The fog that Sanria found her mind bathed in lifted as suddenly as the clearing of a summer rain. She sent Velentham away with a roar of her voice and to her relief, he went. She rushed down to see Colin and guilt flooded her. It was her past that had come back that had caused Colin to lose what memories he had. Her past that always seemed to cause trouble. She decided then and there to go out to find Gilean, to get Colin help.
She arrived at the cottage and stoped to look up at it for a moment. A long time prior this had been Emalia's house, and each time she walked her, it made her stop for a moment to think about her daughter. With a sigh she went to the door, but before she could knock, if flew open.
In an instant, Sanria's worst headache and nightmare stood there, looking shocked to see her. She felt sick, knowing there was nothing she could do to protect herself if Velentham decided to take her away. The breath caught in her throat and she took a step backward. "Please... don't go..."
It was a small relief to see Gilean step in front of Velentham, but not enough to keep Sanria from stumbling backward from the cottage. "Oh Sanria... Come, let's take a walk," Gilean said, and after ordering Velentham back into the cottage, he stood at Sanria's side.
"He told you what he did to Colin?"
"He told me... everything," Gilean replied, and he looked off with a sigh.
"Gods Sanria, I knew he was arrogant and foolish. I tried to keep him from bothering you... but I never expected those depths."
"Just tell me you can fix Colin..."
"I'll do anything and everything I can, I promise you that. I'm sure that Claire will be happy to lend any aid she can as well. Come, let me take you home. I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here right now."
The two arrived at the cavern and Sanria slowly walked toward the door. She spoke to Gilean with a heaviness in her heart, "If he can't be helped, I'm not going to subject him to my life again. He deserves much better."
"No, Sanria. Don't put yourself down."
"Gilean... I know my past. I know that it keeps seeming to come back for me. So... if I can let him have a life free from that, I will do it."
"I admit, I know little of your past other than more recent events," Gilean said, "But I'm guessing that Colin did?"
"Even he admitted that he sounded insecure... I don't want to make him that way ever again."
"That big man... insecure?"
Sanria turned to look at Gilean, her face deadly serious. "Deeply so. And with good reason."
Deal (1-2)
Velentham hadn't been paying attention to the time that passed since Gilean ordered him back into the cottage. He hadn't been paying attention to much at all. His mind was on Sanria as it often was. When he sat in his calmer moments, he wasn't sure what he was going to do to win back her trust. The hatred and fear that she had for him broke his heart. All he wanted was to get her back, but everything had fallen apart. Completely. He didn't know if the right thing was to leave her alone, or try to talk to her, or simply just take her away until she saw the truth of the situation. He did love her, but Velentham's pride was its own beast, and he couldn't handle losing.
He had been staring at the same page in his book when Gilean burst into the room. "You are going to fix what you have done," Gilean said, and Velentham turned to look at the lesser Celestial. He had a note clenched in his hand and looked highly upset, but no one talked to Velentham this way.
"Fix what?" Velentham asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Colin. I am going to bring him here. You are going to restore his memories. And then you are going to go. I don't give a damn where but it will be away from here."
"You come in here making demands of me? What has gotten into you? And what's that paper?"
"You come here and in the span of just a few days you manage to ruin not one but two pairs of lives. It's unbelievable. But you are going to fix at least one of them."
The argument was brutal and accusations flew. According to Gilean, everything that had transpired was Velentham's fault. Any prior thoughts Velentham had about doing the right thing went out the window. "Listen, cousin. If you think I'm sorry for what I've done - you don't know me at all. I might have considered undoing what I did for her, but with you coming in to give me hell? No. If anything, you've motivated me to go and do what I intended to do in the first place. I'll just take her and leave."
"You want to get back at me, prove me wrong. You show me that you can be better than what I think you can be. You prove to me that the things I've said about our people are not true."
"I don't have to prove anything to you, Gilean. You've shown me that. I don't look up to you, cousin. You're just not that important to me."
Velentham headed for the door. If Gilean wanted him out, he'd leave. He didn't know where he would go yet, but he would eventually go back and fix things with Sanria and win her over. He opened the door when Gilean's voice called out to him, "Velentham, you fix this or I will contact the tribunal."
Velentham hated Gilean deeper than he ever had at that moment. He stopped and turned back, grinning. "Now isn't that something. You proclaim you're such a good guy. My father died to get you back and buy your silence. You are willing to break an oath you gave to him. Some role model you are. Is that your policy? To go back on what you say?"
"Oh, and what you have done falls within that agreement?"
Velentham slowly closed the door behind him. He had to take slow breaths to keep himself calm as he walked toward Gilean. "Let me ask you then - what is to stop me from killing you? If we're not honoring oaths?"
"And what do you think is the first thing I will do upon my return to Elysium?"
"Does it matter?" Velentham asked, pulling his swords from thin air. "See, if you're running to tattle regardless, I've got no reason to honor my side of the bargain either."
"You are a disgrace, even among our people. Look at what became of me for simply speaking out against them. Oh, I'm sure you'll be outcast alright. And I'm sure you'll be relieved of your memories as well."
"I tell you what. Let me go pick up Sanria and you can lead us back. If I knew you already knew how to get back, why, I would have done this sooner."
Velentham could see his desire to slay no longer inspired any kind of feeling in Gilean. With Claire leaving, it appeared that his cousin was unable to be moved. He turned and headed back to the door. "Velentham, just stop and look and what you have done," Gilean said.
"No. I'll not be baited. You wanted me out. I'm leaving. I think our conversation is at an end. Forever."
"I showed her how to protect herself. You just take a moment and think about what that means. You are a threat to her. She needs protection from you. She had to come to me asking for help, I didn't go to her."
It was the peal of truth that rang out over Velentham's mind. Had he not seen first hand what Sanria thought of him, he wouldn't have believed it. But he knew that Gilean spoke the truth. "I fix his memories," he said, "and you don't go to the tribunal? You honor what you already promised my father?"
"Yes," Gilean answered wearily.
Defeated, Velentham let out a long sigh. He would fix Colin then figure out how to fix things between himself and Sanria. He would make a deal, but that deal said nothing of his staying away from Sanria. For now, he would make his cousin feel safe, he would go away, he would plan. "Go get him."
He had been staring at the same page in his book when Gilean burst into the room. "You are going to fix what you have done," Gilean said, and Velentham turned to look at the lesser Celestial. He had a note clenched in his hand and looked highly upset, but no one talked to Velentham this way.
"Fix what?" Velentham asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Colin. I am going to bring him here. You are going to restore his memories. And then you are going to go. I don't give a damn where but it will be away from here."
"You come in here making demands of me? What has gotten into you? And what's that paper?"
"You come here and in the span of just a few days you manage to ruin not one but two pairs of lives. It's unbelievable. But you are going to fix at least one of them."
The argument was brutal and accusations flew. According to Gilean, everything that had transpired was Velentham's fault. Any prior thoughts Velentham had about doing the right thing went out the window. "Listen, cousin. If you think I'm sorry for what I've done - you don't know me at all. I might have considered undoing what I did for her, but with you coming in to give me hell? No. If anything, you've motivated me to go and do what I intended to do in the first place. I'll just take her and leave."
"You want to get back at me, prove me wrong. You show me that you can be better than what I think you can be. You prove to me that the things I've said about our people are not true."
"I don't have to prove anything to you, Gilean. You've shown me that. I don't look up to you, cousin. You're just not that important to me."
Velentham headed for the door. If Gilean wanted him out, he'd leave. He didn't know where he would go yet, but he would eventually go back and fix things with Sanria and win her over. He opened the door when Gilean's voice called out to him, "Velentham, you fix this or I will contact the tribunal."
Velentham hated Gilean deeper than he ever had at that moment. He stopped and turned back, grinning. "Now isn't that something. You proclaim you're such a good guy. My father died to get you back and buy your silence. You are willing to break an oath you gave to him. Some role model you are. Is that your policy? To go back on what you say?"
"Oh, and what you have done falls within that agreement?"
Velentham slowly closed the door behind him. He had to take slow breaths to keep himself calm as he walked toward Gilean. "Let me ask you then - what is to stop me from killing you? If we're not honoring oaths?"
"And what do you think is the first thing I will do upon my return to Elysium?"
"Does it matter?" Velentham asked, pulling his swords from thin air. "See, if you're running to tattle regardless, I've got no reason to honor my side of the bargain either."
"You are a disgrace, even among our people. Look at what became of me for simply speaking out against them. Oh, I'm sure you'll be outcast alright. And I'm sure you'll be relieved of your memories as well."
"I tell you what. Let me go pick up Sanria and you can lead us back. If I knew you already knew how to get back, why, I would have done this sooner."
Velentham could see his desire to slay no longer inspired any kind of feeling in Gilean. With Claire leaving, it appeared that his cousin was unable to be moved. He turned and headed back to the door. "Velentham, just stop and look and what you have done," Gilean said.
"No. I'll not be baited. You wanted me out. I'm leaving. I think our conversation is at an end. Forever."
"I showed her how to protect herself. You just take a moment and think about what that means. You are a threat to her. She needs protection from you. She had to come to me asking for help, I didn't go to her."
It was the peal of truth that rang out over Velentham's mind. Had he not seen first hand what Sanria thought of him, he wouldn't have believed it. But he knew that Gilean spoke the truth. "I fix his memories," he said, "and you don't go to the tribunal? You honor what you already promised my father?"
"Yes," Gilean answered wearily.
Defeated, Velentham let out a long sigh. He would fix Colin then figure out how to fix things between himself and Sanria. He would make a deal, but that deal said nothing of his staying away from Sanria. For now, he would make his cousin feel safe, he would go away, he would plan. "Go get him."
Final Straw (1-2)
Claire had stayed in the bedroom since her last argument with Gilean. Her body was weak, and she couldn't quite understand what was wrong. Using her magic, she could tell that the baby was growing and was thriving, but it was fast exhausting her - pulling her magic, her energy, her -
Claire fell asleep. Using magic anymore seemed to pull everything from her and left her feeling completely drained. She woke at the light touch of Gilean's hand upon her shoulder. "I'm sorry to wake you," he said.
'It's alright. What is it?'
"Velentham went to Sanria's house and... well... he did some rather terrible things. He forced Sanria into being intimate, then got into a fight with Colin which resulted in Colin's memories being removed."
'What in the world...'
Claire pulled herself up to sitting. She outwardly kept the appearance of strength, but even this was tiring. "I don't know what I'm going to do with him," Gilean continued, "but first Sanria and Colin need help. I have tried to heal Colin but I cannot find anything to heal. It would seem that whatever Velentham has done is of a more arcane nature."
'Oh my... that is serious... deeply serious.'
"I was hoping there might be something you could do."
'Not if it's arcane. I'm a healer, that is all I truly know. The only sorcerers I knew were Sir Throm and Lady Kaliadra. Have you... tried asking Velentham?'
Gilean turned to look at Claire, his eyes weary and dis- appointed. She truly did feel badly for asking the question, but if he would go back and fix what was wrong, then their solution was right before them.
"After what he did," Gilean said. "You should have seen him when he returned here. I... I think he's losing his sanity, literally."
'Gilean, unless you're ready to spend time tracking down a wolf, he might be able to reverse what he did if he realizes what a terrible thing it was to do in the first place. It is worth asking him to fix his own mess.'
"If he realizes what he did was wrong... I don't know if you realize what you're asking."
It could have been the pregnancy. It could have been the raging exhaustion that rolled over Claire. Whatever it was - when Gilean insinuated Claire just didn't understand, Claire glared with a fire she hadn't felt for Gilean - ever. 'Then perhaps you should stop coming to me for advice?'
"I don't really know what else to say. He raped her, took her husband's memories, and then came back here telling me if he just had enough time with her she would realize it was him she should be with."
'Then I'm sorry I bothered to wake up, since I am ignorant of what you meant the first time you said it.'
Claire laid back down, the weariness slowly creeping over her. "Claire. Just what am I supposed to do here?" Gilean asked. "I try to stop him from going off and interfering in Sanria's life and you tell me that he's not my responsibility. He goes off and does these unthinkable things and Sanria comes to me for help in fixing them. And now you tell me I should go back to him and somehow get him to restore Colin's memories so they can get back to their lives together."
'You came to me and asked what you should do. I gave you my thoughts and you treat me as though I'm a simpleton with some lack of comprehension. If you don't want my advice, then by the Gods, don't ask for it.'
"I wanted your help, Gilean said. I was hoping that there could be a chance you could correct what I could not heal. While I don't mean to disrespect your advice, you didn't see him when he returned to this house. You didn't speak to him and see his delusional state even after what he had done."
'I didn't ask you to come in this room with questions. I gave you my thoughts. Just... leave me in peace. You and your cousin are...'
Claire sighed heavily and laid on the bed. "You're lumping me in with him?" Gilean said, and Claire could hear the frustration in his voice. "Believe me, the fact that he's my cousin frankly disgusts me at this point."
'Please... just leave me in peace.'
"Sorry to have bothered you. I guess I'll do whatever I can."
Upon hearing the door close, Claire got up. There was no way she could take any more. She penned Gilean a note and gathered up what energy she could. With her mind, she sought out the familial vibrations in the magical fabric that covered the entire planet. Once certain of their location, Claire vanished in a bright purple light - home.
Claire fell asleep. Using magic anymore seemed to pull everything from her and left her feeling completely drained. She woke at the light touch of Gilean's hand upon her shoulder. "I'm sorry to wake you," he said.
'It's alright. What is it?'
"Velentham went to Sanria's house and... well... he did some rather terrible things. He forced Sanria into being intimate, then got into a fight with Colin which resulted in Colin's memories being removed."
'What in the world...'
Claire pulled herself up to sitting. She outwardly kept the appearance of strength, but even this was tiring. "I don't know what I'm going to do with him," Gilean continued, "but first Sanria and Colin need help. I have tried to heal Colin but I cannot find anything to heal. It would seem that whatever Velentham has done is of a more arcane nature."
'Oh my... that is serious... deeply serious.'
"I was hoping there might be something you could do."
'Not if it's arcane. I'm a healer, that is all I truly know. The only sorcerers I knew were Sir Throm and Lady Kaliadra. Have you... tried asking Velentham?'
Gilean turned to look at Claire, his eyes weary and dis- appointed. She truly did feel badly for asking the question, but if he would go back and fix what was wrong, then their solution was right before them.
"After what he did," Gilean said. "You should have seen him when he returned here. I... I think he's losing his sanity, literally."
'Gilean, unless you're ready to spend time tracking down a wolf, he might be able to reverse what he did if he realizes what a terrible thing it was to do in the first place. It is worth asking him to fix his own mess.'
"If he realizes what he did was wrong... I don't know if you realize what you're asking."
It could have been the pregnancy. It could have been the raging exhaustion that rolled over Claire. Whatever it was - when Gilean insinuated Claire just didn't understand, Claire glared with a fire she hadn't felt for Gilean - ever. 'Then perhaps you should stop coming to me for advice?'
"I don't really know what else to say. He raped her, took her husband's memories, and then came back here telling me if he just had enough time with her she would realize it was him she should be with."
'Then I'm sorry I bothered to wake up, since I am ignorant of what you meant the first time you said it.'
Claire laid back down, the weariness slowly creeping over her. "Claire. Just what am I supposed to do here?" Gilean asked. "I try to stop him from going off and interfering in Sanria's life and you tell me that he's not my responsibility. He goes off and does these unthinkable things and Sanria comes to me for help in fixing them. And now you tell me I should go back to him and somehow get him to restore Colin's memories so they can get back to their lives together."
'You came to me and asked what you should do. I gave you my thoughts and you treat me as though I'm a simpleton with some lack of comprehension. If you don't want my advice, then by the Gods, don't ask for it.'
"I wanted your help, Gilean said. I was hoping that there could be a chance you could correct what I could not heal. While I don't mean to disrespect your advice, you didn't see him when he returned to this house. You didn't speak to him and see his delusional state even after what he had done."
'I didn't ask you to come in this room with questions. I gave you my thoughts. Just... leave me in peace. You and your cousin are...'
Claire sighed heavily and laid on the bed. "You're lumping me in with him?" Gilean said, and Claire could hear the frustration in his voice. "Believe me, the fact that he's my cousin frankly disgusts me at this point."
'Please... just leave me in peace.'
"Sorry to have bothered you. I guess I'll do whatever I can."
Upon hearing the door close, Claire got up. There was no way she could take any more. She penned Gilean a note and gathered up what energy she could. With her mind, she sought out the familial vibrations in the magical fabric that covered the entire planet. Once certain of their location, Claire vanished in a bright purple light - home.
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