[Solo] Of Tragedy and Loss...

[Nosdyn]

About a week later...something unexpected occurred.

The children of the slums arrived at The Safe House, The Lancaster boy leading the small group.

Somehow, Lancaster's son knew how to find Nosdyn, and walked over towards him. Xyllea had been near but they still had not been able to get Nosdyn to speak.

Nosdyn reacted to the children, his face warmed even if just a little but he still did not speak.

The Lancaster boy looked at Nosdyn, once again showing the maturity he held in his heart. "My Father was at The Lady's funeral." He said quietly. "The Academy took my Mama." He went on. "We know loss as well." The boy looked at Nosdyn. "After the first month...we figured you were not going to come anymore. So we came here, to you." The boy walked over towards Nosdyn, unafraid and did something profound none of the others had thought of. The boy hugged Nosdyn. And one by one, the children of the slums of Ettermire hugged him as well.

It was then, something happened. "She's gone." Nosdyn said quietly.

Xyllea was astonished to hear a Demon speak in that way.

He knelt down with the children that were under his care, and began to cry with them. "She's never going to come back home."

The Lancaster boy said something profound at that point. "The Lady is with Mama now."

Nosdyn somehow, understood what the little boy meant. "I've been such an idiot." He said quietly, and motioned for Xyllea to join them.

She did so.

"When Mama died." The Lancaster boy began... "There was a hole in Papa's heart." Though those kids had been labeled as rejects by higher society, they somehow understood what the Demon was going through. "You don't have to deal with the hole in your heart by yourself."

"I cannot thank all of you enough." Nosdyn said quietly. "I had...something had stopped. Inside me...something stopped when she died."

Xyllea placed her hand on Nosdyn's shoulder...as she'd often seen Illsandra do for him. "We're all here for you."

For a moment, Nosdyn thought he sensed Illsandra's touch...but it was Xyllea. He would have to thank her later alone, in privacy. "You're all good kids." Nosdyn said quietly. "I will never let anyone harm any of you."

The Lancaster boy looked at Nosdyn's face. "Your fighting spirit has returned my Lord." He said quietly.