because he was gone for so long. 'Maybe you need to go back to the temple where you can take care of people that need it, Gilean.'
"Claire... Claire, I want to be with you. I want to marry you. I want us to have our family. I can't go back to being alone. Not after experiencing being with you. I need you, and I need our child. I know I'm not perfect but I can be a better person. Please, help me to do that. Don't give up on me... don't give up on us."
Claire sighed deeply. She leaned on Gilean again, her soul and body drained. One thing she wasn't - she was not a quitter. Velentham was gone. He didn't appear to be coming back. Perhaps there would be peace. She and Gilean could fix the problems, mend, heal, and get back to normal.
Coming Home
Claire asked Gilean not to come, but she should have known that no force could keep him away. He had traversed the Nine Hells to get back to her - so it really was no surprise to see him appear. "Claire, please. Let's go back home and we can talk."
'I don't want to talk to you right now, Gilean. I want to go to my home and have the time to think about this whole thing.'
"Claire, why won't you talk to me? How can we work through this if you're just going to go away?"
'Because I... I don't know if I want to be with someone who could do what you did. I don't know if I want to go back...'
Claire felt terrible looking at the tired face of Gilean. He was absolutely desperate. "But Claire... oh Claire. I need you. I am the same man. I've been worn so thin, but it's me and I need you. I crossed all that for you. I understand how I've hurt you. And I can understand needing time before everything will be ok. But how can we work through it if we're apart? Claire... I'll do anything. Please."
'What if you have another lapse of judgment? What if sometime down the road you are weary and do something else? Do you... truly even...' Claire trailed off. She couldn't bear to finish the sentence - he had hurt her so deeply.
"Claire, it's still me. You have to know that my intention wasn't..."
'I don't know... you got back here and came home to me and your soul is so... so... all over the place - as if you're trying to hold up part of the world and submerge the other part.'
"It is Claire... the memories of what I've put my family through, and having to deal with my people, and having to fight through hell, and Velentham... It's all so much."
Claire could see the weight that sat on Gilean's shoulders, still, it was hard for her to come to terms with what had happened. She knew, however, that no matter how much she wanted to leave, Gilean would follow, and she couldn't have him come back to her people with her. They would have to work it out.
They appeared back in at the cottage. Claire turned Gilean to her. 'Something has to give - and if I have to step away to let you work this out and make sense of it... I will.'
"No... if anything I need your help. You help to give me perspective."
'Then don't ever - ever - do that again... If you ever hurt someone like that... I promise you... I will go and not look back.'
Gilean held her tightly and Claire felt her strength wane. She said nothing to Gilean, but the child was sapping her more than even she thought it would. She put on the most normal face she could - but something was wrong.
'I don't want to talk to you right now, Gilean. I want to go to my home and have the time to think about this whole thing.'
"Claire, why won't you talk to me? How can we work through this if you're just going to go away?"
'Because I... I don't know if I want to be with someone who could do what you did. I don't know if I want to go back...'
Claire felt terrible looking at the tired face of Gilean. He was absolutely desperate. "But Claire... oh Claire. I need you. I am the same man. I've been worn so thin, but it's me and I need you. I crossed all that for you. I understand how I've hurt you. And I can understand needing time before everything will be ok. But how can we work through it if we're apart? Claire... I'll do anything. Please."
'What if you have another lapse of judgment? What if sometime down the road you are weary and do something else? Do you... truly even...' Claire trailed off. She couldn't bear to finish the sentence - he had hurt her so deeply.
"Claire, it's still me. You have to know that my intention wasn't..."
'I don't know... you got back here and came home to me and your soul is so... so... all over the place - as if you're trying to hold up part of the world and submerge the other part.'
"It is Claire... the memories of what I've put my family through, and having to deal with my people, and having to fight through hell, and Velentham... It's all so much."
Claire could see the weight that sat on Gilean's shoulders, still, it was hard for her to come to terms with what had happened. She knew, however, that no matter how much she wanted to leave, Gilean would follow, and she couldn't have him come back to her people with her. They would have to work it out.
They appeared back in at the cottage. Claire turned Gilean to her. 'Something has to give - and if I have to step away to let you work this out and make sense of it... I will.'
"No... if anything I need your help. You help to give me perspective."
'Then don't ever - ever - do that again... If you ever hurt someone like that... I promise you... I will go and not look back.'
Gilean held her tightly and Claire felt her strength wane. She said nothing to Gilean, but the child was sapping her more than even she thought it would. She put on the most normal face she could - but something was wrong.
Room With a View
Velentham sat in the room at the cottage, staring out the windows that overlooked the small garden at the back. He hated Gilean now. Truly and utterly hated him. His cousin and the purple being, Claire, had come to his rescue, but only after Gilean had tried getting him killed. Only Claire had prevented him from battling his cousin outright, but staying in their home was detestable to Velentham. He had to leave, and he would go where he knew he could be wanted.
Velentham walked into the living room to see Gilean on the couch. The lesser Celestial was busy trying to read, but Velentham knew his cousin was aware of his precense. "You know the sooner you tell me where she is, the sooner I get out of your house and life, right?"
"It has been pointed out to me that it might be none of my business what you do. After all you are not my responsibility. But it doesn't mean that I have to help you do something I disapprove of either."
"Well then, you won't mind if I go out and start asking around?"
"Why would I? You don't need my permission after all, right?"
"Done."
Velentham headed for the door. He didn't care what he had to do, he would find the information that he required. He had the door opened as Claire walked in. He would start here. With all the charm he could manage, he turned to her. "My cousin has decided not to help me find Sanria. You wouldn't happen to know the way to her home, would you?"
"Well... I do..."
"Velentham, don't you dare!" Gilean glared over at Velentham.
"What business is it of yours?"
"She is my wi... the woman I love. Don't you dare try to use her like that. Do you understand me?"
"Simply my way of doing things, no harm intended."
"He's trying to influence you to do what he wants," Gilean announced to Claire, his eyes boring into Velentham's skull.
"It wasn't intentional, cousin. We all do things we don't mean, don't we?"
Claire admonished the two of them and Velentham looked at her again with hope on his face. If she would just let him know, he would get out and never return. "You wish to know where she lives?"
"Yes," Velentham said, mentally adding, 'More than anything.'
"Will you be returning here once you've visited with her?"
"I don't believe my company is wanted."
"I can't... I can't sit here and listen to this," Gilean said.
"Then don't," Velentham snapped and looked back to Claire. "Will you help me, please?"
"Head west until you see a waterfall. Go behind it and you will be at her cavern. Please... do not use your charm on her. I hope you will give her the freedom to choose."
"Thank you," Velentham said, heading out the door.
Velentham walked into the living room to see Gilean on the couch. The lesser Celestial was busy trying to read, but Velentham knew his cousin was aware of his precense. "You know the sooner you tell me where she is, the sooner I get out of your house and life, right?"
"It has been pointed out to me that it might be none of my business what you do. After all you are not my responsibility. But it doesn't mean that I have to help you do something I disapprove of either."
"Well then, you won't mind if I go out and start asking around?"
"Why would I? You don't need my permission after all, right?"
"Done."
Velentham headed for the door. He didn't care what he had to do, he would find the information that he required. He had the door opened as Claire walked in. He would start here. With all the charm he could manage, he turned to her. "My cousin has decided not to help me find Sanria. You wouldn't happen to know the way to her home, would you?"
"Well... I do..."
"Velentham, don't you dare!" Gilean glared over at Velentham.
"What business is it of yours?"
"She is my wi... the woman I love. Don't you dare try to use her like that. Do you understand me?"
"Simply my way of doing things, no harm intended."
"He's trying to influence you to do what he wants," Gilean announced to Claire, his eyes boring into Velentham's skull.
"It wasn't intentional, cousin. We all do things we don't mean, don't we?"
Claire admonished the two of them and Velentham looked at her again with hope on his face. If she would just let him know, he would get out and never return. "You wish to know where she lives?"
"Yes," Velentham said, mentally adding, 'More than anything.'
"Will you be returning here once you've visited with her?"
"I don't believe my company is wanted."
"I can't... I can't sit here and listen to this," Gilean said.
"Then don't," Velentham snapped and looked back to Claire. "Will you help me, please?"
"Head west until you see a waterfall. Go behind it and you will be at her cavern. Please... do not use your charm on her. I hope you will give her the freedom to choose."
"Thank you," Velentham said, heading out the door.
Tailed
In truth, she knew she should have expected as much. Colin had been nothing but ever predictable and Sanria knew that the moment after telling him what happened that she would be shadowed ever after. Though she'd been avoiding Thasmudyan anyway, Colin was there every time she turned around. Even as she bathed, he watched over her, his fear based motivations ensuring that so long as Thasmudyan remained, her time would not be her own. Colin had confessed his jealousy, his desire to be able to share emotions with her as Thasmudyan now could. There was simply no way to convince him that such a thing was not necessarily positive.
The good thing to come out of all was the fact that the encounter absolutely worked for her pregnancy. Leandra was growing by leaps and bounds, at times causing Sanria to need sleep immediately to accommodate the pace. Orn, too was getting bigger, suddenly going from a toddler into a little boy - looking every bit of five.
It was a mere couple of days before Leandra made her way into the world. It shocked Sanria deeply, for her recollections of birth and all that followed after were non-existent. She begged for Colin to go get Thasmudyan to make the pain go away, but Colin would not relent in his insistence that she had done this before and her body knew what to do. He was right.
Finally done with the pregnancy and birth, Sanria watched Colin's face closely. The big man was enraptured with his daughter, her tiny hands, her small noises - he was in love. "You like this... you really do..." Sanria said, watching Colin swoon over his newborn.
"Well, maybe... I mean... look at her."
They brought Orn in to meet his new sister and the Stone family sat on the large bed looking at their newest member. Ready to go back to his bed, Orn looked over from the comfort of his father's arms. "Now you make a brother, ok." Sanria shook her head with a chuckle. Leandra would be the last. She would make sure of it.
The good thing to come out of all was the fact that the encounter absolutely worked for her pregnancy. Leandra was growing by leaps and bounds, at times causing Sanria to need sleep immediately to accommodate the pace. Orn, too was getting bigger, suddenly going from a toddler into a little boy - looking every bit of five.
It was a mere couple of days before Leandra made her way into the world. It shocked Sanria deeply, for her recollections of birth and all that followed after were non-existent. She begged for Colin to go get Thasmudyan to make the pain go away, but Colin would not relent in his insistence that she had done this before and her body knew what to do. He was right.
Finally done with the pregnancy and birth, Sanria watched Colin's face closely. The big man was enraptured with his daughter, her tiny hands, her small noises - he was in love. "You like this... you really do..." Sanria said, watching Colin swoon over his newborn.
"Well, maybe... I mean... look at her."
They brought Orn in to meet his new sister and the Stone family sat on the large bed looking at their newest member. Ready to go back to his bed, Orn looked over from the comfort of his father's arms. "Now you make a brother, ok." Sanria shook her head with a chuckle. Leandra would be the last. She would make sure of it.
Nightmare Reality
Velentham sailed downward, still clutching Claire and Gilean tightly, cursing. They landed softly and Claire took in a deep breath. 'They said they had word I was coming... cousin.' The voice was biting, and Claire looked up to see Velentham staring at Gilean.
'It wasn't... it wasn't what I intended.'
'Gilean?'
'They kept saying I was an esper. A troublemaking esper.'
'You wouldn't even stop to consider what you were doing. I just wanted to slow you down. Not... not...'
The reality crashed in on Claire and she looked to Gilean, her eyes pleading and skeptical. 'You told them he was an esper?'
'It was a bad decision. I told them it wasn't true.'
'Bad decision, huh?'
'Look, I felt terrible when I realized what I was doing... You, you just push me Velentham. You don't listen.'
Claire uttered a word and vanished into the cottage. She stood, frozen, in the living room - holding her breath. Gilean had sent the guards after his own cousin - telling them he was one of her kind. Her stomach turned in knots and threatened to upend on her. She had no further time to think as the sounds of shouting reached her ears. She appeared between the two men, her face angry. 'Stop. Now. The both of you should be ashamed of yourselves. I don't know what happened, but this... is ridiculous.'
'I know, I'm sorry,' Gilean replied.
'I know you're going to be wanted,' Claire said to Velentham. 'If you wish to stay with us you may, but only if you promise to stop doing this. No instigation.'
'He started this! Not me! He's the one butting into my life!'
'I know. But you must promise not to instigate if you stay.' Claire turned to Gilean, barely able to look at him. 'And you... must promise the same.'
'But... I just...'
'PROMISE! Both of you!'
With the cousins in loose agreement, Claire nodded. 'Then it is settled. Gilean, take him home and show him his room. I am going to think some things over. Do not come looking for me. I will be with my people.'
'What? With your people?' Gilean stepped toward her, but Claire held out a hand to stop him.
'I waited five months for you to come home... but I never thought I'd see a time where you used my people as a method to hurt someone else.'
'No, please... I didn't mean for...'
'How could you do such a thing?'
'I wasn't thinking. I... I didn't really think about it.'
'Try not to kill eachother.'
'But Claire... Please. Please don't go.'
Claire vanished in a flash of purple and appeared in the stormhorn Mountains overlooking a valley below. She looked down, a hand on her stomach, and sobbed. Whether or not she'd be going back, she didn't know. Claire only knew that she had never felt so hurt in all her life.
'It wasn't... it wasn't what I intended.'
'Gilean?'
'They kept saying I was an esper. A troublemaking esper.'
'You wouldn't even stop to consider what you were doing. I just wanted to slow you down. Not... not...'
The reality crashed in on Claire and she looked to Gilean, her eyes pleading and skeptical. 'You told them he was an esper?'
'It was a bad decision. I told them it wasn't true.'
'Bad decision, huh?'
'Look, I felt terrible when I realized what I was doing... You, you just push me Velentham. You don't listen.'
Claire uttered a word and vanished into the cottage. She stood, frozen, in the living room - holding her breath. Gilean had sent the guards after his own cousin - telling them he was one of her kind. Her stomach turned in knots and threatened to upend on her. She had no further time to think as the sounds of shouting reached her ears. She appeared between the two men, her face angry. 'Stop. Now. The both of you should be ashamed of yourselves. I don't know what happened, but this... is ridiculous.'
'I know, I'm sorry,' Gilean replied.
'I know you're going to be wanted,' Claire said to Velentham. 'If you wish to stay with us you may, but only if you promise to stop doing this. No instigation.'
'He started this! Not me! He's the one butting into my life!'
'I know. But you must promise not to instigate if you stay.' Claire turned to Gilean, barely able to look at him. 'And you... must promise the same.'
'But... I just...'
'PROMISE! Both of you!'
With the cousins in loose agreement, Claire nodded. 'Then it is settled. Gilean, take him home and show him his room. I am going to think some things over. Do not come looking for me. I will be with my people.'
'What? With your people?' Gilean stepped toward her, but Claire held out a hand to stop him.
'I waited five months for you to come home... but I never thought I'd see a time where you used my people as a method to hurt someone else.'
'No, please... I didn't mean for...'
'How could you do such a thing?'
'I wasn't thinking. I... I didn't really think about it.'
'Try not to kill eachother.'
'But Claire... Please. Please don't go.'
Claire vanished in a flash of purple and appeared in the stormhorn Mountains overlooking a valley below. She looked down, a hand on her stomach, and sobbed. Whether or not she'd be going back, she didn't know. Claire only knew that she had never felt so hurt in all her life.
Utter Confusion
'I AM NOT AN ESPER!'
The shout rang loudly and echoed against the city walls. Claire looked over at Velentham, remembering him instantly from the time she arrived in his plane, but finding herself startled at the glowing silver that came from his eyes and the rage that floated on his features. This did not bode well. He was surrounded. 'You'll be powering Lord Kefka's airships soon enough!' one of the guards yelled.
'I'll take every last one of you down if you try anything, do you hear me?! '
'I'm going to grab him,' Gilean said. 'Help cover me?'
Claire agreed and as soon as Gilean stepped away, her entire body lit in brilliant lavendar flames. 'He's not an esper. If you're looking for an esper, you've found me.'
'There's another!!!' yelled the guards.
Claire smiled and began to chant, around her fingers began to dance the crackle of electricity, the charge tingling within her.
'CASTER! SHE'S A CASTER!!!'
The barely let off the spell before one of the guards arrived with the full intention of knocking her off her feet. Quickly, she sidestepped the blow only to be grabbed from behind. She sent electricity into her assailant and looked over, noting for the first time that the guards had indeed gone into the city for their own caster. The wizard stood well back, chanting as the skies began to darken. 'Gilean! Hurry!!'
Claire watched, horrified, as Gilean and Velentham ran toward her with meteors screaming from the skies. 'Clare, go!' Gilean shouted.
'NO! Not without you!'
It was sudden and swift as Velentham took to the air, gripping Gilean in one arm and sweeping Claire from the ground with the other. They sailed high into the sky at phenomenal speed, dodging lightning as it flashed around them. 'Claire, get us home,' Gilean said.
Only with her full concentration did Claire manage to get the spell to function in just the last moment. The arrived high above the Druid's Grove, staring down at the tiny cottage that was home.
The shout rang loudly and echoed against the city walls. Claire looked over at Velentham, remembering him instantly from the time she arrived in his plane, but finding herself startled at the glowing silver that came from his eyes and the rage that floated on his features. This did not bode well. He was surrounded. 'You'll be powering Lord Kefka's airships soon enough!' one of the guards yelled.
'I'll take every last one of you down if you try anything, do you hear me?! '
'I'm going to grab him,' Gilean said. 'Help cover me?'
Claire agreed and as soon as Gilean stepped away, her entire body lit in brilliant lavendar flames. 'He's not an esper. If you're looking for an esper, you've found me.'
'There's another!!!' yelled the guards.
Claire smiled and began to chant, around her fingers began to dance the crackle of electricity, the charge tingling within her.
'CASTER! SHE'S A CASTER!!!'
The barely let off the spell before one of the guards arrived with the full intention of knocking her off her feet. Quickly, she sidestepped the blow only to be grabbed from behind. She sent electricity into her assailant and looked over, noting for the first time that the guards had indeed gone into the city for their own caster. The wizard stood well back, chanting as the skies began to darken. 'Gilean! Hurry!!'
Claire watched, horrified, as Gilean and Velentham ran toward her with meteors screaming from the skies. 'Clare, go!' Gilean shouted.
'NO! Not without you!'
It was sudden and swift as Velentham took to the air, gripping Gilean in one arm and sweeping Claire from the ground with the other. They sailed high into the sky at phenomenal speed, dodging lightning as it flashed around them. 'Claire, get us home,' Gilean said.
Only with her full concentration did Claire manage to get the spell to function in just the last moment. The arrived high above the Druid's Grove, staring down at the tiny cottage that was home.
Dream Come True
It had been several months, five, Claire reminded herself, with no word from Gilean at all. She stayed at the cottage, afraid to leave in case he returned, but she longed to go in search of him. To find someone who could help her locate her lover.
The idea of retrieving the necklaces and finding Kaliadra to traverse the planes crossed her mind more than once, but what if he didn't want to be found. Perhaps he had gone back and decided to stay. In the grand scheme of things, she didn't mean too much. Regardless, Gilean's absence was hard for her.
She spent her hours trying not to count her hours, reading spell books, gazing on the flowers Gilean had given her when he told her how he felt. Often times, she'd find herself crying - the purple flames that burned so brightly on her skin nothing more than a dull simmer.
It was difficult to admit that maybe, just maybe, she would never see him again. She would reach out, hopeful that she might be able to feel him with her mind if nothing else. The stillness that came back to her left her soul chilled.
The idea of retrieving the necklaces and finding Kaliadra to traverse the planes crossed her mind more than once, but what if he didn't want to be found. Perhaps he had gone back and decided to stay. In the grand scheme of things, she didn't mean too much. Regardless, Gilean's absence was hard for her.
She spent her hours trying not to count her hours, reading spell books, gazing on the flowers Gilean had given her when he told her how he felt. Often times, she'd find herself crying - the purple flames that burned so brightly on her skin nothing more than a dull simmer.
It was difficult to admit that maybe, just maybe, she would never see him again. She would reach out, hopeful that she might be able to feel him with her mind if nothing else. The stillness that came back to her left her soul chilled.
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