Owl of my Youth - Mercenaries Have Lives

[Stare]

Set between Kith and Kin (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?506-Of-Kith-and-Kin) and Blood Red Trees and Black Wings (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?590-Blood-Red-Trees-and-Black-Wings). A short solo that became huge.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/eb/da/39/ebda399cce3b5a721585d3b45fffbe55.jpg

[Stare]

"Many decades ago, when I was a young man and had decided to settle in Raiaera, after declining the offer to teach at the Istien Universities, I joined the militia. I was part of the Tel Celebarrna, the Silverwind, part of the elite force. Even though I was simply an ordinary soldier, I was still one of the Skyknights which, as you know, is the flying mounted squadron of the army."

A soft twitch of a smile came to his face.

"The bards at the Istien University made it possible for me to join, despite not being a citizen of the country, and found me a steed. Her name was Vanesse ... It means beauty. And she was a beauty. A full pedigree pegasus, who I knew as a foal and trained with. She was pure white, and possessed a fiery spirit. Just my sort."

Leaning back in his chair he ran a hand through his own long pale locks.

"That painting in the entrance hall is of me from those days. The uniform, in blue was standard for the Skyknights, with embellishments of my own. In those days I was happy, proud in fact of who I was. Venesse and I became easily one of the finest soldiers, skilled in all sorts of combat maneouvers, fighting with bow and spear."

Confused slightly, she tilted her head, hands gripping the seat beneath her. "But there's an owl in that picture, not a Pegasus."

Vitruvion paused and then nodded, a shine in his eyes of a fine, good memory.

"That would be Blaud, a tawny owl that I made was given. He served as a falcon might, assisting in the battles and when I was on scouting duty. Genuinely us three, Blaud, Venesse and I made a good company, and I did have a pleasant, fulfilling life. I reached the rank of captain, despite always wanting more, but I worked hard, I adapted to the situation I had been placed in."

Her beak parted. This was not the sort of man she knew, capable of living under orders from another. His pride had always been a distinctive feature of what she knew about him. The way he held himself, refused to accept his lot in life of living as an ordinary human. Instead he created things like the Hollow, which was, at its core purpose, to act as a controlled kingdom that he could not have. Would never have, unless circumstances changed.

"Yes, my dear, I was different then. Somehow I found joy, I found purpose on the back of Venesse, constantly establishing our bond. Perhaps I would have remained happy, with Blaud on my shoulder and Venesse carrying my weight, and perhaps I forgot what and who I was at times."

"So what changed?" She asked, incredulous. "Why did you go ... Back? You told me you refused the position at Istien due to it not suiting your wants in life, but someone being a Skyknight did?"

The god trapped in human form breathed in slow, his eyes dropping to his goblet.

"Venesse died. Killed in a battle by a wicked arrow, from my own side. Whether it was an accident or deliberate, I never found out, but the anger that I felt, and the things I did in an attempt to discover the culprit reminded me of who I was and what potential I had."

He breathed in, deep, his eyes for a moment filled with a peculiar, deep sadness. Stare focused on that, her heart pounding as she saw the rare moment of her employer showing his deeper, rawer emotions.

But then in a sudden moment it was gone, vanished as determination took over.

"I am what I am, Stare. Blaud stayed with me for the rest of his natural life, and then I travelled, going from Hernsford to Fallien. Finally I came back to Raiaera and settled here, in Beinost. Once here I decided to face up to what I truly desired, what I had been denied, and I built my empire here."

[Stare]

Until he had mentioned Blaud Stare had not realised the significance of the owl in the house. Though Vitruvion did not use a sigil for his nobility often, the small coat of arms of an owl poised over a black field could be seen in many places. It was hidden as a boss in the ceiling of the dining room, it was angled at the corner of the library shelves. Even the stairs, with their woven ivy coiling all over the banisters had some, hidden away in the leaves.

The most obvious owl, however, that Stare had definitely missed to recognise, was the brass head at the top of Vitruvion's dark wood cane. Calmly Vitruvion had been holding Blaud's form all this time before everyone. Though this was a newer one, Stare was sure his older cane had had an owl's head before - she had simply never registered it. But now she did. And the more research she did the more she found it was a type of hunting tawny owl, that had been found eating crows. The irony struck her as something bizarre but very fitting, as she moved around the mansion, doing the bidding of her god.

The mage Vitruvion and she had found in the prisons of the Bounty Hunters' Guild, near Raiaera, was kept in the Hollow. He gave little more information than he had before during their initial trip. He became something of a burden, and at times Vitruvion came home sour faced because of his inability to get any more information from the man. But the Hollow was the best place for him. It disallowed anyone who was from Althanas to use their power. And the god was determined not to kill him. Because surely, the mage had to have more information.

Days became weeks and the elf they had rescued from the same prison began to be revealed as an invaluable resource. She took to Stare's duties as naturally had been born with them - which was not surprising as she had education in administration, management and business. It worked well for the household, Stare did not have to feel so overwhelmed and managed to begin delagating in the third week after the prison raid, rather than have Mer shadow her everywhere.

It was in that same week though that Mer revealed to be more of an issue than Stare liked. Mer began to make comments about how she could have managed without help, and how she, an elf, was clearly better at the job.

"Not that I'm appreciative of what he did," Stare was muttering to Vitruvion's other main aide, Raevin, who served as Captain of his guard, "Mer is good at what she does but ..." She scowled with her eyes.

[Stare]

The elf with the long brown hair and green eyes, eyes that had once looked so longingly at her but now only had respect and/or mocking, shrugged. He lifted his clay tankard into his hands and drank. Stare watched a single bead of clear liquid run down his chin.

"She irritates you then?" He asked when he put down the cup.

The simple statement made the kenku growl. "Raevin. More than that. She's ... Obnoxious."

"Didn't he tell her to respect you though?" Raevin said.

"Exactly!"

They were sitting in the mess hall of the Hollow, right in the lowest basement of the Guard House, where at least twenty guards usually sat. They were of various employ, some belonging to the other brothers of the Hollow, not Vitruvion, but they all knew who Raevin and Stare were. Vitruvion, after all, was the last original brother left, one of ten who had begun the Hollow together (though it had been his brainchild). He therefore was both the chairman of the brother council, and also unspoken leader of the whole place. Seeing as the Guard House also belonged to him, the guards recognised Stare and Raevin truly as their superiors, even if they were not paid by the same hands.

Even though Stare six months previous had been one of the approximately twenty five sex slave concubines.

"So ... She probably is just testing waters of your personality. She'd never not obey a request from you," he nodded to his own words.

The kenku blinked and looked in disbelief. "Rae ... That's not ... That isn't ..."

The elf raised an eyebrow, "Has she questioned a request from you?"

Stare paused, trying to think of a time. She frowned when she couldn't think of an exact, direct example. "She's ... Done things I didn't ask for, or rather done it in a different way ..."

The kenku tailed off, unsure. But Raevin seemed to accept it. He smiled and chugged back his beer. "You're fine," he told her. "Mer is fine."

[Stare]

Stare's eyes glanced around the score of guards in the room, some of whom still looked at her with lusty eyes. There was one who was intensely staring, his eyes bright. But she looked at him back, pausing a moment to glare with hatred. The man sucked in his breath through his teeth, and was stunned for a few full seconds.

Raevin watched her reactions, then smirked slightly at the stilled guard.

"You really have become more powerful."

Stare grunted and then swept up her own tankard into her clawed hand, her eyes moving away from the other people in the room.

"So has he," she whispered.

Raevin arched an eyebrow, but then smiled with a gleam in his eye. "He'll honestly never let you go, you know that right?"

She let a breath fade from her lungs in a sigh. Her hands gripped around the tankard.

"I know," she muttered. "Even if I run to the other side of the world."

"Ah, he won't let you get that far."

A grunt came from her throat. A knowing, disgruntled, mocking (at herself) grunt.

There was a silence between them. Raevin shifted and leant forwards to her. "You could be a worse situation, with a worse man."

Stare blinked and raised her brow at the notion of a 'worse man,' and Raevin shrugged. "He is not the worst." He looked at her seriously. "Think of what we know if his father."

Ansaldo. The single god of his own planet, who had a pont chant for creating races and then sending them away without any memories when he got bored - a series of actions that usually led to the race's quick extinction. Stare's race, the kenkus, had been highly unique in the fact they had survived. She knew now that they had been found by another old race and taken across the sea in ships, and enslaved.

She nodded in acceptance and breathed into her drink. "I guess so."

[Stare]

Raevin smiled and leant over to pat her on the back. A far cry from the desiring touches he had given her almost a year ago. This time it was comforting and friendly. A high amount of respect in that single movement and point of contact.

"We'll be working with each other for many years I suspect."

"I will only live until I'm forty or fifty," she replied. "Whereas you're an elf. You'll live far beyond me."

Raevin smirked slightly, and he lowered his voice again to whisper. "Stare, you work for ... Well, you know. If there is one thing he will work on doing, it is extending your life."

She sharply breathed in, and stared at the grain of wood before her. Of course, she had considered the idea of her living longer because of Vitruvion's magic before. It was something he himself had commented on, even when she was just a guest of his in the Hollow.

"We'll need to do something about that," was what he had said.

"Raevin! Stare!" came a sudden voice.

And both of them looked up. Along with around all of the guards in the room. All but those who were passed out from drink or exhaustion.

The voice came from the iron door leading to the Hollow, and it was rich and full of precious tones. Like a luxurious melody it sung out to the many ears and made the two aides sit up with attention and understanding. Knowledge also that they were being commanded by he who ruled their lives.

White-blonde hair, piercing blue eyes. Dressed in dark blue tail coat and breeches, with thigh-high black leather boots. He had his cane in hand, tipped with the head of an owl, in memory of his beloved Blaud. Perfectly poised he was surrounded by no less than three guards, including Brer the half giant, with a mighty hammer slung over his shoulder. Between them all was an individual that Stare had not seen in the past two months in the Hollow, let alone just out of it. Her brows rose as she saw the carefully and artfully tied form of Blaze, Vitruvion's oldest guest of the Hollow and survivor now for nearing three years standing there. Red, fiery hair (hence the name). A raised chin and arched neck and fine features. A thin shirt that came to just half calf. Her hands were bound before her, pinned to her torso by the ropes. Her feet were gently wrapped with a foot and a half rope hobble. She looked pleased, and proud - that was until she saw Stare. Then her eyes began to burn with utter rage and jealousy, that made Stare herself pause and begin to wonder what Blaze still thought of her.

[Stare]

"Sir," Raevin stood and bowed his head. The rest of Raethe room held a hallowed silence.

Stare did not move. She kept her seat, blinking slowly as her hand still clutched around her tankard. Raevin stood there on his own, acknowledging the authority who had called them. From across the room the blue eyes began to burn intensely into hers and that arched eyebrow began to rise higher. Seconds passed and-

Whispering to herself a curse for her weakness, she dragged herself to her feet, knowing that showing up Vitruvion here was one of the worst mistakes she could possibly ever make. The pressure of the cuff at her wrist seemed to increase. Letting go of her drink she looked directly at her god and nodded in kind as Raevin, but not as deep and not as much of a bow.

"My lord," she said, clearly, biting back the sarcasm.

The entire room seemed to relax. A collective, unseen, nearly silent, breath of wind filled the air. Vitruvion looked right at her and smirked for a brief moment. Beside him Blaze looked utterly astonished and at a loss. Gesturing the man who ran this wicked kingdom down here raised a hand and pointed at her heart. Then he moved the hand to indicate the space at his side.

Stare glanced to Raevin, who shrugged slightly. Vitruvion wanted her not him. Grunting, and knowing the façade of obedience could not die this day, less there be controversy, she picked her feet up and moved over. Directly, she was obeying his orders, his subtle directions. Despite everything that despised him and wanted to see him shamed she was operating under respect for him and not arguing. Respect. Acknowledgment. Her god.

"Stare, you remember Blaze of course."

The single sentence, when Stare came to his side made the kenku pause and blink in disbelief. Blaze twisted her head up to glare at Vitruvion in utter bike hatred, and Stare raised her brow.

He was smirking, biting back a laugh as he orchestrated this entire thing.

[Stare]

"Yes," Stare grunted a reply, and she refused to look at the slave concubine.

"This and this," he gestured, and from behind him a huge hand that could only belong to Brer swept forwards two pieces of fabric, holding them out to Stare.

She paused, looking confused for a moment before Vitruvion nodded at Blaze. He leant closer to Stare, and spoke for only those in his party could hear.

"Blindfold and gag, my dear. Do it for me."

Immediately Stare's jaw stiffened, and she felt the warmth rush out of her body. For the second time in a week or so he was requesting her to assist in the marks of enslavement that she herself used to be a victim of. Hypocrite, bitch and pig were descriptions of herself that crossed her mind. Last time he had had her lock Sable in her room. This time it was a public show of how she had altered.

"I-"

Do it, girl. He hissed. Do not deny my authority in front of all of these. It's an order, you know it.

Yes, for you to display how you've 'tamed' me. Brought me onto your side. She stared back at him intensely, making no sign of their internal conversation.

He gazed back with stern, blue eyes. One, if you do not, there will be hell to pay. Two, these people need to know who is in ultimate command. Is that me or you?

She huffed darkly through her nostrils.

Well? Is that me or-

Yes, my fucking lord, she growled back and twisted away from his eyes. For all the others might have seen what had occurred was nothing more than a staring contest. Now Stare was moving as fast as she could, grabbing the horrible stretches of fabric. She did not look at Blaze as she moved to the redhead's side.

"You absolute bitch," she screamed, "Traitor and-"

Well done, Stare savagely whispered at her master as she lifted the first piece of fabric to tie it around Blaze's mouth, cutting off the vulgar language. You have now made me hate myself.

And that moment she did. The ways she had changed, the alternations from one side to the other. Serving under her god whom she could not get away from, and not deny. Who was manipulative, proud and all into the public gestures of his once reluctant sex slave who was now his paid and respected servant (still slave though in private company). Stare knew she was truly his in that moment, in more ways than when she had been in the Hollow. As she tied the first knots to silence, then blind Blaze she felt the cold stab of acknowledgement to what Raevin had said.

[Stare]

"He'll honestly never let you go, you know that right?"

And I promise I never will, he whispered to her.

A traitor and a deciever. That was what she was now.

Stepping back she returned to his side, refusing to make eye contact with him. She could see though, his wide smirk, satisfaction knowing he was still the one in power. Something she had to admit.

After all, he was still a chaotic villain.

"Come," Vitruvion said.

He looked to Raevin, gave him a single nod, which the elf returned. Then, looking back to the room the god began to walk, his pace picking up fast. Pressure from behind her made Stare begin her walking. The guards pressed close around Blaze, one of them (not Brer) pushing Stare more forwards to have the space. Her clawed hands forming into tight fists and she kept her eyes away from everyone else, focused only on the ring that shone before her. On the third finger on Vitruvion's right hand.

Quickly they ascended the stairs. Blaze was gently pressed at the shoulders to guide her by the two normal-sized guards who Stare deduced to be her usual escorts. They whispered in her ear when it came time for them to ascend the staircases. And meanwhile, Stare kept slightly before them, just behind their ultimate leader.

Up by stairs and corridor they went, passing by various guards and mercenaries who were being trained, paid and organised. All along Stare began to wonder just exactly what was going on. Why Blaze was there, with them. Yes, she knew that sometimes Vitruvion took his 'guests' above ground, into the light - she herself had been taken in that way - but this was the first time she had been involved. Asked to attend to his side, bidden to come.

They strode into the light of day. There, waiting for them was the oaken carriage of Vitruvion. Not too simple, yet not too ornate. Practicality over everything, with a team of four grey and brown horses standing at the front. Currently there was one being around the carriage and he was Vitruvion's usual driver - a silent, peaceful man by the name of Eret. He slipped off the driver's seat, down the full six feet to the ground with a smooth leap. Twisting, and not even sparing a second glance for Blaze, he opened the carriage door and bowed his head low.

Vitruvion stepped forwards and ducked his head as he got in. Stare slipped out of the way as Blaze was gently urged forwards and up into the interior. There were a few murmurs as seating was arranged, and the guards debated their positions.

"Stare. Inside," came the calm, cool voice.

[Stare]

There was a short, awkward silence. Three pairs of eyes - the driver was now climbing back into his usual place - turned to look at her. Two of them were large and brown, belonging to Brer who paused, then moved out of the way. The other guards also descended their ways out of the carriage to allow her full room to be able to get in.

Stare sucked in her breath. She blinked, and her tension got all the worse.

"Stare!"

"For fuck's sake," she muttered, moving her body suddenly and awkwardly. Shoving herself through the hole that was the doorway she moved into the interior of the carriage, her eyes full of darkness and fury for him. Vitruvion looked back at her with the shine of glee still in his eyes. The master manipulator. The lord of all he saw. Still in charge, still in command.

You are such a bastard, she hissed darkly at him.

Vitruvion chuckled and relaxed into the corner. Beside him Blaze sat, now able to see but still with the gag in her mouth. Her own furious eyes were glaring at Stare who scowled back at her and slumped into the far opposite corner, the three of them making some strange, ill-fated company. Lastly Brer heaved himself into the carriage to sit beside Stare, ducking at the last moment to secure a fetter around Blaze's ankle, then securing that into a loop into the ground.

The memory of the same thing occurring to Stare burned in her mind. Her eyes dark and full of spit she looked away from them all, her right hand sliding to grip the hilt of her mythril dagger tight.

Moments of utter quiet passed. The door was slammed shut, Brer took his seat. The carriage creaked as the last two guards climbed into place. Then it lurched as the party was thrown into motion.

Silence. Complete silence.

I fucking hate you-

[Stare]

"Shut up Stare, this was going to happen some time."

A moment and the eyes of the other two in the carriage flickered between kenku and god - though they knew nothing of that particular truth of their relationship. Brer, knowing to some extent the mental connection between them blushed slightly but Blaze, with her lack of knowledge and her gag, stared in complete confusion.

Stare glared for a long time at Vitruvion, before he raised his brows. Questioning. Daring her.

"Yes?" he asked, his voice still perfectly reposeful. A flicker of a smile was at the corner of his mouth. "You have something to say?"

Her jaw tightened and she threw her look away. She breathed through her nostrils.

"Stare?"

"No, my lord," she grunted at him.

Vitruvion took a moment and then he snorted laughter and shook his head. His eyes looked around the carriage until they landed on Blaze. Haunted she gazed at him, bemused but disbelieving.

He took a moment, and looked away from her. Silence fell yet again. Between the four of them there was a great awkwardness, an uncertainty. Stare had a million questions for Vitruvion but it was clear right now was not the time. Despite the fact that he had his repetitive worry of his half-brother he was going through this charade. This practise of power, that possibly had no other result than to show that he was the authority in all their lives.

The carriage eventually pulled to a jolting halt. A thump, then footsteps on gravel sounded before the door was pulled open - on Stare's side. Before them all was the large light-coloured building of Vitruvion's mansion and Stare's home. Their home. Breathing in a minor sense of relief Stare began to move, straightening her clothes before making her way out.

"Stare."

She angled her head to look back at him. Her sharp eyes met his and she ignored the awe that was showing within Blaze's eyes as the faerie-elf - she had once called herself an 'Ellinin' - looked at the house. Clearly she had never seen it. The kenku found a flutter of amusement come into her chest, then shame. Shame for having this life, escaping the fate that Blaze had been subject to.

"Yes?" she said quietly to him.

"Be in the library in two hours," he told her, eyes focused and intent.

Carefully she nodded, unsure of the entire situation - then she ducked her head and left, eager to be out of the entire situation.

[Stare]

Two hours later.

Swiftly, in she came, a whirl of energy and frustration. Having disgarded her chainmail and gauntlet she now was dressed in a simple black tunic, an elaborate silver braided cord serving as a belt. Into this her mythril dagger was attached - the single weapon for an evening of little expected combat. With a mind of confusion, numbers and things she could say, she entered the library.

To find him already there, leaning forwards in a leather armchair, eyes perusing over an unfolded old map that lay before him on a dark chestnut wood table. As she came in, his blue eyes lifted and looked at her before he gestured.

"Come see this."

The calmness of his voice, and the lack of any smirk or laughter caught her off. That end of his manipulative actions, showing everyone that he was in power was suddenly over. Two hours ago he had been Vitruvion the villain, powerful and mighty. Now he was ... The man. The part of him that honestly cared about all his employees, and had a sense of honour, respect and -

Looking up at her again he raised an eyebrow. "When was I not both of those things?" he asked her.

The question caught her off guard, but she managed to stumble an answer. "When you're forcing me to respond in that way."

"I did not force you to call me 'my lord,' Stare," he responded in a still, but firm voice. "If Raevin had not regarded me as such in the Mess hall, then you would have needed to. As it was, the requirement of the situation was for you to both respond in that manner which Raevin instigated - but this you know perfectly. I do not demand any titles, only that in certain situations you regard me with the respect that the situation requires." He paused and blinked a few times, straightening. "I really should not have to explain this every time. It's situational. Am I asking you to bow to me right now?"

His speech made her look away and sigh quietly. She had to admit it. He had done nothing of the sort. In no manner had he forced her to say anything at all, instead there was just what was expected of her. Therefore, with a grunt she strode over, knowing that though she could not choose who was her god, like the rest of beings in the world, she could choose how to speak to him.

[Stare]

He smiled slightly as she came to stand by his side, a genuine, pleased smile. His hand extended a finger to point at the map before him.

"As I said, you should see this."

But her mind was elsewhere.

"Why is Blaze here?" she asked, dropping into the seat opposite him.

Vitruvion paused, and a look of annoyance passed over his face before he answered.

"My dear," his tone was condemning, but not impatient. "You don't need to ask it in such a manner. I would have mentioned it after a while."

She blinked and said nothing.

He pursed his lips and moved his hand back to his lap. "But, I was going to tell you. It comes down to the request by Blaze about six weeks ago now to know and specifically see what had happened to you. That, combined with the possibility of a journey outside of the Hollow was a thing her and I discussed and eventually agreed to." He clasped his hands together, straight backed and looking all like the noble he was. "Pleasant discourse, good behaviour led to rewards, this being hers."

Stare did not hide the immense dislike in her mind or face. Having to 'earn' a trip to the outside world was never something that should be said. Vitruvion looked at her a short time with upraised brows and then nodded to the map.

"Shall we?"

She could not argue with him. All the times she had in the past had led to reminders to her that she could have an opinion but do absolutely nothing about the existence of the Hollow as it stood. But she let out a growl in the back of her throat, along with a quiet kenku curse that meant something like, "May your feathers always be dirty." Vitruvion's mouth flickered with a smile before he leant back over the map.

[Stare]

"What I wanted to talk with you about is my recent findings. Continuing from our discussion earlier, you know that in my youth I searched for some remnants of what could be my fathers' abandoned races. Nothing was to be found."

Stare blinked at him blandly, but slowly nodded.

He accepted it with another nod of his own.

"After a large lack of success I gave up. Until I met you," he gestured at her. "That inspired me to go look for other possibilities, and I believe ... Well I may have found another."

Suddenly the issue with Blaze was forgotten. Stare looked up with surprise, right into his eyes.

"What?"

He inclined his head. "Exactly, my dear. Now. See here," and this time she followed his hand to the map. His finger elegantly pointed to an area of vast wilderness, tucked into the wilds of the Tular Plains. That area of vast forest and wasteland that made up the scattered demon lands. Vampire lords reigned there, with ancient castles and hungry servants. Guardians, from the beginnings of time, dwelt near the entrances to the hells and all over there were whispers, uncertainties, rumours.

Screams.

"Here is where a few stories accumulate, and not ones that I needed to sort through ancient texts for. Rather, I have found that around twenty years ago a race of strange beasts suddenly appeared, without any warning and with no clear sign of where they came from."

Stare's eyes widened and her brow rose. Certainly it sounded like evidence of Ansaldo sending a discarded, wanted people away.

"What stories?" she asked.

Vitruvion moved his hand back and slid it to pause by a pile of papers - some more ragged and thicker than others. "Reports mostly. One local census tries to accumulate them into it, just after they arrive. A travel journal entry of a human who, unsurprisingly as he went to Tular, died."

She nodded slowly, a million questions rising to her beak. Gone were her concerns over Blaze - the Hollow was something she could never solely rid the world of. Even if she could Vitruvion would always have a being from it that was his - her.

"What did they look like?"

"The stories differ," Vitruvion admitted, sitting back, "But 'beasts' seems to be the central word. Rather than 'being'. Supposedly barbaric then can be deduced, attempts to communicate them were ... Difficult."

[Stare]

She blinked, having not received any information about their appearance but rather their personality. She made this thought obvious in her mind.

He looked at her sharply. "Stare. I am explaining in my own time," he scolded her. Not reacting, she sat there, waiting for his answer. Taking a moment he sighed and then went on. "Going on all fours as well as two. Orc-like but with a primate effect, and skin hard ... Like turtle-shell would be a good analysis. Ranging in colour from khaki to tan brown, and mainly ugly, it seems. Possibly horned."

"So ape orcs?" She asked, in a slightly amused voice.

"Indeed," he agreed. He fixed eye contact with her. "I find it intriguing also to consider the fact that all of the half-siblings that I know of and have met are all, in some way, human-esque. Ventrua has the pointed ears of an elf and others that I have met perhaps have a tail or some other small detail from their mother, but they are all, for the most part, human."

Stare found her eyes dropping to the map and up again at Vitruvion. "So ... Ansaldo prefers those of human-based design? He is attracted to them?"

"That and he chooses to take the form of one when walking amongst his lands."

"And the races that you know of, which he discarded are all ..."

Vitruvion inclined his head deeply. "Very different. Exactly, my dear. My father, is in fact rather racist."

[Stare]

It was in that time, around twenty minutes later, that Stare realised all of her hatred for Vitruvion for earlier had melted away. There they were, kenku and human-form bound god, pouring over the words of so many avid explorers and chroniclers. Their conversation became casual and unrestrained, discussing the issues without hesitation and entirely with agreement. Stare found herself quite naturally adapting into a more respectful state, regarding Vitruvion, as he was, on the greater authority on the subject. He spoke about the disgarded races he had been able to glean a history of from Ansaldo's memories, and she apologised in the few times she interrupted him. He carried on, talking as naturally as he did, speaking over her. It was only when there was a sizable pause that Stare realised what exactly she was doing.

Her beak halves parted and she looked at him, eyes wide. Vitruvion took a moment to pause, frown slightly and delve into her mind. Then he read her thoughts, saw the clear visual examples she could think of and his entire face was suddenly gleaming with pride.

Stare looked down, her heart thumping in her chest with the realisation. The fact she had so easily slipped into a conversation with him on his terms and not thought about her life situation in all that time. Her eyes scoured the map, though really blindly as she thought about what had just happened, and how all of her reluctance to her world had faded to naught.

"Stare."

Unsteadily she ran a hand through the feathers at her skull. "Hmm," she grunted lightly and softly, not wanting to acknowledge any of it.

"That is all I want from you. Good conversation, respect and understanding." He paused and said quieter, "As Raevin told you earlier, I have no intention of ever letting you go. Even if you become the most belligerent being." He leant forwards, "Though that was good. Do not feel shame that you genuinely acted with me as you should."

Stare dropped her eyes. She scratched her skin beneath the feathers of her arm awkwardly and breathed slowly.

"Anyway," he said still with warm tones in his voice. "What I suggest now is-"

Bong ...

[Stare]

He looked over to the door at the same time as Stare glanced up, more alert. She knew the sound, in the house, when Vitruvion was there, it rang to signal dinner.

The sudden realisation she was hungry came to Stare and she felt joy at the idea of food. Looking over at Vitruvion she began to open her mouth to ask the common question she did when he was there.

He shook his head, standing and straightening his clothes. "No I do not have anyone coming for dinner. We are at usual practice."

'Usual practise' meant meals, like their breakfast usually was, eaten together. However, when Vitruvion had a business partner over, another 'brother,' or any other form of person coming to dinner, then Stare ate in the kitchens. Other times she ate entirely on her own, if Raevin and even Mer were away.

She nodded a little and stood up, forcing herself to relax. She watched as Vitruvion bent and began rolling up the map. He tucked the documents under it, paused, and then straightened again. Extending a hand he gestured to the door.

"Well?"

With a small duck of her head Stare moved to the side to allow him to stride forwards. As he passed her she fell into step, automatically moving to his left side. Right felt too strange, so used was she to seeing Raevin there. He slowed in step as he got to the door and she paused, before he tilted his head slightly around at her, a small smile on his face.

Letting out a sigh Stare ducked forwards and grabbed the door, opening it for him. His smile became a grin.

"Very good, my dear."

"You're catching me in a strange mood," she made the excuse for herself, grumbling.

"Or it is the base part of yourself that knows of the inevitability of your life." He waited until she was through the door and lowered his voice, eyes dancing around the main hall they were in now. "If I was not caught in this body and able to establish a place of worship for myself, you would already be my high priestess."

[Stare]

The word made her brows rise and she to stumble in her step. His high priestess. Essentially what would be one of the heads of the religion, if there was one such able to be built. As she thought about it, however, it all made sense. The other two who knew about his godhood were Raevin and his sister, and they would likely get their own roles, or had them.

He laughed at her reaction and swept into his powerful steps again.

"I'm pretty sure I'd be useless to you in that respect," she muttered.

"You underestimate yourself, Stare," he chided her.

She shrugged. "Pretty sure I don't ..."

He chuckled more and moved into the dining hall itself. The great ivory room, with six my portraits. A long oak table, with ten chairs, one of them practically a throne at the head. A wooden floor, fine settings with a great chandelier lighting up the whole place. Underneath the glow of which already sat Mer, nestled into the chair beside Raevin's empty one (that directly to the right, which was left empty even if he was not at the meal). Opposite her, however, was the greatest surprise. Bedside the chair left for Stare sat Blaze, unbound and looking as uncertain as the day she was born. Behind her chair stood her two guards, their eyes ever ready. Silence was already in the room, and things got even more awkward as Vitruvion and Stare came in.

The god paused for a moment, then grunted acceptance before going over to collapse into his chair. He lounged there as if it was a base instinct, and eyed the two women there.

"Well, Blaze. You wanted to see our life here. This is Mer, Stare's apprentice."

Mer raised her brows at the idea of her being an 'apprentice' - which was essentially her job - but said nothing before nodding to Blaze. The redhead stared back with large eyes, her hands fidgeting beneath the table.

"I see," she whispered.

Then Vitruvion looked over to Stare. "You are not eating, my dear?" he asked as she did not move from where she was - still near the door. All eyes then turned to her, including those of Blaze which were back to reflecting anger. Her jaw tightened and she saw him arch an eyebrow.

[Stare]

Stare?

Letting out a long, slow breath she pushed away from the doorway and stalked over to the table. Pulling her chair away from it she submitted down, Blaze right beside her. The girl who was still caught in the vile terror of the life that was the Hollow could not take her eyes from her.

Vitruvion had a smile in his eyes as he tapped his goblet. Grunting, Stare leaned forwards to grab it, trying to ignore the stares from the other two women and filled it from the decanter of red wine before her.

"Sorry I am late."

A voice from behind. A strong, male voice that was full of pride. The figure of an elf with touselled brown hair and green eyes appeared in Stare's periforole, and a sly wink told her exactly who it was.

Slowly she set down Vitruvion's goblet before him again and raised her brow at Raevin. He smiled pleasantly at her as he unbuckled his short short from his belt, looped it over the back of his chair before sitting down. His eyes scanned the room and he nodded at Blaze.

"Nice to see you joining us this evening, Blaze."

The guarded women took in a sharp breath and blinked wildly. Raevin greeted Mer, who nodded back before he looked over to Vitruvion and Stare.

"Sir. Bird."

"Elf," she grunted back.

There was a minute of silence before footsteps came, and in walked Druss, the head butler, along with Agatha, one of the housemaids and Timmin the kitchen boy. Dressed smartly they brought five plates, laden with the finest food. With practised ease they maneouvered past the guards and around the chairs, setting a plate at each place. Druss then nodded when he accepted everything as good enough and then he gestured. The two others stepped back, and walked back out, leaving a strong smell of roast and good quality vegetables filled the air.

Vitruvion picked up his fork and turned to Raevin. "So, you said earlier there was a complication with the mercenaries ..."

"You do this everyday?" came a hiss from beside her.

[Stare]

Stare blinked, halfway through cutting her pork and looked at Blaze.

" what everyday?" she grunted.

The faerie-elf's eyes were large and her features had a demanding expression. Stare noticed that she had a much blunted knife than the rest of them, and her fork had smaller spines. It was then she was conscious of the dagger at her belt and thanked the kami then that she wore it on her opposite hip.

"This," Blaze gestured with a stressed look at the food, the room, Vitruvion's goblet. "This is how you live now?"

Remembering that Blaze was here after requesting what had become of her, Stare paused and then shrugged before pecking off meat from her fork. She did her usual back swallow, her beak far longer a mouth than a humanoid one. Blaze looked appauled.

"And I used to like you."

"If you're moaning about the fact I'm here not there anymore," Stare answered quietly, "Then I understand, but can't do anything about it."

"About what? About living better than us? About helping us?"

"And this comes from the woman who told me repetitively to accept what I was down there and be nicer to him," Stare hissed.

Blaze stared at her with utter disbelief, then suddenly stabbed her food and shoved it into her mouth.

"Bitch," she spat.

"Nice to see you too," Stare replied dryly.

There was a pause. Across from Stare the rumblings of the elf and god continued, speaking of the business concerning the Mercenary training facility that Raevin operated part time. They seemed entirely occupied, and without any change in tone or pace of speech Vitruvion lifted his goblet and held it back out to Stare. She paused, seeing it empty already and grunted, taking it to refill it.

"I think she's a bitch too."

Stare raised her eyes as the red liquid flowed from the decanter. Mer was sitting there, her hands pausing on her cutlery, gaze at Blaze. A soft smile played across the female elf's lips.

The faerie-elf paused, and glared. "You're also part of the problem," she scalded.

[Stare]

"You know, Blaze, what happened to being intelligent in what you said in front of him? What happened to careful speech, keeping yourself controlled?" Stare snapped.

There was a light cough. The kenku paused, then pushed the goblet into the waiting, pale hand. The men's conversation began again. Blaze watched the interaction with growing rage, as Mer frowned.

"Nothing," Blaze replied haughtily. "But this situation is rather out of the ordinary, isn't it?"

"You fucking know that if I could do something I would," Stare whispered harshly. "But I can't. And he knows that I would if I could, so the opportunity never comes up. Life is what it is, Blaze. Deal with it. You gave me that advice once."

"I didn't realise how much of a hypocrite you would become, sitting here in your palace-"

"Shut the fuck up," Stare yelled suddenly, her rage suddenly live within her. "You don't know ANYTHING, you-"

A hand flashed out and grabbed her shoulder.

Stop, now. Look at me now.

Her words were cut off. Sucking in her breath she realised that she was staring right at Blaze, and that the girl was stuck, still and stunned as if in a trance. Realising exactly what she had done, what she had allowed her emotions to do, Stare began to blink, slowly at first, then more rapidly, her heart hammering as she felt the torment inside of her chest. The desire to be so furious, to argue all those accusations, to-

Stare!

The grip at her shoulder tightened, piercing.

There was utter soundlessness. Stare held the eye contact with Blaze for a moment longer, longing to instill a vivid sense of the faerie-elf's worst nightmare. But pressure built at her shoulder again and she swapped her glare. Instead of her red-haired victim she found herself focusing on the calm blue eyes of her god. A wisdom so deep she could barely comprehend the surface. A power so great that she had doubts no one was greater. A complexity of a man with such ambitions, a scarred past and villainous present that his future was beyond anyone's guess.

[Stare]

"Stare," the lips beneath those azure eyes said in a still, small voice.

And then she was herself again. Stare, the kenku, potential high priestess and steward of her own god. Stare, the administrator supreme, the weapon, the bold. Stare, the abused and misused, now with a great future. Stare - in control of her mind, emotions and life.

All was still around them. Even Raevin watched quietly, his lips pursed.

"Go," he commanded, gently.

She dropped her eyes, breath expelling from her lungs. Her hands were tight fists she realised, claws digging into her own flesh. The hold on her shoulder released to become a nudge.

"Go."

Then she nodded, knowing it was precisely what she needed to. Stiffly she rose, her breath short and sharp before. Twisting, she left her food and her seat behind her, ignoring the shocked looks of the guards and Mer. Striding out of the dining room she began to head for the stairs. With no other direction than that she ran up them, and then went directly to her room.

Once there Stare grabbed her dagger, then swept up her gauntlet lying on the floor. Determined, she began to fly into a rage, pushing all of her speed into a series of attacks. Memories of her brothers and father teaching her, memories of fighting in the many battles that had been thrown at her in the past few months. Enemies had become her purely because of the one she was employed with, but in her heart she knew she was safer with him than anyone.

Slowly the one of the end posts of her bed was destroyed, the titanium and mythril of her weapons reducing it to nothing. Chips and scraps flew and the dire kenku was released.

[Stare]

Night

She had fallen asleep long before. Part of the evening had been spent with Raevin coming to her room after the meal had apparently ended and raising his brows at the ruined post. He had smiled in his mysterious, curious way, then sat down and talked quietly to her. She had been able to fume at him, complain about the trials of life and Blaze's comments and he nodded as if he understood. The act was good enough for her, and it was not soon before she sighed and confessed that she considered herself the biggest hypocrite.

"You're not a hypocrite by choice though," he had replied. "You did not choose to come to be in the same city as the being who turned out to be your god, as neither did Vitruvion."

And she had to admit it was true. She would never have inspired his eager notice as much, had she not displayed such dramatic powers, nor would he have gotten stronger in his own abilities. Now that they knew the truth, though, she knew he could not let her be from his side. She was too valuable to him.

"And that does not make you a hypocrite, at all, some might say."

Him. Being kind. So many things had changed since living in the Hollow.

After a while, having calmed her, he left. Then, Stare had ended up curled in bed. Now she was half sleeping, unable to fully rest because of the stress in her body. Eyes closed, but awareness still there.

She slept some time before.

It came with the creaking of the door. For a being with as much awareness as she, Stare went stiff when she heard it. Eyes flickering open she immediately awoke, taking in a tight breath. The door opened, then creaked some more before it clunked gently shut, then she heard the deadly, uncomfortable sound of the latch sliding closed from her side.

So one could get in to rescue her while she was being attacked. Soft thwumps sounded of a person, light but trying to be quiet, moving across the floor. A small scrape indicated a pause. Stare slowly began to slide her hand underneath her pillow. That was where she kept her dagger at night sometimes when she felt vulnerable ...

Suddenly, and gently, the covers began to move, those closest to the door. Letting out a battle caw Stare spun around, drawing dagger from sheath and raising it to strike from lying down -

A figure. Knee on the mattress and a faint look of amusement on his angelic face.

[Stare]

"You could try ..." he murmured.

Frozen, there, still, Stare paused for a moment in shock and confusion before the realisation actually came. A sigh came from her mouth and she slumped back to be comfortable again, slipping the dagger back into the sheath. Yet, Vitruvion did not move, stuck in that same position of half way moving into the bed.

"What is it?" she at last replied after a lengthy pause. Gently she pushed the knife back under her pillow. She began to attempt to sit up.

"No need for that," he grunted as he moved finally.

And he set his full weight onto the bed, making it growl a little in protest. Dressed in simple trousers of cotton and no top it was clear what his intentions where. Stare blinked at him, half way into a sitting position, propped up on his elbows. She watched with quizzical brow ridge and eyes as he smoothly slid in settling down so his form was in the bed fully, covered up to his shoulder. For a moment he looked at her with a vivid blank look in his eye.

It occurred to Stare that it was very dark. But her eyes seemed to have naturally picked this up and adjusted in their ways to allow her to see in near normal. She realised Vitruvion must have something similar as he was seeing her with full recognition and did not squint.

These things she considered as she remained there, half sitting. It took a while for him to grunt and lift his body up onto an elbow. He raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you here?" she blurted out. "You have Blaze here tonight."

He blinked twice before responding.

"I am here to sleep. Nothing more."

She nodded. "And you cannot use your bed because ..."

"Blaze is in it," he simply said. "Now. Are you finished with the idiot questions?"

"Wait - what - no, I-"

[Stare]

He looked at her now with both brows raised and an amused, daring smile on his lips. 'I dare you to continue,' they said. Dare you to say 'no'.

Huffing a sigh she rolled her eyes before dropping her elbows. "Right, you're not going to answer that one. Fine." She lay for a moment, staring at the ceiling, preparing herself for a night of sleep with someone else there.

"I told you before once that I do not require anything of that kind from you anymore, and as my plans stand I never will." She saw him drop his elbow and take up role of snuggly god again. "All I want is a good night's sleep."

"And the spare room does not suffice?"

"No, it won't," he said out right and moved closer. An arm stretched out and prodded her shoulder. "Move."

Sighing, Stare turned over onto her side. She settled down, then felt the soft, but not creepy pressure of the body lining to hers. Like the few times he had done this before it was a protective stance far over a romantic one. Possessive slightly, claiming her as his. Stare thought about the dinner table, and if any of that had led him here. Her brow crushed together as she considered it, if he 'couldn't sleep' in a bed with Blaze purely because of what the girl had said, or the fact Stare had stunned her. She felt an arm side across her waist, then curl around to pin her to him. He rested his forehead against the back of her shoulder and relaxed there, letting out a sigh.

And she took a long, slow breath in, pulling the covers even further up over her face until only her eyes peeked out.

"Apparently I've been claimed," she muttered.

And she could almost feel his grin.

[Stare]

"... Sir?"

Tap, tap, tap.

Her eyes darted open.

There was a light cough, then. "... Sir?"

A breath, and she blinked.

"... Sir. Sir?"

Ahhh ... Quickly, she aimed to get up. Pushing with the arm that was tucked under her she began to move, but there was a heavy dead weight in her way. An angled, angelically muscled arm, wrapped over her waist and holding her down.

Tap, tap! Louder this time.

Twisting around she glared at the peaceful, sleeping face behind her, a strand of the white hair fallen over his face. He was not awake, but rather in that place that gods go to in their depths of rest. Slow, gentle breathing came from between his lips.

"Sir!"

"Get up," she hissed, shoving at the arm pinning her down. Get UP!

There was a single second of pause. Then, one blue eye peeked open and stared at her.

"Raevin is at the door," she glared back.

The other eye slowly opened and he let out a huff. Twisting his head back around he moved slightly, his whole body turning and pulling her with him, arm still locked around her form. A breath and there was a faint clunk as the lock in the door opened, bidden by an invisible hand. Stare tried to begin to sit up, pushing at the arm around her, but all that happened was the hold tightened, pinning her to him closer.

"Come in," he grunted.

"Don't come in," she hissed, shoving harder, "This is-"

[Stare]

His other arm ducked lithely under her struggling form and wrapped around her from the other side. A grin spread across his face as he held her to him, pulling her back under the covers.

"Sir ...?" came the confused voice.

"Don't-"

"It is fine," Vitruvion said louder. "Come in!" And he added in a whisper to Stare, "Calm down. You're uncomfortable like that."

"You're a dickhead," she muttered, but stopped moving. His eyes slid closed again and he rested his head back into her shoulder. She sighed, irritated. "Fuck my life," she added as the door opened.

Then an, "Ah," before it was swiftly closed again. There was a pause. "Eh ... Sir?"

"What?" Vitruvion opened his eyes and lifted his head up. Stare, furious as she was, tilted her head also, stuck.

Raevin stood by the doorway, looking both awkward and amused. He paused, took a moment, shifted his stance and continued.

"Shall I come back later?"

"No, there are no ears here that need truths hidden from them."

"I didn't ask for this," Stare grumbled.

"I'm sure you didn't," Raevin looked at her, "But ... Tough?"

"My sentiments exactly," the god smiled, sharing in the elf's amusement. "What is it?"

There was a moment's consideration again. "The mercenary problem has got slightly worse, sir."

"Worse?" A frown line appeared. "In what manner?"

"In the fact that the men we sent out last night as scouts to discover the whereabouts of the Hunters have not returned. As scheduled. They were due to appear about two hours ago, and thus far they have not."

[Stare]

The words made Stare blink. Despite the stance she was in her intrigue, or rather, anxiety, began to rise. "'Hunters'? As in ..."

"Bounty Hunter Guild, yes," Vitruvion said, a foul note in his voice. "The very same ones. We heard reports of a possible collection of them just north of here, and I would rather not have them in my city."

"Damn," she whispered, remembering the cold cell and the iron chains that the same group had kept her in for five, long days.

"Indeed," the god curled his lip with distaste, then looked back to Stare. She blinked, annoyance still in her eyes but far more concern there now. Slowly his head began to rest back down into the pillows, and she began to growl again, pushing at his hold.

"Raevin," Vitruvion said, as the possessive smile returned. "Arrange a guard of your four beat fighters. Brer may be of use, the other three choose yourself who can be focused and fast. Give it a further three hours and if they are not back by then, then we will travel north."

"We, sir?"

"I am not risking anyone else to the heathens who may be connected to my supposed brother," the god replied. "All of us are going. Stare knows of their tactics, I will be able to provide knowledge. We are all going. And Ansaldo's balls, Stare, stop it."

Caught off guard she ceased in her struggling for a moment to pause and glare around, looking at first him and then Raevin. Vitruvion already had his eyes closed again, Raevin shrugged at her as if to say, 'I am definitely not going to help.'

"Do you honestly want me to pin your arms to your side?"

"No, I would like to be able to get out of my own bed though," she retorted.

"Not whilst your god has anything to say about it," he answered, flatly. "I am not wanting to get up yet, thus you are not getting up yet either."

"You have hundreds of young women in this city who would beg to share your bed," she argued. "And Blaze-"

[Stare]

"None of them are mine, are they now?" he answered. "Not in the same way you are. I don't-" he stopped, and his eyes flickered open once more. "Raevin, are you still there?"

A strangled voice, trying to cover up the attempt to not laugh. "Y-yes, sir."

"Blaze. Is she awake?"

"I may have woken her up, sir, when I thought you might be sleeping in your room ..."

"Hmm," the white haired man paused, then went on, "Tell her she can have breakfast here, then head back to the Hollow."

"She was asking where you were."

Vitruvion laughed, a note of amusement. "That's not for her to know. This is my house."

He yawned slightly, then curled his arms tighter around Stare, moving her body so it lined with his. She shifted with discomfort as she was forced to twist and lie in that direction. She made her dislike very clear. For a while he held the position, then relaxed, with a sigh.

"Raevin, go and make preparations, in case we need to depart. We'll go horseback. Chocobo-back in Stare's case."

There was a pause. "Yes?"

"Yes sir," he laughed, and then there was the sound of feet moving, the door opened. Quickly it closed again.

There was a short, and mellow silence. She could hear Vitruvion's breath behind her as she was forced to relax and accept the situation. But she could not go back to sleep, things being what they were. Instead she could only think about the uncovering of a new Bounty Hunter Guild base, and what that could mean.

"Stare?"

[Stare]

"Yes?" she grunted, eyes half closed, body still tense.

"When you stunned Blaze, did you see what occurred?"

Stare's awareness came back fully. Her eyes opened wide. So he was bringing that up. She was surprised he had not made a comment about the broken bed post. Sucking in her breath she tried not to think about the guilt or anger and murmured her reply.

"She was still?"

"She was completely silent, Stare ... And also blinded."

Blinded? What?!

"I suspect cutting off the ability to hear will be next," he continued. "Feel, smell, taste ... Sensory deprivation I believe is the more official term."

She suddenly felt honestly very vulnerable. Her powers were growing faster than she herself could really comprehend and it was almost frightening to think of what she was turning into. What was next aside from the stunning, blinding, and sense of pain ... Death? Would it actually get that far?

"It may do," he honestly admitted, his voice soft and in that moment of utter admitting, comfort. "Remember your kind was lost over a millennia ago. That much unused power potential ..."

"Sometimes I hate it with you able to read my thoughts," she admitted.

He rested his chin on her shoulder. "I know,' he murmured, the voice in her ear. "I feel your hate, but it is better than not knowing anything at all."

"Often I hate you."

"Mortals will always hate their gods."

She lowered her eyes and flinched when he said it, knowing their relationship was exactly that. God and first ever recognised subject.

At least recognised, and claimed, by him.

His limbs tightened around her, hands flashing out and suddenly finding her arms. They fastened around her forearms like manacles, so much so she let out a gasp. Dragging them to her sides he pinned her close to him and hugged her suddenly to her chest. Breathing heavily in her ear he sounded for a moment desperate.

[Stare]

But it was not a starved man of lust, as anyone walking in there would suspect. Instead it was one of need. A need to serve his true purpose, a need to be a power. A need to have subjects beneath him, a need to be worshipped and wanted.

A need to be a god.

"I am your god," he murmured.

Slowly, she closed her eyes. "I know," she confessed, honestly, feeling the rising power within herself. The source of which lay on him. "I know."

"I'm a fucking god," he whispered, "And I need a piece of ancient magic and a lump of unbreakable metal to be able to see into your mind. That should not be how it is."

She began to breathe harder, heart thumping faster too. Uncertainty filled her, not knowing where this might lead to. As his grip on her tightened even more she gasped and he was speaking in a hissing, angered voice, full of malcontent and a century of disgust.

"Stare, you are mine for all time. No matter what happens, what I do, what things come, I will not lose you. And this is not said because I am some sick-hearted lover. None of this is about romance, lust, desire for your body. It is purely about me, claiming your personhood. As I should be able to do. Many gods in the past have done, chosen their paladins, their messiahs and prophets. This is me doing the same." He grinned. "High priestess."

A shiver ran down her spine as he said it. Closing her eyes she reminded herself who it was who was behind her. Even though he had just told her it all, she now needed to coax her mind to completely accept it.

After a while his hold relaxed.

"We need to go," he whispered. He embraced her for one more long minute before his hands let go of her forearms. There was a brief pause before he let go of her completely, sliding his arms from underneath and around her.

At a moment's rest Stare took a long breath in, then curled up into a foetal position. Arms clutched around her legs and she buried her beak under the covers.

Behind her the man with streaming white hair watched her quietly. He found himself smiling softly, and entirely satisfied. In her mind currently he saw the depths of her understanding for who he was and what she meant to him. Acceptance ... Appreciation.

"Breakfast," he announced, pushing himself up from the bed.

"Yeah," she murmured.

He looked at her, then sat up fully, covers falling down to his waist.

"And then we will go north."

"So no ape-orcs?" she mumbled.

He laughed softly. "Perhaps right after. But before then we have my mercenaries to protect.'

[Stare]

She came down to breakfast late, slipping into the room with freshly washed clothes and slightly damp feathers from a long wash. She carried her half helmet in her hand, a piece that fitted over her skull and upper beak part. Vitruvion sat already, a newspaper folded before him and a steaming plate of food half eaten. Blaze, Raevin and Mer were there too, through various stages of their meal. It was Blaze who Stare was more anxious about - when the kenku moved into the room, she stiffened and looked away with purpose. Her two guards behind her tightened their hands on their quarterstaffs.

"Sit," Vitruvion gestured at her chair without raising his face, "There is still an hour and some to go before anything is confirmed."

An hour until they were scheduled to leave. The last few moments of the five hours of time then that the mercenaries had been missing.

There was a minor silence, but not much more than had already been happening. It seemed awkwardness was fashionable. Stare grunted a sigh before placing her helmet on the corner of the table and dropping into her seat.

"Where - where are you going in an hour?" Mer's voice asked, trying to be polite and not sounding too curious.

"North. That is all you need to know. After that Stare and I will be away for possibly a few days more," Vitruvion spoke, at the same time as his eyes surveyed the newspaper. He flipped over the paper.

"Wait, away ...?" Mer glanced at Stare, who looked at her briefly before leaning forwards and starting to pick off foods from the platters. "But it is Thursday tomorrow ..."

"And you are perfectly capable of performing Stare's duties at the Emporium and Tailors by yourself, Mer," Vitruvion answered lightly. "The very reason I employed you is for times like this."

[Stare]

Mer narrowed her eyes at Stare who shrugged before going back to her food. Once she had enough meat and few vegetables stacked there she sat back to begin to eat. Still not looking up Vitruvion laid a finger on his mug and tapped it, once. It made her pause, and then Mer began to lean forwards ...

"Stare, not you," he said in a sterner voice.

"Is there any difference?"

A quick intake of breath was Raevin's first sign of his presence, aside from the sight of him. Stare blinked at him as she moved anyway and took the mug to begin to make his coffee.

A slow smile spread across Vitruvion's face. Even Blaze, quiet as she was now, looked between them all, eyes wide.

"More difference than you'll ever know."

"Well, I know one-"

"No," he suddenly said sharply, eyes lifting up for the first time and glaring directly at Mer.

The elf maiden pursed her lips, but after a while she looked away. Stare could see the tension in her jaw but the acceptance in her eyes. Quietly she slipped Vitruvion over his coffee, and went to her food.

Then wordlessness fell again, the time continuing to tick by. Seconds, tens of them. Sausages, cut up and neatly stuffed into her beak. Raevin munching on his toast slowly, Blaze looked down, not sure what to do aside from gaze at an empty plate.

Eventually Stare gave in and moved her head slightly to near Blaze. "I apologise for blinding you," she muttered, more feeling the need to say the word rather than truly feeling apologetic.

[Stare]

The Ellenin stiffened and hissed back. "You can do magic?! Even after being in the Hollow?"

Stare shifted and looked away. From what she understood from conversations with Philomel van der Aart, the powerful faun with a great organisation, the kenku knew that the effects of the Hollow's magic and power cancelling properties lasted on a victim for a few days after. That or less, depending how long they had been there. A minute there would only last a minute outside to readjust. Thus, if Blaze could do magic, which was likely, she could be safely taken out of it for a day without getting her power back.

After all she had her origins in Althanas.

"I ... Yes," Stare murmured.

"How?!" she asked, incredulous.

"By the same enchantment on her that allows me to communicate with Stare by mind," came a smooth answer.

All eyes looked to him. Apart from Raevin's who knew all of this already. Or rather, knew the actual truth that this lie covered up.

Vitruvion looked at Blaze. "Stare serves me with loyalty, and has earned her role of being a benefit to me, in other ways than how she did before. Other skills, her magic, her ... Willingness to accept that presence in her mind has led to what she does for me now." He straightened his back. "Now, does that answer all your questions about why she is here now? Would you accept me into your mind? To be able to see your thoughts even when you do not know I am there? To not have the most basic of privacies?" A slow grin had come to his face.

Blaze looked horrified. With disgust she stared at the kenku for a few seconds before she spoke.

"You let ... him into your mind?!"

"If you don't mind, I'll eat the rest of my breakfast in the library," Stare grabbed her helmet and her other fingers were curled around her plate.

"No, you will stay," Vitruvion commanded, the smile broad and knowing. When Stare did not let go of her plate he leant over and firmly pushed the hand off. Grumpily, Stare complied, slumping in her seat.

"You're more a traitor and a hypocrite than I thought," Blaze commented.

[Stare]

And with that -

"Aster, Kingston, I think it is time Blaze returned to her home. Please escort her there."

The two guards either side sprang to attention. Blaze herself let out a small, surprised gasp. Hands slipped down to touch her shoulders, indicating that she should get up. Her eyes turned to Stare, whom she glared at before she got up, pushing back the chair.

They escorted her out with little difficulty, guiding her with practised ease. Behind them they closed the door, and then that was it. Blaze was gone, her short adventure back into Stare's life over. Very soon now though Stare knew that every 'guest' in the Hollow would know of Stare's mind connection to Vitruvion. Of all things it was not the worst they would ever do.

Silently she took up her fork again and began to eat, feeling more vulnerable, but knowing that this was her life.

Mer did not make any more protestations. Although she tried to make herself as useful to Vitruvion as possible in the next hour, fetching him everything he asked for. Stare was reminded of a desperate squirrel, trying to hide as many nuts as possible for the coming winter. What sort of winter it might be, she did not know, for another half-god hanging around Althanas when there were already too many was worrying. Especially one who seemed intent on destroying Vitruvion.

Stare let do Mer as she would and made practise to arrange the provisions from the kitchen, should their journey end up taking them into the Tular Plains after finding the whereabouts of the mercenaries. She packed resources of salted meat, bread and dried fruit, rolling them with blankets. Tying it into a pack she weighed it and considered it suitable enough for Sen to be able to carry as well as her.

And so, she left after collecting clothes and all that she needed. Passing through the main hall she saw the front doors open, and a dainty figure of Blaze walking through them, her guards around her, her body tied.

[Stare]

Stare grunted, and went right forwards. She watched as Blaze slowed to look back and take in the memory of the house again. Outside a strong team of riding horse, as well as a carriage stood in wait - and a fierce looking black-coated chocobo. Stare felt a pang of guilt for the girl, having as she needed to now to head to the pit of no natural light and pain. But that guilt lasted only so long. There was always constant hatred towards Vitruvion for what he had done to her, Blaze and the others. There would always be until the Hollow was no more, but there was very little she could do about it.

She strode past Blaze, a brief amount of eye contact. The girl watched with a quizzical brow as Stare went over to the chocobo. The bird mounts, who's name was Sen and was a blessing in her life, chirruped a happy noise before dragging his reigns from his handler. The stable boy breathed in fast but let in happen, as Sen headed right for Stare.

Happily, she greeted her dear friend with a great amount of attention. They embraced for a while, the two birds in this wild world of humans and elves and other things. Stare heard the carriage door thump eventually and glanced to see Blaze had finished. She paused, then decided not to say goodbye but rather give her attention to Sen. For a while she scratched his jaw, stroked his neck and fed him scraps of meant from her pocket.

"That is all of us," came the voice along with scraping footsteps as they kicked the thousands of stones that made up the drive.

Stare looked behind her to see Vitruvion moving across the path towards a proud, magnificent white stallion. One that tossed it head and snorted as he came. Lively, bold. Definitely his type. In all honesty Stare could not remember seeing him ever ride a horse before, rather he was always in the carriage. So she watched with intrigue as he came over, three guards trailing behind him and Raevin. With expert ease he mounted the stallion after petting it once, swinging his leg over and settling into the saddle.

He paused, then looked over to Stare, an amused smile showing. Quickly, she looked away, giving Sen a last rub before she hoisted herself into the chocobos's saddle. She pushed her pack to be behind her, tying it down before settling into the saddle. Once there, she took up the reigns and checked herself and looked back out to the field.

The rest of the men were climbing to their mounts. Some were clearly struggling more than others, one of whom was not Raevin. After a while, however, they got themselves sorted and packs, as well as weapons were sorted. Two more elves and a human were who Raevin had selected and though mounting a horse was not their greatest skill, Stare knew that fighting would be.

"Right," Vitruvion said, when they were all assembled. Then he nodded at Raevin. The brown haired elf twisted on his horse, checked his men, and Stare and then breathed in. The metal gate that kept the world from them began creep open.

Seconds later the team of five horses and one choocbo were racing down the streets of Beinost, dirty dust clouds their legacy.

[Stare]

It took them two hours to reach the destination that the mercenaries had been supposed to be going to. Stare kept herself quiet, her gauntlet by her side attached to her belt along with dagger and helmet. Her mail shirt bounded along with her as she rode the swift, avian mount, who was faster than the horses and had more endurance it seemed. Sen kept streaming out ahead, cawking his greatness.

After coming out of the city they ended in a great plain. Snaking around the edge of water, they rode up into a group of hills. As they got closer it became apparent that there was a small village here. Peaceful, it would have been just an ordinary farming town, were it not for the fact they knew a Bounty Hunter's Guild lay nearby.

They slowed as they got to about a mile from the village, stopping on a rise. Vitruvion took the lead, calmly ceasing his horse's movements with so little effort. Stare deduced he could probably talk to the creature. The guards and she gathered behind him, their mounts heaving with breath, Sen eager to keep on charging but he could be patient. For a while all the did was look down at the place of haunting, silence between every mouth.

"From the reports," Raevin murmured, "It lies somwhere to the east. Up the valley."

"And it is to be assumed that the scouts went either there or to the village first," Vitruvion agreed.

There was a pause.

"Sir," one of the elf guards carefully addressed. The white-haired noble angled his head in the man's direction, not quite making eye contact, but instead keeping his attention on the village. With that acknowledgement the elf went on. "Sir, one of us could go into the village and ask if they saw any strangers recently."

His nearest comrade, the other elf nodded in encouragement. "Two of us would be better. Bolster and I can go."

Vitruvion shifted in quiet discomfort for a moment admitted nevertheless. "It would make the most sense as a plan of action."

Silence fell. Stare felt the awkward atmosphere settle, but eventually their employer nodded.

"Bolster, Narlan, go down to the village. If you are beset upon one of you shoot a fire ball into the sky." He glanced at them. "You both are capable of that attack, correct?"

They confirmed with agreeing mutters.

[Stare]

"Good," Vitruvion straightened, and pulled back his horse. The white stallion huffed but twisted around, angling back to come to the rest of them.

The two elves saluted their employer before looking to one another. With an unspoken affirmation they spurred their steeds into action and began the canter down the hill. It did not take long for surprised calls to begin coming from the village, clearly unused to strangers. Vitruvion pulled his horse around to line it between Raevin and Stare, one hand on the reigns, the other holding his cane.

That he still had despite the hard riding. Stare found herself being amused, but did not look at him. Instead she focused on the houses below where a couple of villagers armed with shovels began to saunter out towards their incoming riders.

"Weapon," Vitruvion explained.

"I know," she nodded, "It is just an unusual sight to see."

"Whenever have I been described as a normal being?" Vitruvion arched an eyebrow.

Stare paused, looking briefly at him, and then Raevin who rolled his eyes. She was smiling in her eyes.

"None that I can think of," she confirmed.

"Exactly."

Back at the village Bolster and Narlan were discussing from still horseback with the two villagers. Though they had their hands on their weapons and the two villagers held onto their shovels with passion, there seemed little danger. Only quiet words were being discussed, a few nods. Stare paused, then realised she might be able to focus and tried to squint her eyes slightly. With it she found she could angle her eyesight in and perceive even the white knuckles of the tightened grips.

Time passed and still they remained. Nobody said anything, but rather focused on the exchange taking place. Features were made back up to the party and the villagers looked back at them in alarm. After a second Stare pushed her awareness into the aura sight but was happy to find only goodness pouring from the townsmen.

[Stare]

"I think we can be sure that the village did not take them," Vitruvion rolled back his shoulders and breathed out a sigh.

"I would assume so sir," Raevin replied.

News came with the return of Bolster and Narlan. The two shovel-wielding townsmen stayed with their village and did not move. Instead they kept watching the party. As the two elves climbed the hill they shook heads and blurted out that the villagers had not even seen anyone in the town, just that a group of three fighters had been seen late the previous night heading east. As to a group of local Bounty Hunters there seemed to be disagreement. Some said there was a local set of trackers who lived in the wood, others had heard of nothing. Overall tey seemed preoccupied and focused.

"Sounds like our party," Raevin commented.

Vitruvion gave a deep nod, and was quiet for a contemplative moment. After a while Bolster looked over at him.

"Your orders sir? We could head east or see if the villagers are lying?"

The god shook his head. "They have no reason to." He pointed to the east. "We go on."

"On it is," Raevin raised a hand and gestured gratuitously to his men. They commented their cheerful acceptance of orders and began to gather in a tight formation together.

Stare began to wonder if this had been going on for years. These types of accumulated huntings and gatherings, of going on a set adventure with Vitruvion. Seeking out those who were his enemies, finding the truth behind disappearances. Getting revenge for those who wronged him and his employees.

Personally this was the first time she had been with this many. She could only compare it to the time he had taken her to Raiaera to better find out what had happened to her during her time in the Bounty Hunter cells near there. That had been the first time they had come up against the Hunter Guild and when they had discovered the connection with Sabazios and Vitruvion's supposed half brother here. There had been some periods and events that had led Stare to be alone with Raevin, and once or twice with Brer, her old bodyguard, but this time was different. For the first time she felt part of something larger, something more ornate, and not just a simple cog in Vitruvion's business machinery.

You feel ... Like a cog? he said, unamused. From the genesis of your service to me as my steward, Stare, you have been more than a cog. He almost sounded offended.

She shifted and looked awkward as they restarted their grouped ride. I mean that this is the first time I have felt part of something larger than just being an asset. I- she cut herself off, knowing she was not making herself clear. Before it was like they all regarded me as just the glorified, promoted sex slave. This is ... Nicer. I feel part of it.

[Stare]

Part of what? he furrowed his brow. Their community. She shrugged and he smiled slightly. Stare you are far more important in the larger scheme of my life than any of them, excepting Raevin.

She looked down at the ground beneath her, trudged flat by Sen's claws.

Stare?

Yes, sir? she said quietly, the idea of being in his service until she died daunting.

He sucked in his breath and he was so close to her, riding less than a metre behind, that she heard it. Stare. Your very presence has made me stronger. I would be a fool to let you get away from me. If that means that I have to end up keeping you in a cell because you are so desperate to get away from me, so be it. But I would rather not get to that point.

That would indeed be a horrible alternative to her life now. Chained until her dying day - did she really hate him that much?

The answer was no, she was not. Right now she was riding beside him and several of the men used to be responsible for keeping her under lock and key. Now she was responsible in part for them, arranging their pay as Raevin arranged their duties. That was a promotion indeed, and it was something she continued doing for some time, should her health and ability permit her.

Besides. Even if she ran now or anytime, Vitruvion simply had to reveal to the world his legal entitlement to her. A reward be sent out, amateur bounty hunters would search for the highly obvious bird. Runaway slaves were never thought of well, and Stare would be taken back to Vitruvion as fast as her chocobo could run.

His full head now turned towards her as they trotted down the hill into the valley.

A last resort only, my dear, he promised.

She nodded a little, but did not quite believe it, and he left the subject alone willingly.

They descended down into the place between the three hills they were near, where a narrow river curled by a tiny wood of oak trees. There was no sign of a building or habitation, but then nothing had been very clear of the underground base they had found near the small village some distance from Raiaera.

"That must be the wood the villagers mentioned," Bolster suggested.

[Stare]

Vitruvion nodded a little, elegantly. "Most likely. They spoke of foresters inhabiting that place ... No suggestion of how many?"

"No sir."

They still trotted, and he made no sign of slowing. Instead, he began to angle his horse towards the side of the wood, rather than the centre. There was looks but no comments as all followed his direction wordlessly.

To the edge they got and Vitruvion gestured to his employees before sliding off his own steed. The rest of the men followed, Stare only getting off when she was thrown a meaningful look. Holding their mount's reigns each being glanced to the other before the secret god breathed in and began to murmur quietly.

"Raevin, take point with Bolster and Hangfort. Narlan, keep behind them."

The men nodded and easily slid into position, drawing weapons. Stare watched their movements occurring with practised ease, fascinated in the way that they did. Calmly Vitruvion slid into a point between them all, hands grasping onto his cane.

"Stare?"

She looked over to him and saw him gesture just before him.

"We need your eyes."

Her main use. What she was called after. Quickly she nodded and slipped on her gauntlet as she walked over, testing the metal plate links sliding back and forth into one another. Easily, with her small form, she took up position between Raevin and Vitruvion, her range obscured by the height of the elf, but there would be enough room to see something.

She breathed in and straightened, shifting into heat vision. The five large bodies around her were red beacons on a field of black, hot and living and -

"Stare go ahead, actually. Those are going to get in your way. Raevin, protect her with ... Well you know."

Stare glanced back at the intense pink body of warmth behind her, but not before a hand fell onto her shoulder. Suddenly the heat that was Raevin appeared and pushed her forwards before him. She stumbled slightly, but was righted and steadied by the hand. It took her a moment to get her balance, but when she did she swung her head back forwards and was met with the forest of dull colours and tiny buzzing life.

[Stare]

Flies. Hundreds of them. Tiny points that she had not noticed before because of the intensity of the warm bodies.

"Be careful," Vitruvion said quietly. "There are many flies in that dark forest. Spiders may also lurk."

"Spiders," Narlan grimaced. And the rest agreed in his hateful notion with a mixture of murmurs.

"Stare?"

She grunted and started on, pressing her claws to the earth and beginning the trudge into the forest.

Behind her Raevin pressed close, his orders she was sure being to keep her alive at the cost of others. The captain of the guard knew how much she was worth to Vitruvion. His unwavering loyalty to the god who was not even his, and who he had had to swear numerous secret oaths to, was respectable but also creepy. Knowing what Vitruvion did in his darker moments should make any single being shiver, but Raevin instead helped him to create that world. And hire guards for it.

Into the depths of the wood they went, Stare switching to and fro out of her heat sight and general vision to see if there was anything to be missed. All she could see though, for some time, was the hundreds of buzzing lights of flies. She reconnoitered back with Vitruvion.

Press on, he kept saying.

Once, it was far too late.

The enemy came from the side, clicking it's jaws in a screaming clatter. There it was, a massive spider as the god had predicted. Stare sucked in her breath and grabbed her dagger at her belt. But she was suddenly shoved to the side as not only Raevin but two guards surged forwards. Flame-haired Bolster rushed forth, dragging out his sharp blade to stab the creature in the leg.

Screaming came, Stare aimed to get forwards but the others had gone. Desperate and shocked by the sudden mass of blades sticking in its direction the spider let out a shriek. Overall it was around six foot in height and length, six eyes staring whilst the other two seemed to be closed. It screamed and hissed as the men encircled it, waving weaponry in the air.

It soon became clear why Raevin had chosen these particular people. Their skill and ability shone above all others, and they weaved a death like no one deserved. One by one, with unspoken synchronisation they ducked in, then ducked out, changing the way the spider needed to move in order to fight each time. Stare glanced over to Vitruvion, and saw him simply leaning on his cane, blue eyes gleaming as he watched his men. She herself stood ready, but it seemed the warriors were determined not to let her get a way in, on their own thoughts or on orders. Quickly they made sweet bloody work of the spider, and it gave out a final cry with its clicking pincers raised to the sky. As it thumped to the ground Stare dragged in a breath, realising it had all taken just a matter of a few seconds.

[Stare]

Done. Dusted. Deceased.

"Well?"

Her eyes darted around to see Raevin standing behind her. He had a mad look in his eye and a smile strewn over his face. Else, he looked almost prestine, as if the fight had done nothing at all.

"Stare? We going on?"

Breath rushed out of her again and she nodded, twisting around.

I can fight as best as the rest of them, she grumbled.

Yes, but they are not as worth as much as you.

Her eyes turned over to him and she stared in a moment of disbelief at her. Raising his brows he looked back at her, then lifted a finger to point back to the wood.

We're going that way, Stare.

She grunted and turned, but could not forget what he had just said. She was truly worth that much? Even more than Raevin? Was the what he was saying now? She wondered if he had such restraints on him like she had? A hidden cuff? Maybe an earring, or a document proclaiming Raevin his property too?!

Raevin swore his fealty to me a long time ago. I don't need to threaten him as I do you. You still resist me, despite the last six months of knowing who I am.

Her eyes lowered but she pressed on into the trees, taking the point. Switching back into her sight of heat she left the slowly cooling carcass of the dead spider. Of course, there may be more. Though spiders were solitary hunters usually there was a chance at some breeding in one area. Personally she did not like larger-

It was easier said than done. Suddenly from the other side, opposite to where the first spider had come from suddenly four huge bodies were surging towards them. Stare yelled out, swinging in that direction as the red figures rushed at them.

The guards turned, confused as the dark forest hid the oncoming rush. But they prepared themselves none the less, and once more Stare was shoved to the back. She growled, feeling more that her gender was what was causing this now. They surged, all four of them now, as a single company, expertly falling into step beside each other.

[Stare]

As a single unit they ran at the spiders. Stare held her breath, glancing back to Vitruvion, who was doing the same as before and looking like he was idely watching. This time though he seemed to be more focused and she could swear she saw an absent finger or two being flicked. At the same time as one of these she noticed a spider slip up on one of its legs and she knew then it was him.

These spiders were short work. As a single unit the guards rushed together, the finest fighters that Raevin could train and had. Mercenaries, trained both for the Hollow as guards and for genuine hire. Ultimately, however, it was known that they owed their loyalty to Vitruvion. The man who paid them to be trained, gave them homes and shelter, offered them that chance to change their life, should they want it. Anytime they could leave his employ.

They charged and they felled. Stare kept watching Vitruvion, and saw more of the minor movements that signalled the throw of another spider leg, or the lesser warned blinding of an eye. At one point he tilted his head to her and slightly smiled, knowing what she was thinking, that he could finish the spiders off with a single click of his fingers if he wanted to. The smile told her that he could, but he wouldn't.

A single spider broke from the ranks and suddenly rushed them. Vitruvion frowned as if he had not been expecting it and actually paused in his thinking. Stare, however, was more eager than anyone and rushed forwards to savagely gain hold of one of the eight eyes of the beast. It was too easy, all too easy. Savagely she stunned it with a wave of hatred overtaking her body, then sent necrosis beginning to spread thickly over its face. Next, with it occupied, she rushed forwards and began to stab out with her knife and gauntlet, using her speed to launch onto its back. Quickly she took it for granted, hissing as she slid her mythril and titanium deeper and deeper into its body. Still it shrieked, trying to toss her off, and she had to hold onto the hilt of her dagger buried within.

Click. Suddenly the neck of the thing jerked around, hard. It made a heavy sound as it crashed to the ground, twitching. Dead. Legs were splayed, eyes still with necrosis burning through them, and it was beginning to roll.

Dragging her knife out she hissed but jumped off the corpse as it instinctively curled around, legs springing inwards and flipping onto its back. She landed in a fit of irritation, her claws gripping the dirt with expert reflexes before she glanced up at the one who she knew had mad the neck break.

Glaring, she muttered. "I could have finished it on my own."

"And as you have so rightly deduced I could finish every single one of them," he murmured quietly back. "But I won't. Because they deserve their display of strength."

[Stare]

"And I don't?"

"My dear, I still help them to some extent. I did nothing for yours until that moment." He shrugged one shoulder.

She glared at him for a longer moment, but then sighed and knew it was no more use. They watched the other group destroy the spiders, and she shifted back into her heat sight, watching the lights merge and play.

Slowly all were destroyed, and their corpses left. They trailed back to the kenku and the god, chests heaving, eyes latching onto the nearby corpse and expressing certain guilt. Vitruvion glanced at Raevin, who gave him a firm nod, and the god nodded back. He breathed in, then looked around, trying to determine a new direction before they continued on their way.

"Sir, there is a possibility this could get worse. The forest just gets deeper from here."

Vitruvion nodded, knowing it was likely. "Stare at the front again, but we go as a close group now."

There were murmurs, and shufflings. Stare grunted and moved ahead, this time though Bolster and Raevin were at her near sides. They huddled as a tight group, with Vitruvion taking up the rear. Still, though, they had to go on with a task in mind.

Stare stayed entirely in her heat vision this time, eyes wide and constantly scanning. The small lights of the flies flickered in and out of patches now, forming over certain areas, or avoiding others. Silently she kept treading, calling out when there was a river. She hopped over it, closely followed by the rest. Together they went on, dispatching another two onslaughts of spiders, two at a time around, until she began to see ...

"Oh."

She paused. A hundred or more close lights, burrowed together. Huddled in some form of rectangular fashion. A quick look into her normal vision and peering into the darkness told her that ... Well. That they were in the beginnings of a long building, the doorway caved in. And from its depths thousands of tiny eyes peered, larger ones groping over the tops.

She whistled. "Oh my ..."

They had found the Bounty Hunter's Guild.

[Stare]

Or what had been it. With some very brief investigation disgarded clothes were found. It took time to carefully avoid the smaller spiders, likely the newest born of whatever arachnid queen had taken over this void. But they did eventually manage to find an identifying marker. A pair of glasses that had unmistakably belonged to a guard called Godric. He was known for his shcolarly persuits and had even been to the mansion a few times to go through the library. Even Stare knew vaguely who he was and she gazed at it stunned, from the safe distance from the spiders.

"And the horses?"

"Found some corpses of them a little over," Narlan gestured to the east. "Carl spotted an odd shape ... Hooves mostly."

Vitruvion sighed and nodded, a brief look of annoyance fluttering over his face.

"Raevin, you will arrange the usual compensation for the families on return to Beinost," he said quietly.

The brown haired elf nodded, looking as dissatisfied. "Of course sir."

For a while longer the god looked at the sprawl of the spiders and the building.

"At least .. the Guild members are likely dead?"

"Yes," Vitruvion said quietly. "Indeed."

There was a collective breath, then the god turned around, his back to the death and destruction. Suddenly he began to stride away, purposeful and fast. The rest were left there, confused before they looked to one another and made the only decision they could. Desperately they ran, pushing muscle to go and catch up with the man who collectively paid them. Even Stare, lost in a whirlwind of bemusement, hastened after, soon though becoming the first ahead.

They gathered around Vitruvion, but he said nothing. By the tension on his face it was clear they should say nothing, and thus they all followed, following the light thuds of his feet and his cane. Onwards they went, into the breach and back out of the forest.

This time, as a spider shrieked and lunged for them from the darkness, Vitruvion simply lifted up his cane and swung it at it. The beast stopped dead, still and frozen in a rise as they hustled past - then it crumbled to dust as if it had never been anything. A second had its neck broken a second after it hissed at them. It too crumbled to nothing, and they went on. Stunned silence was all he received in thanks.

They got to the edge of the forest. Vitruvion stopped and looked out over the town. He breathed, jaw set and not saying anything as the party around him began to filter out. Small gestures between them and they passed the objects of value, such as Godric's glasses. Stare stood all the while, awkward and uncertain, little idea of what was going on.

"Sir?"

It was Raevin. The only one truly bold enough to stand up and ask him.

"Hmm?" Vitruvion blinked a little, then gave him a terse glance. "What?"

"What are we doing now?" he murmured.

There was an awkward silence. Nobody tried to look at Vitruvion and Raevin, apart from Stare who was frowning at the back of her god's head.

Vitruvion paused before nodding down the hill. "I need to speak with you alone, Raevin," he said quietly. And quickly he strode, heading for a small levelling plain. Raevin shot Stare a cautionary glance, and then twisted to run after. Leaving the rest of them there, confused and unsure.

"Eh ... Lady Stare?"

She looked back to see raised brows from the mercenary guards.

"Don't look at me for answers," she replied, twisting around. She looked left and right, along the edge of the forest, before she saw the bundle of horses, thankfully not touched by spiders. Sen was there, scratching at the earth and digging up some tuber or other. "I'm going there," she nodded and started over.

It did not take long for them to decide to follow, leaving Vitruvion and Raevin to have their quiet, private words.

[Stare]

She found it slightly interesting that she had been the next point of authority for the fighters. It seemed they truly had adapted to her being their superior after all, even when Vitruvion or Raevin was not there. No longer did they look at her as a thing to possibly be theirs one day, instead she was now entirely untouchable. It reminded her a little of when she and Raevin had first met. He had grinned nastily, told her of her position now and actually touched the between of her legs.

Now he treated her with absolute respect, as did these warriors. How times had changed.

Sen perked up as she came over, caw'ing happily and burying his feathered head into her arms. She crooned happily and soothed him with soft sounds of kenku, rattling off several cracks and clicks in a quiet tone. He responded well, bristling with knowledge or instinct that they were connected somehow.

He garbled back in his own simpler tongue, even whistling once as he snuggled into her. She rubbed his beak and moved around to grab a hunk of meat from her pack. Ripping it up she passed him a chunk, which he took delicately from her hand. She ate a bit herself then went back to crooning over him, going into a form of grooming that kenku were prone to do.

"Hello darling," she whispered.

"Stare," came a small voice from behind her.

She turned to see Raevin standing there, kindly smiling. The elf's eyes glanced up at Sen and nodded at the animal a moment before looking back at Stare. Sen cawk'ed before nibbling at Raevin's hair. Stare laughed lightly before the elf drew up and placed a hand on her arm.

"Stare?"

She looked at him straight. "Hmm?"

"We're all heading back."

She blinked and looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"We're going back," he gestured over his shoulder.

To where the guards were getting onto their horses with varying ability. One more competent held the reigns of Raevin's, whilst Vitruvion's bright eyed stallion stood on its own, nibbling grass. She frowned, looking over to where Vitruvion still stood on the brow of the hill.

"You're going back," she tried to affirm, her brow ridge creased.

"No, we are," he gestured between all of them. "Vitruvion is staying here, then going to Tular himself."

Her beak parted and her eyes showed astonishment. Confusion crossed over them, at least to those who knew her it was confusion. She had no real way of expressing it other that her brow.

[Stare]

Her beak parted and her eyes showed astonishment. Confusion crossed over them, at least to those who knew her it was confusion. She had no real way of expressing it other that her brow.

"He said that 'Stare and I' ..."

"He's changed his mind," the elf shrugged, turning to walk away. "Anyway, get up, we want to get back before the sun sets."

"Wait, Raevin!"

But he turned and shook his head to her. It was then she realised that he and Vitruvion had spoken about something privately and that it might have been about her. But what had she done? Why had he decided this? What was going on and-

Get on the chocobo, Stare, he said quietly, a voice whispers away from silence.

What is going on? she demanded, staring at his back.

He refused to turn. All she saw was his figure slowly becoming a silhouette, his cane held between his hands and behind him. A soft wind picked up and played with his hair.

Get on the bird and head home, he insisted, a little louder.

She shook her head, frowning. No.

He breathed in sharp. Stare, that is an order. Obey it now.

Or? she murmured.

Clap. The memory of him slapping her hard across the face sang in her mind. Flinching, she gulped with the reminder of the pain it had inflicted. Instantly she ducked her head, watching him still not move but knowing he was so close to coming over and admonishing her in front of the whole crowd.

Moving fast, she swung herself up onto Sen. Her hands wrapped into his feathers and she kept staring at the figure on the hill, even as Raevin raised a hand and gestured for them to be off.

Subconsciously she rattled the reins and Sen lifted his head to begin traipsing with the horses. Her stomach felt vile, and she felt sick, but she allowed herself to be carried off as confusion reigned. Her mind became a chaos of questions and emotions, ones that she could not control. Steadily her bird carried her further and further away from the white haired man, all in the world of uncertainty.

And the question of why.

[Stare]

"Stare?"

They had been riding for half an hour now. A gentle trot, as nobody wanted to rush back after so much energy exerted on the fighting. Each rose and fell like they were naturally accustomed in a world of cheap steeds and few steam locomotive. Not that she had ever been on one of those monsters from Alerar. Personally the whole thought of steam power shook her to her core.

"Raevin," she replied with a tension in her tone.

"You've been grumpy this whole time."

"Have I?" she replied dryly and sarcastically, "I didn't notice."

He rolled his eyes and paused before reaching over and grabbing her reigns. She yelled out before she saw what he was doing.

"Hey Rae-"

"Shhh," he grimaced, but pulled Sen back enough to have the two of them slow down and pull away from the guards. They received a few odd looks, but the fighters simply shrugged and trotted on ahead, regardless.

Stare glared at her colleague for a while, before he straightened himself and threw a glare back.

"Deal with the fact that he wants to go alone."

"I'm allowed to sulk about it for a while longer, Rae," she growled, "I have that right at least."

"For a few minutes yes," he hissed, "But not for a day. It's unprofessional."

"It's not been a day," she argued. "Barely thirty minutes, thank you Mr captain of the guard. Why don't you go and shove your professionalism up your ass."

Raevin rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I forget how immature you can be."

"Sometimes I forget how much of an asshole you can be. How did we meet again Rae? Ah yes, I remember."

And she did. Well. A certain smirk, a certain hole, a certain trussed up kenku and an elf's hand wandering.

"Well we didn't know what you were then, did we," Raevin remarked. "You were just another guest."

"And now I'm what? An anomaly? Woo hoo, I'm not a slave anymore ... Wait, I am," she whispered in the smallest voice she could.

"Fecking - you know why he originally did it, Stare. For your own safety, and he had done the fake one anyway. It didn't require much more money to make it official, and he's a man who likes his possessions, so what?" he looked at her as he muttered with a hard look. "I heard what you asked me about me, what you considered, and no way in hell would he do that, but I was - am - a completely different case to you. I swore myself to him. Do I regret it? Yeah, maybe, sometimes, but he's my liege lord, and I ... Well I am perfectly capable of coming back to him. I've never been tempted to run away. You have."

[Stare]

She rolled her eyes and looked away. "Still doesn't make it right that he did it."

"Maybe not," Raevin shrugged, "But it is what it is." He paused for a moment as he observed her still sour exoression. Even her mouth corners were curled down. "And, An's balls, he's done a hell of a lot for you. You have to realise that."

"Like ... Raping me, abusing me ..."

"No, trusting you more than anyone I know for a start."

Stare paused, then blinked. Suddenly she frowned and turned fully to gaze at him. "Trust ... Raevin he doesn't trust me at all."

Raevin blinked and then it was his turn to frown. "What do you mean? He allowed you to sleep in his bed from ... What, three or four months in?"

"He's told me plenty of times he doesn't trust me," she shook her head, concerned now. "Hence me wearing this," she raised her hand slightly, the one bearing the cuff.

The elf paused, and thought about it.

"That's more ... Habit surely?"

Stare shook his head. "He specifically told me once he doesn't quite trust me enough not to have it. When I got it in the first place, it was a form of control."

The brow was low on the elf, and he was silent for a long time.

"Wait - what did you mean about him sleeping in the same bed as me? He does that all the time!"

Raevin shook his head. "Not for anyone. None of his guests, not even Spice, bless her."

"But the first time was just after I - the first council meeting we-" she blinked, trying to definitely not think about that time, not at all. The first council meeting she had been at was a hard memory to face. It had been the first time she had submitted herself to his will, swapped better treatment in exchange for consent. Well. There had been a lot of threats. But then when she had given him what he wanted he had lain with her, and rested. She had awoken to find his slumbering body ...

"You made an impression on him," Raevin murmured.

"Apparently," she was astounded. "But ... He can't trust me, Raevin. He definitely has told me ..."

"I know for a fact he's always had trouble sleeping with anyone in the same room. Even his sister, though they have had to suffice ..." He ran a hand through his hair as his horse clopped nevertheless.

"Maybe he knew that he could overwhelm me wherever?" she muttered.

"If only it was that easy," he raised his brows. "But that's not it, Stare. I think ..." It took him a moment, then he nodded, "Maybe it's two types of trust."

"Two types?" she sounded very unconvinced.

"Yes, first a basic trust, of ... Well safety. Trust to not do anything stupid, not to try to kill him. And then a second trust. Of his own life. His soul, if gods have their own souls. That I think you're steadily getting. He's waiting for you to trust him."

She stared at him, her breath shallow and uncertain.

"Well?" he asked. "Would you ever try to kill him?"

She looked appalled. "Of course not. He's ... Well he is awful, and maybe I once thought he deserved it but I know he definitely does not now ..."

"I reckon some part of him knew what you were," he nodded his head, becoming firmer in his thinking. "Right from the start. That's where his trust lay. An innate trust, a truth that neither of you knew until later." He looked at her. "Did you think he was anything more than what he said he was at the start."

Stare shook her head, not sure about anything now. "I cannot say. I knew something was changing ... I guess. I definitely knew that I had a power within me that I had never known. When I first saw him," she huffed, remembering the boots, the end of the cane, the voice. "I don't know ..."

Raevin took a moment, then lifted the corner of his mouth into a smile. "My best guess is that neither of you have understood it. For him ... I guess that first night felt right. He had found his genesis with which to build his kingdom. Not the Hollow, not any of his businesses. His proper one, that he should be in charge of."

"A church," she sighed.

"A religion, of course," Raevin nodded. "All men crave meaning, gods do too, is how I've figured it out. What other purpose is there for a god than to have followers?"

She grunted, accepting. It was perfectly understandable, and an absolute truth.

"Well then. He might not trust you mentally, logically, but instinctively ... Yes. And I think you do too."

Stare began to make a face.

He laughed. "That will take some getting used to for you, but I think I'm right."

[Stare]

"Whatever I did wrong, are you going to tell me or just sit there and make me figure it out for myself?"

Blue eyes lifted their brows. Slowly, the eyes blinked, looking right back at her. Finally, he had returned. After three long days of being away he had stepped into the house once more and expected all to be as it was. As it was supposed to be, had been in the previous times he was away. But Stare had spent those days with a sick feeling in her stomach that she had done something horribly wrong. Nobody could deny that she hadn't, and thus she was certain that she had.

They were in the study, oak furniture warm in a bright sun. It was hot, far hotter than it had been for several days and Stare had started to get roasting in her feathers. She had begun to pant more, an act not often seen in humanoids and so she had had to do it out of sight. That, joined with the frustration she had felt ... It was hard. Crazy. Mental.

"Stare. Go back to your duties," he softly said, gesturing to the door, that she had left open after striding in.

She paused and furrowed her brow. "You haven't answered my question," she demanded. "What did I do that meant you went by yourself?"

Having been halfway through writing a note Vitruvion now breathed in slowly before slowly lowering the pen. "Stare. I asked you to leave."

"And I asked to know what it was I did. You said we were going together - Mer even through a massive fuss about it! Then suddenly I'm no longer wanted, I mean-"

Vitruvion stared at her hard, forcing her words to cut off as he suddenly turned his soft look into a glare. Still though, she gazed back with passion, needing an answer to her question now more than ever. It was too burning, threatening her sleep every night for the last three ...

"Do I have to order you?" He said each word slowly and precisely, but still in a measured tone.

Quickly she blinked, and she shook her head. "No ..." She said slowly. "I just didn't understand ..."

"Understand this, girl. When I decide to do something alone, it is because I need to alright. For my own reasons, my own desires. You have no reason to question me on this - I still have private matters, despite what connections you have to me. Is that understood?"

"Y-yes," she flinched at the harshnwes of his words. "Yes sir."

"Then I suggest you do what I asked and leave," he hissed, pointing right at the door. "Go from here."

She nodded and ducked her head.

Then there was a pause. "Oh Stare?"

Uneasily she looked up, knowing his power. Her body tensed, ready for a slap, a harsh reality, a blow.

"The ape orcs were all dead. Seems it's still only kenku for me. For now."

[Breaker]

Thread Title: Owl of my Youth - Mercenaries Have Lives
Judgment Type: No Judgment

Stare receives 5867 EXP, 135 GP and the following spoils:


One vial worth of Bane Wood Spider blood (lesser poison that makes the victim drowsy. Lasts for up to ten minutes, and can cause one to fall asleep if subject to three doses or more in that time)
One Bane Wood Spider claw (same effect as above)

Congratulations!

[Breaker]

All rewards added.

Stare reaches level 7!