Chapter 11: The Eyes Upon Them

She remembered how that horrible stabbing pain was the first thing that she woke up to. Pain was not something that was new to her; yet even that was better than listening to this.

"How could you?"

"I wasn't thinking about…?"

"Do you even know what you put us through?!"

"I wasn't planning…?"

"YOU SCARED US HALF TO DEATH!"

Claire could barely get a word in with how much that Alisaie was shrieking at her. After the girl had calmed down from her rampage outside, Haurchefant had ushered them all back to a spare room where Claire could still rest but they were away from prying eyes. He had let the three of them in there, joined by an amused looking Y'shtola, while he went out to talk to the rest of his knights on what was going on.

Alisaie had not stopped yelling the whole way, shrieking even as Y'shtola helped Claire into bed and began to examine her wounds herself.

Alisaie looked ready to start sobbing as Alphinaud's hands shook while holding onto the tray of bandages so that Y'sthola could check on Claire's dressings. Like she expected, the trouble outside dislodged some of her bindings and Y'shtola was already peeling them away from her body. The blood-soaked wrappings finally caused Alisaie to pause in mid-shout and shook as she fought her thirst.

But after she calmed down and the bandages were changed, she came right on over to her and fell to her knees as she wrapped her arms around Claire's middle.

"I'm sorry," Claire whispered as she stroked the girl's hair before opening up her other arm and Alphinaud immediately joined in on the hug. "I didn't mean to upset you both. I wasn't thinking about myself back there. Only getting everyone else out."

"And what about how we feel?" Alphinaud asked quietly, having been staring at her as if he didn't believe his eyes were telling him the truth. "What were we supposed to do without you around?"

Claire sighed, knowing that this was not something that was going to be let go of easily, but the truth was that she had no idea how to voice what she felt. She didn't think about the consequences of her choices when she forced them off the airship and into the manacutter. She couldn't, even to herself, find a way that would make it sound better. The fact was that she wasn't thinking of her own safety in that moment and when she tried to explain to them this fact, Alisaie went off once more, screaming so loud that Claire had no doubt that all of Camp Dragonhead could hear her.

Alisaie grabbed her by her front and shook her as she continued to scream obesities at her for that stunt and it took a good solid bell before she finally yelled herself hoarse and was now sitting at the end of her bed with her arms folded and glaring at the wall. One could almost see the thundercloud of anger hanging over her head as Claire moved back to rest against the headboard.

Thankfully, Y'shtola was able to take it all in stride as she calmly finished her examination and began to treat any parts of her wounds that she felt needed some extra attention.

"More than anything, I am glad to see that you pulled through," she told her kindly. "And having received proper care for your wounds is the best thing that we could have hoped for. Yet, you need rest if you wish to fully heal."

Claire nodded before she glanced to the two—one so angry that she couldn't even look at her—and the other now so timid that he seemed unable to even speak. Seeing the two of them like this really reminded her that what she did was reckless and just how badly she scared them.

She then moved over so that she was position between the two of them and looked from one, to the other, before whispering, "I'm sorry."

Both of them noticeably tensed up at her words and after a moment, Alphinaud moved in so that he rested against her shoulder as he pressed his head against hers in that familiar way that helped to calm him whenever he struggled to contain his more… monstrous side.

Alisaie didn't immediately jump over to her, but she supposed that was to be expected. She knew that this wasn't the last she was going to hear of her anger, but gave her the time she would need to work it out.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock upon the door.

Alphinaud and Alisaie suddenly tensed up and looked at the door as Lord Haurchefant came in, looking worn out and slightly frazzled, but he still had a small smile on his face. Claire noticed how his eyes trailed over the twins with only the slightest hint of concern.

"Don't worry," Claire reassured him, "They're calm now. They won't cause any more trouble. I'm sure that if the knights are open to it, they will apologize."

"Well, we'll see," he sighed before he asked Y'shtola where they came from.

Claire looked up, curious as well, and Y'shtola gave a brief description that she managed to make it to the ground with only bumps and bruises from the landing and found Alphinaud and Alisaie almost right away. But they saw the airship already halfway engulfed in flames by the time that it made it over the mountain range. They could hear it crash as they raced to find a way in and took the mountain pass through to find the wreckage.

Of course, when they arrived, they found her blood… which they traced all the way to camp.

"I see..." Lord Haurchefant said slowly once she finished explaining the whole story to them. Things were awkward to say the least as she sat at the table in the small room inside Camp Dragonhead, sharing a hot drink with her old friend. "That is much what happened with us when we heard the crash. Well, we saw the smoke in the air first and when I heard my knights yelling about a burning airship, at first I thought that they may have been partaking of spirits they shouldn't have. I came out to ah… investigate the drinks in question… only to witness the ship falling from the sky and crashed just outside the Observatorium. Thinking that there may be survivors, we raced out there to check… and low and behold… I find my childhood friend in the snow."

He sighed before looking back to her and added, "You had me frightened half to death myself when I saw you in your state. I feared for sure that you had already entered Halone's Halls by the time that we pulled you from the snow. But when I saw your eyes open…?"

"I remember that," Claire said softly as she tried to think back and could vaguely recall people around her and talking. But it was a whirlwind of pain and noise at that point and so she couldn't be sure if she really did remember it or it was something her mind created from the trauma. But that left another question…?

"Were there any other survivors?" she asked.

"After bringing you back to Camp, I had more knights investigate the wreckage," he answered, "We found several bodies… all of them Garlean. But as far as we could make out, there have been no other survivors."

"Such a tragedy," Claire heard Alisaie grumble from her place at the end of the bed, but Claire felt nothing but a great sense of relief. At least now she no longer had to worry about Asahi or any of those other Garleans right now.

"Regardless, we should thank Halone for ensuring your survival, old friend," Lord Haurchefant said brightly, determined to find something cheerful to talk about. "The fact that you managed to make it out alive must surely have been the will of the gods!"

"Yeah, but it seems like the gods were the ones who first put her and the rest of us in danger," Y'shtola pointed out casually, earning a snort of laughter from Alisaie.

"Ah, yes, I have yet to confirm your identity," Lord Haurchefant brought up to the scholar who blinked, having clearly not realized that she had failed to introduce herself.

"Forgive me," she said with a smile, "My name is Y'shtola. One of several of Master Louisoix's students. Though, I have only recently joined the ranks of the Circle of Knowing."

"The Circle of Knowing?" Alphinaud repeated curiously.

"A special organization that Master Louisoix formed," Y'shtola explained coolly. "I was asked to join by an old friend and when I finished training with my master, I decided to join them. I was visiting Eorzea under a special mission from him when… ah… I found myself at the end of several gunblades."

"And long story short, you were captured and that was where we soon met afterwards," Alphinaud finished and she chuckled.

"To put it in the simplest of terms, yes," she confirmed for him.

"What was this mission of yours that grandfather sent you on?" Alisaie asked, finally speaking and was looking back at them with curiosity now in her face. She really was cute when she was seeking answers like that.

"Mostly research and seeing what I could learn about several ancient arts of healing," Y'shtola explained with a shrug. "I thought that my best chance to learn anything would be risking the Great Gubal Library. Sadly, while I was able to enter, I knew that it would take moons to look over everything in that building."

"The Great Gubal Library…?" Alphinaud sighed in awe at the thought. "I've heard of the great library and had long since wondered what it would be like in there."

"Well, you may be wondering for some time," Y'shtola countered seriously. "I know that Garleans are trying to get in there as well, but thanks to Master Matoya's magicks, I doubt that they will be able to make it past the front doors anytime soon. But that's not the point. I fear that it may be wise to stay away from there for the time being."

"You said that was mostly research you were doing, was there anything else?" Alisaie asked suddenly.

"Why yes, now that I think of it, and I think that meeting you here was truly the will of the gods," Y'shtola said with a nod. "Master Louisoix had made it very clear that should I, for whatever reason, come into contact with these rumored vampires that were said to roam across Eorzea, I was to see what I could do to learn their identities. I see now what he was hoping to find… you three."

"Is grandfather doing well?" Alisaie asked eagerly, turning around on the bed and now giving them her full attention. "Is he safe? How is he? What has he been up to?"

She probably would have gone on with the questions before Y'shtola chuckled and reassured them that their grandfather was doing well and still hard at work with his own experiments. Despite the fact that he had been forced to do research for the Garleans, he still continued his own search for a cure for vampirism.

"I can only imagine how overjoyed he will be when we send word to him that you have been found at long last!" Lord Haurchefant said joyfully and the twins couldn't help but grin at each other happily at this.

"Word is that his grandchildren had died that day in Sharlayan however…" Y'shtola pointed out and that got them all to turn back to her as she looked on with intrigue. "Forgive me for bringing up, what I am sure, are painful memories. And though you mentioned parts of it before, I wish to hear the whole story to how you three came to be here?"

Claire looked at the twins and nodded before they began their story. How they managed to escape the Studium that day and how they came to be here in Eorzea, followed by the last few years of constant travel and fighting. Just recalling the tale was enough to tire her out and she leaned back against the pillows soon after, leaving Alphinaud to finish recent events.

Lord Haurchefant was amazed at their tale and listened with wide eyes as Claire felt a smile on her face at his eagerness.

"A tale that would make any bard sing!" he sighed at that. "If only I had known, you could have come here."

"I wish so, but I fear that we were nowhere near ready for that," Claire promised him, which was partly true since Alisaie and Alphinaud still were struggling with accepting themselves as they were now.

"Though I suspect that you didn't wish to get him involved for his own safety?" Y'shtola added and Claire looked at her with mild surprise as the scholar smiled.

"Master Louisoix told me stories about all three of you. He told them often and it just seems like something that you would do… at least judging from the stories that he talked about." She looked to the three of them and added, "The story of what happened during the kidnappings that day happens to be one of his favorite stories. Though I have a feeling that it was far more… difficult than how he tells it."

Claire raised her eyebrows at the other two before they began to laugh out loud at the thought. That was an understatement if ever there was one.

*Memory*

She couldn't allow herself to become distracted now.

She had to take stalk of the entire situation if she wished to survive here. She knew that Master Louisoix stated that this island was dangerous, filled with all sorts of creatures and unpredictable weather. Feeling that she had just leapt straight into something that she would regret later on, she brushed her hair out of her face.

Well, she made her bed and now must lie in it. Too late to turn back now.

She stood up, her muscles aching from their long swim and she began to dry off, wringing out her clothes and hair before she caught her breath and began to hike up the steep slope to get her bearings. She stared around her at the dense forest and rivers that stretched out in front of her and knew that she would easily lost her way from the rocky cove. That was when she noticed something further down the beach and headed closer to investigate. As soon as she drew close enough, she could see what looked to be some sort of abandoned port and she wondered if she should head there first for a rest?

But then again, she reminded herself that if there were kidnappers here, wouldn't it make sense if they were also there?

Deciding that she need not take such a risk yet, she decided to head to the forest first and climb a nearby tree so that she could get a good look. She climbed the first thick trunk she could find, a strong wind already picking at her and she could feel her hair being wiped around her face and hard to see, before she was able to scale up it. It was a decent sized tree that just poked out over the tall canopy above her head, and she managed to move about the branches as she got a good look of the surrounding area. The entire land was covered with giant trees and she could see a mixture of all sorts of wild creatures and monsters—many of them roaming about in herds or packs—stretching out in all directions. She could see the many slopes and hills of land that were covered with even more thick trees and wilderness, miniature whirlwinds picking up seemingly out of nowhere and whipping around and far off to the sky… and there it was… in the distance she could see what looked to be a many towered castle in the distance. She squinted her eyes, but thanks to a slight fog and the distance, she couldn't make out anything clearly.

If she had to bet, she could only assume that was where Vauthry was keeping the prisoners?

So… how was she to get there? Well, first of all, she would need a safe place to fully recover from her lengthy swim, come up with a plan, and maybe hunt for some food before she would attempt to cross this wild.

She remembered the port and she looked over the tree branch, and could just make out the form of a few wooden buildings that were built up around that rickety fence. She didn't know if the kidnappers were the ones who built it or if the scholars did, but she was willing to bet that it wasn't empty. Cautiously, she began to climb back down tree, at least until she realized that the branches of another were close by.

Deciding to see if she could get an eagle eye view of what she would be up against, she began to climb from branch to branch, tree to tree, until she was close enough to find herself reaching out onto a nearby stone ledge that was looking directly over the port and she leapt down to the stone boulders and crept along the top. At the edge, she slowly stuck her head over, and like she thought, it looked to be at least a dozen people down there. They were all dressed in various colors of purples and golds, really standing out in this bleak area, and she could see that some of them were already talking with each other and some of them even had drinks as they laughed at each other.

She moved along her belly as she looked over them all, wondering just what her chances were and wondering if she should just move on ahead without dealing with them. That was when she froze when she spotted a familiar head of silver in the distance. Tied up on the ground with his back to a post… was one of the twins.

She couldn't believe her luck that she found one so quickly! Though, from this distance she couldn't tell which one it was.

Breathing hard, she looked around, wondering how best to do this. If she wasn't careful she would be captured as well. She knew that there was no way that she would be able to rescue them while surrounded by so many. She counted out at least a dozen just from up here, and that wasn't counting any that were inside the shacks… she couldn't hope to fight them all off on her own.

But perhaps she could spirit them away from here when no one was looking?

It was worth a try anyway. So, after taking a deep breath, she moved along the stone until she was able to climb down the outside wall of the rocks and slipped safely to the ground. When no one sounded the alarm, she bent down low and creeped behind the buildings, rocks, and crates as she struggled to remain unseen. It was not easy and was slow progress, but eventually she was able to make it to a building where she was almost directly behind one of the twins.

Her heart was pounding so hard that it was painful and she had to take several steadying breaths before she felt brave enough to slip in closer. Her senses were on high alert as she crouched down and began to inch forward. The twin was struggling against their bonds as they remained tied to the post, but she could see from here that the knots that they was tied up with weren't going to become untied anytime soon.

After taking one last look around—no one was looking this way—she crept right up behind them. They let out a gasp before she moved her hand around and clapped it over their mouth to stop them from screaming out and giving them away.

"Shhh," she whispered, "It's me."

She could see their head turn slightly and when they saw her out of the corner of their eyes, they immediately went wide.

"I'm here to help," she promised. "But you need to stay quiet for me. Understand?"

They nodded and she moved her hand back as they whispered, "How did you get here? Is grandfather and the others…?"

Ah, so it was Alphinaud.

"Still arguing back at the Studium what to do," Claire whispered back as she went to cutting the rope around his hands. "I came on my own."

"How?" he asked, "They threatened that if any ships came close…?"

"I didn't take a ship," she stated coolly.

"Wait, what? You swam here?"

His voice was above a whisper at that point and Claire had to roll behind the nearby barrier to avoid the guards who were coming close.

She waited until they seemed to think that they decided that they were just hearing things and continued on before she came back out and went to the ropes again. Neither of them dared to talk again until they were able to cut the ropes and freed him. And then, when no one was looking, she grabbed his hand and dragged him along after her and into the forest. Hopefully, they were able to get away far enough before they noticed that they were gone.

"Here," Claire said as she tugged him along after her. "We can talk after we get into the forest. Where's Alisaie and all the others?"

"Got separated from them," he told her with a gasp. "Most of them are probably being held in the Arsenal right now. I got left behind, but that's a long story."

They moved deeper and deeper into the foliage around them until the sounds of the ocean faded and she felt that they were safe enough to talk. She turned around, ready to question him, but he was already far ahead of her there.

"How could you think to come here?!" he demanded once he caught his breath. "On your own no less and without even bothering to bring a boat?!"

"You're welcome," Claire said sharply before looking around them and making sure that they were alone. Alphinaud, however, was looking ready to argue… before she pulled out her knife again. He took a step back away from her, terror in his eyes before she threw it over his head and there was a loud shriek behind him. He leapt about a yalm in the air before spinning around, wide-eyed and scared, to see some kind of wild dog of some kind letting out his dying howl before it fell to the ground. Claire sighed as she picked her way over to the beast and pulled out her knife—dripping blood onto the ground.

"This should make for some decent food," she said and she gathered it up. "Come…"

Alphinaud didn't dare say anything as he followed her deeper into the forest and to a safe-looking clearing. Claire set about preparing the meal before ordering Alphinaud to start a fire… of course though, the boy had no idea how to do this.

She rolled her eyes before she patiently explained to him to find some sticks or wood that they could burn.

This boy had a lot to learn about the world, didn't he?

She had been left doing most of the work as she showed him how to correctly stack the wood and start a small fire before she skinned the dog and set the meat there to cook over the flames. And thanks to some herbs and berries that she found nearby, she was able to season the meat and she could see Alphinaud's mouth drooling at the sight of it.

Once they settled in to eating, Claire asked him more on what was going on and where the others were.

He quickly explained that after they were grabbed back at the library they were tied and blindfolded before being shoved into a boat with the other scholars and Students. It was a long trip, but eventually they were being taken out of the boats and the blindfolds were taken off. He explained how they had been brought to a different port, one with snow and cold on the other side of the isle, and he was betting that was probably where his sister and the others that were with them still here. But otherwise, anyone else was being held in the Baldesion Arsenal.

He pointed to the castle in the distance. "That the Arsenal," he explained, "Vauthry is holding himself up there with most of the other hostages. I only got away because of Alisaie… I don't know what to do now…?"

"What's with that barrier?" she asked, staring at the glowing blue veil that seemed to enshroud the entire castle.

"Vauthry seems to have erected it himself," Alphinaud explained. "I saw our captors use items they apparently gathered from various monsters to be able to get through. But I don't know the full story there."

He then explained about the island was separated into several different regions and the part where he was taken to was known as Pyros, half of it covered with ice and snow and the other in caves and magma. Apparently, he and the others were part of the last group of hostages and they were waiting at that port until the barrier dropped. He also added that since Vauthry had sent the ransom message to the Studium, he was expecting some kind of attack and decided to keep the barrier up for protection. And since, as far as he knew, the barrier never dropped; he was sure that the others were still somewhere in Pyros.

Claire had to hand it to them. The second that they realized what was going on, the two of them had tried to escape and he told her about how Alisaie was able to free them thanks to a sharp rock before they tried to make a break for it. Sadly, they didn't get far for they underestimated just how dangerous a place they were in and were ambushed by the monsters of the region. The sounds of the monsters as they hunted them got their captor's attention and they were soon spotted before being chased for a good malm at least until they came to a cliff over a cold river.

But… in the end, just before they were captured, Alisaie pushed him into the river, which carried him away… after he miraculously made it to shore, he found himself surrounded on all sides by monsters…? And guards.

"The guards here found me and hauled me here," he finished. "I assumed that they were going to take me back to the Arsenal as well."

Claire enjoyed some of the meat right off the bone as she thought it all over their options. If they could rescue the scholars in Pyros, they could maybe send a message back to the Studium or even find a way to rescue all the other hostages inside that castle.

"Do you know the state of the hostages inside the Arsenal?" she asked him.

He shook his head, only answering, "All I know for sure is that they're being held inside. Apparently they're still alive, but only depending on what kind of answer that Grandfather and the others give him."

"Even though we're talking about the Studium, that doesn't give us a lot of time," Claire muttered as she swallowed and thought fast to what they could do. "How many regions are there again?"

"Four," he answered as he helped himself to the food. "We're in the first region of Eureka called Anemos. After this is Pagos, then Pyros where my sister was being kept, and finally Hydatos, which is at the doorstep of the Arsenal."

She took her time in swallowing as she began to try and work out the best way to handle this.

"If we can make it back to Pyros, we may be able to rescue Alisaie and the scholars there," she stated carefully. "Maybe then we can reach out to the Studium for help?"

"All the way back there?" he gasped out.

"It's either that or sit here to be rescued," Claire said as she dusted her hands and threw the bone over her shoulder and stood up. "If nothing else, I need to get a better idea where everything is."

Alphinaud was startled but he also leapt up as she asked, suddenly all business, "So… these keys you mentioned. What are they?"

"There are four of them all together," he explained. "At least, that's what I overheard. While they were dragging me back here, I overheard them talking about the way to break the shield was with four powerful items. I only know of two of them… but the other captives must know about them as well. One of them is a feather belonging to a voidsent that they called Pazuzu, but who knows where to find that thing?"

Claire gave that all some serious thought before deciding, "I think that we will need to have a look around then. I'm sure that if we look hard enough, we'll find some answers."

*End of Memory*

Claire smirked at the memory and how adorable Alphinaud had been back then before she looked on to Y'shtola, who was getting ready to head out.

"I'll let you recover," Y'shtola told her before pulling back the curtains to get a peek out the window. "The sun is starting to come out as well. It is for the best if you two remain inside here for a time."

"Not to mention help ease some of the unease in the camp," Lord Haurchefant reminded them. "My knights know that you no longer mean them any harm, but habit, I fear, is hard to break."

Claire nodded in agreement as she let go of Alphinaud and laid back down, suddenly feeling exhausted. It had been so long she could no longer remember what it felt like to be able to relax and enjoy a good night's sleep without fear of being attacked. She trusted Haurchefant to be able to keep them safe and she was looking forward to a deep slumber this time around.

She smiled at her old friend, who grinned back and promised that he would be back later with dinner for her and that they should use this opportunity to relax. Should anyone come looking for them, they will find no aid from house Fortemps and that he would finish writing that message to his father that they were all alive and safe.

"Thank you," Claire said as she struggled to keep her eyes open and let her body relax as the voices became mumbled dim around her and she found herself straying off to sleep soon afterwards.

Though when she woke up much later, she could see a feeble beam of moonlight shining through the window, with each of the twins curled up tightly at her sides… as well as a slight sting on either side of her neck that she was sure were going to leave bruises in the morning.

*Three weeks later*

"You really leaving, Y'shtola?" Claire asked her, having grown used to her company over the last couple weeks and the Miqo'te shrugged.

"For now," she said. "I think that most of the Garleans have left the Hinterlands at this point and I must speak with Master Matoya about the state of the library. Afterwards I will be travelling to meet up with Master Louisoix before he departs to Norvrandt. I'll be sure to tell him that you are all alive and well. I am certain that will do much to release some of the stress he's been under of late."

"Why is grandfather going to Norvrandt?" Alisaie asked eagerly as she watched Claire sharpen a new sword that she crafted herself—having lost almost all of her belongings when they were captured before. Thankfully, she was able to make up for a lot of the old junk she found around the camp and was able to break them down into basic materials that she could use to fashion new weapons for herself.

Claire was up and on her feet again, feeling more alive than she had been in such a long time and relished being able to move without pain. She was just letting her hair dry from after taking a long bath when Y'shtola came into the room to tell them that she was now ready to leave.

Claire was disappointed, but she nodded in understanding, knowing that she shouldn't have expected her to come with them to Norvrandt, but it was still hard to say goodbye. Especially, after the joyful news they got this morning. After that first chaotic day here, Lord Haurchefant agreed to take letters from the twins to his father and have them delivered to their grandfather in secret. Claire honestly wasn't sure when they would receive an answer but just this morning, when she had almost forgotten about those letters, they got a special surprise. Lord Haurchefant had just returned from the city and he was all but skipping into the room when he returned.

Alphinaud, who was going through several documents for Lord Haurchefant and filling out paperwork for him, as well as suggestions to several passing traders to do business here, was the first to look up when he entered.

"Did something happen, Lord Haurchefant?" he asked politely as Claire was now sewing up a few tears in some old robes that she was patching together and Alisaie was busy mixing up several medicines. She had been a very diligent student when the healers here were tending to Claire's wounds and made a habit now to make something every hour should Claire need it—despite Claire clearly no longer needing such medicines.

"Just came bearing the post for you," Lord Haurchefant said brightly before holding up an envelope for them. "I paid a visit to father at the manor today, and he had just received this just before I arrived. Apparently, it's the reply that he sent to a certain scholar about having seen his grandchildren lately and—according to the messenger—he couldn't have come fast enough."

Alisaie couldn't rip open the letter fast enough and eagerly began to read out to them:

My darling grandchildren,

Words can never describe the joy I felt when Lord Edmont came to me with your letters. To know that you both are alive and thriving despite these difficulties that I am sure have been many and harsh has made me feel as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders for the first time in many years. I pray that you can forgive me for my decision to send you away from home, yet at the time I knew not what else to do.

When I first learned that you are safe and sound in Coerthas, it was all I could do to stop myself from rushing there to see you both with mine own two eyes. But, unfortunately, with the Garleans watching my every move, I fear that is not possible for the time being. However, soon, I will be setting out towards the Crystarium upon the continent of Norvrandt and the many eyes that are constantly keeping me under surveillance will be much relaxed and I pray that we will be able to meet there in person.

I can only apologize for everything and pray that you both will be able to join me soon so that we can find a way forward together. I will be leaving in ten days for Norvrandt and I will be waiting for you in the city proper if you will honor me with the joy of seeing you both again. I will be counting down the days with impatience until the moment I take you in my arms again… so please… stay safe and take care of each other for me. There is just so much I wish I could say but I could never have enough time to write them all so I will save my words of love and happiness for when we meet again.

My thoughts are with you both always as is my undying support and love. So try not to fight too much and listen to whatever Claire tells you.

Your ever loving grandfather,

Louisoix

Poor Alisaie, it was almost too much for her as she hugged the letter to her as if it were all that were keeping her together as she cried, though no tears were able to fall. Claire knew better than anyone to know just how hard it was for them to come to tears with what they were now… mostly because they knew just how they feared what their grandfather would say if he ever saw them face to face. But here, they held hope, for the first time really, that they could still be a family despite all that had happened.

She was so focused upon them that she didn't notice the letter that was being held out to her. She stared at it before looking up at Haurchefant with wide eyes as he grinned back.

"He wrote something for you as well, it would seem," he told her and she took it at once. After ripping open the letter, she could only stare at what was there as she read out to herself:

Dear Claire,

I have lost count of how many times I have written this letter out. No matter how much I put pen to paper I can never find the words to describe how much this means to me. How I can never repay enough you for all that you have done for my grandchildren and how much I am sure you have been through. So, forgive me for this short message… but I feel the only way I can do justice to my gratitude is to do it in person. So I pray that you will be up for the journey as well. Please take care of yourself for all our sakes and ensure that the two of them don't fight too much on the way.

Forever praying for your wellbeing,

Louisoix

Claire only smiled sadly at this but finally, after five long years, she could see the light at the end of the tunnel. She quickly looked to Haurchefant and asked how much longer she would have to remain in bed before she would be fit for travel.

"Another three or four days," he answered as he set a tray of bread and fruit next to her bed. "It took a long time to undo most of the damage done to your body already. You really should stay for another moon or so to ensure that you recover completely. But I understand that you must continue on."

It was another long wait, but with this news, Claire's spirits rose and helped her condition improve drastically so that by the third day, the healers all deemed her ready to travel, so long as she took it easy this time around. It was dusk on a surprisingly clear evening as they bid their goodbyes to them all. Even the knights were all out to bid them farewell, having grown to know them all very well during all this time and respected them greatly for all that they had gone through. It was another hard goodbye, but not nearly enough to make them afraid of heading out when their long-awaited reunion with their grandfather that was promised to them.

But as Claire was leaving, Lord Haurchefant drew her off to the side so that they could talk. She had expected him to tell her to be careful and to bring back glorious stories of the world when next they met… what she didn't expect was when he held out the small knife that he once gave her and answered that it would make him feel better knowing that she had it with her.

She took it gratefully even as he handed her another gift… a shield. With a familiar crimson unicorn wreathed by black thorns plated on the front.

She stared up at him as she grinned back.

"Look after yourself for me," he said to her and she smiled warmly, throwing her arms around his neck in a big hug.

"I will," she promised before pulling away and he clapped her on the shoulder.

"I'll hold you to that," he said as they walked back to the twins, who were wrapped up in thick travelling cloaks and already discussing the best way to get to Norvrandt. Of course, Claire had an idea, and informed them that they would be making a quick stop in Mor Dhona on their way, and she would explain why on the way there.

She thanked Lord Haurchefant and the other members of Camp Dragonhead reverently, causing a few blushes among some of them before they waved them off.

Little did they know that their trip across the sea was not going to be an easy one for there was someone out there who was now very interested in them.

*Meanwhile inside another airship*

Sitting upon a darkened command room sat a man. He was dressed in rich clothes and thick armor as he rested his head against his hand as he seemed to be drifting in and out of slumber. What eventually brought him around was the sounds of laughter echoing about him. In slight irritation, he opened his dull blue eyes and watched as the laughter came from another figure who had just joined him.

"So…" the prince asked as the figure all but pranced about him, laughing at the demise of the foolish… what was his name? Asahi? No matter. Instead, he finished off by clarifying, "You say that a trio of vampires caused the ship to crash?"

"Oh no…" the figure chuckled. "Rather two vampires and one stubborn mortal. At least, according to Asahi's final report—the one he sent off to us before that ship went down. Waste of a perfectly good airship, if you ask me, but what do you expect to allow such a stick in the mud to be in charge of it?"

"A mortal crashed the ship?" he asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Well, the report said that he ended up finding a trio while making their way back to Garlemald and knew that you would be most eager to learn about it. Apparently we are dealing with a bonded pair!" the figure cackled, and spun about before declaring, "And not just any kind of pair either… a set of vampire twins! Can you imagine it? Vampire twins! Who ever heard of such a thing? But even more importantly, the two of them were still of sane mind. And that's because their caretaker was with them."

"One caretaker for two?" the prince asked with a slight purr in his tone, now interested. "And she's still alive?"

"Oh yes, my liege," he answered with a twirl before coming in to a half bow. "From what I heard, she was able to fight off half a scouting party before Asahi used a rather dirty trick to bring her down. But even after that, she was able to escape the airship's prison hold and caused it to crash, thus rescuing the prisoners on board."

"Is she dead now?" he asked curiously.

"My, what on earth could have brought on this sudden interest, my lord?" he asked back rather slyly. "It's so rare to see you invested in anything?"

The prince just smirked back as his hunting dog turned to the screen at the front of the ship and pressed a few buttons upon the control panel.

"I know just the very basics here, my lord," he confessed. "But these were images that were taken shortly before the ship went down."

And it then revealed to them the entire recording of what happened on the ship and the prince found himself drawn to the young woman covered in scars.

"Interesting," he said, a slight curl appearing about his mouth, which was usually a bored sneer. The muscles in his face were working strangely hard, as if they were so used to being in such a grim mood that they almost forgotten how to show any other emotion.

"I'll admit that she is pretty," the figure sighed as he watched the images. "And she's got my respect for what she did to Asahi." He then pointed to the images of what took place in the cargo bay and he let out a roar of laughter when he saw how she responded to Asahi and his magitek army as they burst open the door. "Ha! Did you see the way she took care of him? That was brilliant to watch that smug bastard get what was coming to him."

The prince actually let out a low chuckle at the sight of it.

"Wait… those two," the hunting dog muttered as he looked a little closer at the images of the vampire twins. "I think I know those two… at least, they look familiar. Now that I think of it, didn't that old man, Louisoix have a pair of grandbrats who were killed at the Studium the day that the Black Rose was set off in Sharlayan?"

"Obviously that was a lie," the prince purred, but honestly not too interested in those two at the moment. "I know that he was looking for something for some time and I think that I now know what it was. Tell me, where is he now?"

"Preparing for a trip to Norvrandt, my lord," his dog replied happily.

"If they know that, then I think it fair to assume that they may be planning to take a ship to Norvrandt soon as well," Zenos whispered, well aware of the fact that the dull scholar had planned his latest visit to the Crystarium unusually quick. Now it seemed that he understood why.

He felt his lip continue to curl before he addressed the noisy guard dog in the room to order soldiers to inspect all ships coming to Norvrandt and to bring their… guests to him directly.

His hunting dog merely grinned and bowed low before exiting his room with a spring in his step. Zenos didn't say anything else for a long time as he sat there in the dark, watching the images over and over again. But as he came to predict each and every motion, he could not help but find himself staring at the young woman. Those eyes were wild and fierce, showing someone who was used to battle and hardships, used to the dark… and all those scars were all the proof to show it.

He smirked a little wider as his pointed teeth glinted in the low light.

She looked… delicious.