Frozen Memories 1.8 Bridge
Hidden Past – Back Cover
Kiyori – Tears of Nothing
Chapter 9: Purified
21 November 2057
Arendelle
Marketplace District Den
2 AM
Irie couldnt sleep. It was hard for her to focus, every day she saw her cousin but there was not much she could do, she couldnt make adavances, the man was either blind to her advances or just flat out ignoring them and pretending she was not in heat.
Blackmane had spoken with her on the night of the twelfth of November, a week before. And the two women had finally figured out what was wrong. Irie was in love with Mark, and Mark, well, he still could not get over the fact that he was once married to someone who now no longer exsisted. Mark was a widower
So after Blackmane spoke with her, the only other person Irie spoke actively with was Diana, giving her some new toys to help test before giving Mark the same new toys. It was not that Irie wanted to try not to think about Mark, it was the fact that Mark was more then likely avoiding her by that point.
So that night; Irie was unable to sleep a wink whatsoever. Her thoughts kept drifting to her cousin. But she knew that Mark was not her cousin by blood. Which meant she did not have to worry about martial issues such as blood realitives interbreeding. But she did not have to worry about that. Mark was her cousin simply by adoption. Which then allowed Irie to think happy thoughts.
But she could not sleep. She stared at the clock on the wall, the holographic thing showed the time, it was just after two in the morning. Irie stared at her bedroom ceiling. She sighed, she had to do it again, she had to try and bed her cousin, her husband to be more then likely. So she started planning, and quiet as a cat she snuck from her room and into his.
He did not even waken by the sudden weight of her in his bed, naturally thinknig his sisters had returned and had chosen to just zonk out and snuggle up. Arendelle did get cold at night. Mark slept like a stone as the purple star shard glittered on the nightstand in Iries bedroom.
About an hour later Irie poked at Mark. "Wake up sleepy head" She mumbled
"Five more minutes ma" Mark mumbled in his sleep before rolling over, nearly ontop of Irie directly it was her sudden EEEP sound that woke him up, she was about to drop his drawers right then. "I'm up I'm up... What the ?!" His eyes unused to the darkness he marely made out a woman in his bed, a woman who he could not yet recognise aiming to go at him from under the covers.
In the dark the two briefly tussled soundlessly. Blackmane had originally soundproofed the room to begin with long ago and it allowed Mark and his sisters to do all sorts of weird shit and not wake up the rest of the Den with their antics. So when Mark and Irie briefly traded blows, Mark the nrealised just how much smaller the woman in his bed was compared to him.
It was a goof five frentic manic minutes before he finally recognised her. "Irie ?"
"Good morning sleepy head! Thank you for the rough ride, I was not expecting that!" Irie had Marks boxers just a little lose by then but Mark quickly yanked them back up before Irie could try at them again.
"What are you trying to... " Mark started to ask as she instead went for his face, Mark fell back onto the bed as Irie kissed him dead on the lips. Mark briefly struggled but then relented, Irie somehow felt good.
But Mark remembered, he was married still and until someone could offcially declare Elsa dead. This felt wrong. Breaking the kiss Mark stared at his cousins face, she had a happy look, almost as if drunk on something. "What the hell am I doing ?" Mark asked her. "Why are you in here ?" He looked at the clock, it said three am. "Its three in the morning. Irie what's going on for you to come into my room ? Whats gotten into you ?"
Irie noticed he sounded more confused, and also much more concerned instead of pissed off at her. So she told him. "How would you react or think about someone so madly in love ?" Mark stared at her, he had asked Blackmane the week before how she acted when she and Martin were in love. And she said it was complicated. Mark struggled to find words as Irie smiled softly towards him. He was about to say something but Irie stopped him, putting her finger to his lips "Its alright, Mark. Dont worry, by morning you will forget this ever happened. I know I wont. But you will. See you at breakfast!"
Mark watched her leave so quietly he thought he was dreaming. Was he dreaming ? Did Irie show up in his dream to try and bed him ?
"You know, she is getting prettier every day right ?" came the voice of the Tigris within Mark.
Mark did not reply. Maybe when he woke up everything would make sense ? He hoped so. Mark went back to bed. He never saw Irie steal a box of his incense. Her plan forming every waking hour.
In her bedroom Irie smiled, she knew what to do in order to get her cousin to really think about her. She had to get it to work just right. Mark of course was going to notice. But she did not want him to notice right away. It had to be a gradual thing. She sat down on the floor in her room and began to meditate. Fortunately Mark simply thought it was all a really weird dream he just had.
Irie meditated, focused on the box of incense sticks. Everything was going according to plan. And for once she was quite happy with that exact fact too. It made her happier then she had been for some time. When the clock hit four in the morning, Irie climbed into her bed and went to sleep.
Six Hours Later
Marketplace District Den
9 AM
Mark stumbled down the stairs, Irie had waited for him to wake up and leave his room first so she could put the incense back into his room. She had designed it just right. Mark would take more notice of her as time went on, the more he used the incense, the more he'd want her. So as soon as she heard Mark speaking to her mother down stairs, she stepped silently from her room, closed the door, and briefly poked into his bedroom and set the incense box with the other boxes of stick incense.
It was the perfect plan, Irie was ready, but Mark was going to be ready soon. And she hoped it would work.
"Good morning, Mark" Vaeyuko said seeing Mark stumble down the steps into the kitchen. "You're up early"
"Yeah, had a weird dream," Mark said, he yawned and went for the fridge, taking some milk from it he grabbed a bowl before going for the pantry to get some cereal.
Seeing how Mark was handling things, Vaeyuko asked him from where she sat at the dining room table. "Is something wrong ?"
"No, just a weird dream, though, I gotta ask, has Irie been acting strange...er... to you lately ? I mean, have you noticed anything out of the ordinary or stuff other then normal from her recently ?" Mark asked her. Had Vaeyuko put her up to trying to bed him ?
"Depends on what you mean by not normal or strange" Vaeyuko said, she knew exactly what was wrong but she faked it so well Mark could not hope to figure out her puzzler face. "Did you think on what I told you "
"I slept on it, and had a really weird dream that included Irie in it" Mark said, Vaeyuko raised an eyebrow but knew what he meant, if Irie was in it, that mean that Irie had snuck into his room during the night again. "If it was a dream"
"Want to explain it ?" Vaeyuko asked, Mark shook his head
Mark shook his head. "Nah, I dont think it would be worth explaining, it was just a dream" He said. No it wasnt. Because Irie stumbled down the stairs, yawning just like Mark had. "Normally you're asleep in your workshop right now, what are you doing up this soon ?" Mark asked her on seeing her.
"Im starving" Irie said, it was mostly the truth, for once though Mark noticed she was dressed in something less revealing and more normal like what he first saw her wearing when he first really got back to the Den in October. Fortunately, Irie did not seem to notice his confused look, if she had she merely thought it his 'I have not yet had my coffee yet, do not make me kill you' expression and did not ask
Instead it was Vaeyuko that spoke up. "There is fresh meat in the fridge, Blackmane was going to cook this morning, but decided to sleep in. She said she was not feeling too well last night."
"I bet its because she might be missing Uncle Martin" Mark said, seeing the look thrown his way from Vaeyuko he shut up as he knew he had hit a nerve.
"Its alright, mom, I'll have what hes having" Irie pointed at the milk and cereal that Mark was wolfing down. Breakfast passed mostly in silence as a knock came to the door.
"That must be Spike" Mark said, he stood from the table, put his dishes in the sink, then headed for the front door, Irie watched him go.
When he was then occupied by Spike at the front door. Irie asked softly to her mother. "Did he say anything ?"
"Only that he had a weird dream, did you manage to figure out his habits ?" Vaeyuko asked in reply.
Irie nodded. "Mhm, at least for the most part it wont be much longer, maybe just long enough." She said. Mark would not be able to resist her advances much longer. Soon she could present herself to him. Soon he could take her.
"So does that mean you will cover your skin with fur or clothing ?" Vaeyuko asked as Irie snickered at the question from her mother.
"I'll be alright mom" Irie replied. Irie then nodded, good, she thought. Mark thought me in his room during the night was simply a weird dream. This is working better then hoped. "So he thinks he had a weird dream huh, did he tell you about it ?"
"Only that you were in it. But he did not go into detail from there" Vaeyuko told her. The sounds of Mark coming back were heard. Irie went back to eating.
Mark had a lot on his mind that morning. "Something wrong nephew ?" Vaeyuko asked him.
He nodded "Yes, Topaz found some of the female saervants last night in Princess Annas old bedroom, they were murdered in their sleep apparently. So Lazul found another skylight to use with their morning meeting with Spike." Mark said. He sighed, "The High Priest does not seem to care much and wont let anyone into the room whatsoever since the servants bodies were found."
"Nothing from the Councilor, Xercine ?" Vaeyuko asked him. Mark shook his head. First the strange dream with his cousin, then the news from Spike. It must be a weird day to wake up to.
"What day is today ?" Mark asked. Why was that morning so active all of a sudden ?
"Depends on what day you want it to be, if the High Priest starts gunning for the killer." Vaeyuko said as Irie finished her breakfast and put her dishes in the sink before putting the milk in the fridge.
"He wont be. According to Lazul the high priest was seen scolding some of the same servants that were found dead in Annas room the evening before after dinner" Mark said, so odds were good that the High Priest does not give two fucks over the recently deceased or whodunit.
"I see" Vaeyuko mused in thought, that made Mark nervous
"What are you thinking ?" Mark asked her. He hoped it was not what he thought she was thinking
"Blackmane would have to desguise us. We could have Waterlight insist the murders be looked into, you and I could be disguised and look into the deaths as an outside third party source ceritified by Waterlight." Vaeyuko said
"Waterlight is only listed as one of three possible Heirs, and we're the only ones who know where Anna and Sapphire are. And they're not showing themselves to anyone." Mark said. Anna was with Sharka and the Kopekh and kept save, Sapphire was with Kiyomori and just as safe
"Which leaves Waterlight as the current only Heir active in the kingdom, if she insists to Kiyori, and to Xercine, to let her call in a third party, namely, you and me, to investigate the deaths. It will make things much easier for us both. And we both know that some of those servants are important to most if not all of us." Vaeyuko said
Mark finally nodded in agreement "Alright fine, I'll go find Waterlight, do you know where she is staying ?"
"Two doors down from you" Vaeyuko replied. Mark raise an eyebrow, ok he was not expecting that kind of news, was she that broke ? Or was it that job she mentioned to him concerning some other men wanting to talk to him, or beat him to a pulp, or something ?
"I see" Mark said, looking to the stairs, "You think she would be awake this soon ?" He asked
"She might be, I remember finding her door open when I went by, she was meditating upon the floor" Vaeyuko said, "Said good morning as I walked past so she must be awake"
"So she would not mind being disturbed then." Mark said in thought
"I would assume so" Vaeyuko replied as she downed a mug of coffee
"Ahuh" Well that was one option, last thing Mark wanted was to be a smoldering hole just by saying good morning to someone.
"You could always go see what Irie has cooked up" Vaeyuko said, Mark could not be sure of the smirk in his aunts tone, or if she really meant it. He hadnt seen Irie in her workshop in a while so he might as well check on her. By that point of Breakfast Mark then realised his cousin had disappeared to her workshop. Was it when he was speaking to Spike at the door ?
"I'll go to Irie, see what's shes got for me." Mark said, Vaeyuko smiled behind her coffee mug. That was a good lad for sure. Mark stood from the table, put the milk and cereal away, then put his bowl in the sink.
Mark went down the steps to the basement of the Den, then went into Iries workshop section, all sorts of new stuff she was working on was piled in the place. Materials and supplies were stacked rather neatly in ordered bins and otherwise. Packing the basement with stuff.
"I was starting to wonder if you were pay me a visit down here. Havent seen you down here in almost two weeks" Irie said as she was hard at work already on a glove of some sort. It was her own armor's Infinity Grip she was updating. "Do you have your armor with you ? I think I can update the Infinity Grip at the same time as mine" She said.
She seemed much more focused on the job then on him. And for once Mark was relieved to notice such a thing. Mark removed his bracelet and handed it to Irie who set it on the hand mold nearby, the Infinity grip formed and the updates began to travel between the two armors. "You got more stuff to work with I see" Mark said seeing the new supplies in the storeroom. That and the storeroom itself was full.
"Mhm. Aunt Blackie and I figured out a way of supplying me through a Portal. Its quicker then I thought, and Aunt Blackie figured out how to make it a permament thing as well as voice activated by me or her. But it only leads to the supplier. I can go through, get the stuff, and come back here, then they send the rest of the stuff for me to use and make into the armors."
Irie sighed then. "Is something wrong ?" Mark asked her as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Could say that" Mark then saw that there was six nearly finished armor sets like his, and one like hers on racks "At this rate, I could have one suit finished, and five mostly finished in a week. But if I focus on just one suit each day, that's one suit every two days." Irie said
"You're not a factory floor, Irie. Have you thought about taking a break ?" Mark offered.
"And do what ? Have you looked outside yet ? Its snowing out" Irie pointed towards the window, it was at ground level on that side of the house. Mark looked out at the fluffy white stuff falling from the sky. "If I so much as take a break from this, that delays Aunt Snowfeathers armor, as well as the girls, and Asami's and her brothers and Uncle Martins armors. I promised I'd have them done in two weeks, and I am only nearly done with Aunt Snowfeathers armor, and I havent even started on Serenas or Asamis, and Serenitys is only a third or so done" Irie looked frazzled.
Truth was, she couldnt not think of Mark during her work. Since it was Mark who was mostly field testing the armor. So as Irie worked on her own Infinity Grip, she spoke while holding the welding goggles. "So aside from my complaints and the update for your armor. Whats up ?"
"Do you need help ?" Mark asked her. Somehow wanting to help her make deliveries or get the right needed items to continue working on Aunt Snowfeathers armor, the armor stand had the nearly completed bodice, helmet and one infinity grip and both boots and legs nearly complete, just really more of a skeltal like shell over a complete Armor like Marks own.
"I could use some" Irie admitted. She was in truth, greatful for Marks offer. She at that moment felt more focus to finish the suits of armor. So far it was just hers, Marks, Diamonds, and Blackmanes, along with Sapphire and Kiyomori.
"Alright, where do I start ?" Mark asked her as he grabbed a stool after studying the armor stand.
Irie was quiet for a moment, the sounds of the welder at work. The spot welding done, Irie removed the goggles and blew on the gauntlet and then spoke. "You are Serena and Serenitys younger brother, and you all sleep in a pile right ?" Mark nodded at the question. "Good, so you'd know their measurements right ?" Again Mark nodded, it was hard not to know that Serena was a bit bigger, maybe a point or so, than Serenity in cup size. "Then that's what I need. Those two armor stands" Irie pointed to where only the helmet frames were set up. "If you can set up the girls measurements into the helmet frames reverse HUD, the armors own skeleton can begin to form match." Irie said to him. She the nshowed him how to activate the reverse HUD.
It was pretty easy once Mark initalised the reverse hud, it quickly allowed him to enter in both Serena, and then on the other armor stand, Serenity's measurements, their bra sizes, heights, inseams, everything. Then he watched in awe as the armors skeleton began to grow from the base of the helmet. Forming bits and pieces of monomolecular wires and digital lines of energy to form a skeleton structure to work from. Had he known any better he'd have sworn that Irie was watching his every move, she wasnt, she was welding on his Infinity Grip.
On the armor stands left hand, or in this case for Serenity, the right hand was the place for the bracelet. "Alright, their measurements are in, not so sure of the bracelets though they just formed on their left and right arms. Is that normal ?" He asked.
"For armor like this ? Yeah, thats normal, I had to ask aunt Blackmane for Uncle Martins and the guys measurements, she said she would send the guys measurements, but I got Asamis measdurements, I was going to work on it after I finished with the Infinity Grip's updates." Irie said.
She removed the infinity grip belonging to Mark from the gauntlet mold and handed the bracelet to him. "Here, the latest update should be able to let you catch a plane easier" She told him.
Mark slid the bracelet on, and briefly he could see the HUD show up on his vision. "The latest update from Aunt Blackie also allows for greater stealth, full invisiblty as well instead of just a simple etherial appearance of a ghost." Irie said
"The hud showed up when I put the bracelet back on, is that normal ?" Mark asked her as he adjusted the bracelet on his arm.
"Should be, that was what it was supposed to do at first, go ahead and activate the armor, lets see if the customising settings work" Irie said, Mark did as instructed by Irie for each step on how to customise his armor to match his normal dark green colored hood. "The latest update also includes an audio package, you wont need to worry about carring a radio along or even needing a phone, the wristphone is built in, if you want I can merge them together too."
"For now its alright" Mark said, he was too used to the wristphones on their own, one on each useful things. He'd have to figure out how to migrate his number anyway to begin with. "Anything else ?"
"For now, no, that's it" Irie said, Mark glanced at his HUD clock, it was two in the afternoon, working with Irie on the armor for his sisters took his mind off many weird issues l;auging him. "Anything else you need for me to do or are you all set here ?"
"I'll be fine Mark, dont worry about me. You look like you're ready to collapse though. Here., this is moms updated armor, the same update as you, can you give it to her for me, I'll finish up Aunt Snowfeathers set and get it to her. Later today" Irie said holding out a bracelet similar to her own, it belonged to Vaeyuko.
"Sure. If you need anything, you got my number" Mark told her, Irie simply smiled, she had more then that, he just wasnt aware of it yet. Mark then left her in her workshop Irie began working on the remains of Snowfeathers new armor. Mark then realised that the first initial sets of Armor that Irie made were all made entirely by hand because they were going strictly to close family and close friends, in this case the whole Elisar clan was getting them before irie went into full production in a factory setting.
As far as Mark was aware, the digital armor as she called it, was her baby. Something she had dreamed up and got to work on as soon as she could, after repeated failures and a success, in this case the Infinity Grip, Irie knew she was on the right track. And thanks to Mark, it was field tested and so far worked wonders. Occasional updates to the HUD, and the latest HUD update included the audio as Irie had told him.
Mark wondered what she meant by that, what kind of autido update did she make ? And then he found out as he neared the front door, he was picking up conversations outside the Den. Random bits of dialong between folks in the street, one or two shopping with Vaeyuko out in the storefront. And two soldiers mumbling about their unwanted orders.
Mark stepped into the store portion of the Den and found Vaeyuko just finishing with a customer. He held out the bracelet. "Irie finished the updates to it. She asked me to bring it to you so she can finish Moms armor. I at least got Serena and Serenity's armor started for her" He said to her.
"You had been with Irie for a while, for a moment I thought you were making advances on her." Vaeyuko said, a smile on her face as she spoke, Mark just looked at her confused, why would she think that ? It did not matter to him at that moment, what mattered for him right then was the mere fact he was able to ensure a few things and also help Irie with some critical issues.
The critical issues being his sisters measurements. "Now why would I make advances on my own cousin ?" Mark asked his aunt, something of a goofy tone in his voice.
"Oh think about it a moment, you a fine young man, she a fine young woman. When you put two and two together..." Vaeyuko said, Mark started laughing as he shook his head. "What, you do not believe me ?"
"It is not that I do not believe you, I just dont think it possible I could go with Irie, I mean, shes nearly half my size alone!" Mark said in his laughter, he was not making fun of Irie being so small, she was after all a Cheetah in Tigris form, where Mark was a massive Snow Leopard.
Where Irie was grace under raw pressure, Mark was grace under sheer stupidity and goofiness. So why was Vaeyuko of all people thinknig he was going with her daughter ? To Mark that did not compute, at all.
Vaeyuko stopped laughing then as she laughed at Marks words. He was partly right. What she could see was a possiblity, but what Mark saw was an impossiblity. In this case it was just not possible for Irie and Mark to get together, but Vaeyuko felt otherwise.
So Mark asked "So, anything from Waterlight ?"
"She is going to talk to Kiyori and Xercine over lunch today, and would let us know by tonight of the results if her third party investigators can enter the castle and begin their investigation, in this case you and I. I will talk to Blackie about disguise magic. Dont worry, you will only look like someone else, the High Priest wont recognise either of us either, and his magic is usless with the Essence Flames we have now" Vaeyuko told him.
"That is good news" Mark said, his stomach growled. "You hungry, I was going to grab a bite in the marketplace here. One of these sellers normally has good food." He said. Vaeyuko shook her head, while he was with Irie, she had already eaten lunch. "Suit yourself" Mark said as Vaeyuko slipped on her armor bracelet from Irie and Mark headed into the market top get a bite to eat.
Blackmane stepped into the shop as Mark left. "He still pretends he is married" She said simply, she had heard the entire conversation.
"That he does" Vaeyuko replied. Blackmane went to the inventory list and started through it as Vaeyuko took a seat behind the counter. "Though Irie seems to have calmed down a bit this morning. Mark even said he had a weird dream that included her during the night"
Blackmane looked to Vaeyuko as the older sister was drawing in a notepad. "You think otherwise ?"
"I think we both know otherwise. Irie is acting similar to how you did when Martin slept over a few times when you two were in love. You snuck into his room a few of those times." Vaeyuko said to her sister, Blackmane smirked, Vaeyuko was right, she had snuck into Martins room many times when they were dating.
But rather then be upset or angered, Blackmane smirked "Fair point."
"Besides, the way Irie carried herself at breakfast this morning, I think she has a plan oif some kind, but she would not tell me about it" Vaeyuko said, Blackmane was confused as she looked at her sister. Vaeyuko smirked "Irie must have something cooked up, she might be using one of Marks habits against him and she didnt say what it was"
Blackmane smirked as she started to put the pieces together. "Mark will not know what got into him more then likely if she is thinking about what I think she is doing already" She looked at Vaeyuko. "Did you know that Mark smokes incense in his room ?"
Vaeyuko looked at her confused. "Dont we all ? It is only natural to smoke incense in the house back home in Egypt" She jerked her head towards the stick of incense that was lit in time for breakfast. "Anything from the kittens in the castle ?"
"Nothing new yet other then the murders being discovered." Blackmane had been told of the murders. "Why ?"
"No reason" Vaeyuko replied, she went back to her tea behind the counter.
Arendelle
Castle District
3 PM
"So you have someone who is interested in finding out whodunit ?" Kiyori asked to Waterlight, the two were in Kiyoris open air office that looked out over the fjord. He was not sure if having a third party to do the investigation was a good idea. But if Waterlight insisted he could change his mind. "Tell me about them"
"A aunt and her nephew combination, they solved many puzzles in their city before traveling and while doing so were able to continue to solve puzzles and cases where needed. Fortunately of course thing changed for the better and they became well known in certain circles, I trust them with my life" Waterlight told him.
It was a lie, but they needed a cover story. And this cover story was convincing enough that Kiyori smiled as Waterlight explained their odd methods and amazing success rate. "Alright, they can do their investigation. But once they clear or destroy whoever it was that did the deed. They must leave the castle after getting their payment. Agreed ?"
"Agreed" Waterlight said, She stood up from the desk. "I will send for them." She turned and left the office. Kiyori sat in his chair a moment longer. This was more confusing, and greatly concerning. He needed to plan things in such a manner that it would not implicate him directly. But he had a plan for that. Waterlight was the loose screw, if kept loose, things could happen in the wrong direction
He opened a bottle of wine, poured some of it into a glass, and then stood from the desk, looking out over the water. "What exactly is your plan, Waterlight" He murmured softly. Waterlight was a mystery to him, and yet somehow he loved her and when Xercine named her a possible choice for Heir, it made Kiyori on edge.
Xercine had overstepped more then likely and Kiyori was upset about that very fact. Which meant that he needed to step up his game in some manner, it did not matter how, only that he could indeed step it up a notice. And in doing so keep things rolling in his preferred direction.
So that meant he then needed to find out more of what he could about Waterlight, and where she came from. And his first thought was to talk to Xercine, but the cat was constantly with him, or wandering the castle, the Healer too had a cat and he was mostly on her desk, preening or asleep or wandering the castle. Most if not all the guards on duty were informed of the two animals and were told by both the healer and Xercine not to harm either animal. Because everyone knew what the Healer would do to them if it happened to either cat.
For their part, Topaz and her brother Lazul gathered what information they were able to observe and somehow get it to certain people outside the castle. The question of how they got the information Kiyori had no idea, nor did he know the two cats were spying on him in the first place. The pearlwhite cat rarely if she did, leave Xercines side. And when she did she was skittish around Kiyori and most of his guards.
It was the blasted bodyguard, Mannfredd that the pearlwhite cat, and the russian blue fellow, seemed more then comfortable around. Not that Manny was a cat whisperer, but Kiyori was unaware he was a Tigris and the two cats had made him swear not to tell Kiyori he knew what they were.
Nevertheless Kiyori needed some time to himself to think. If the two investigators that Waterlight brought in got too close for comfort, he could also model them off and say they had to leave at short notice. With that thought in mind he turned to the desk and picked up the glass of wine, taking a sip as he smiled, his plan beginning to fall into place perfectly.
Killing those servants was easier then he thought it would have been. He did it himself in the dead of night. To have them found by other servants. Who of course called the guards, who then contacted Xercine and himself, the Healer had deemed them slain, but by what she did not know.
That of course made Kiyori smile anew as he drank his wine. He had used a poison, and had briefly garroted one of the servant girls. Snapping the womans neck dead on before she finally died in his arms. The last thing the girl saw was his cruel face snarling at her. He had dumped the bodies in the room that once belonged to Princess Anna. Just leaving them scattered upon the floor. Only two of the servants had marks upon their neck. One of them made by his hands.
Kiyori thought a moment, had he worn gloves during the murders ? He tried to remember, but it wasnt easy to do so. Only going so far as to remember he strangled a servant, the man gasping for air, then modeled the rest after they saw the death. One of the servants, a woman with wings as she became a model, looked strangely curious at what was happening.
Setting his wineglass, now empty, upon his desk, Kiyori went to the model nearby, the winged figure of the woman was on that model. He observed it for a moment, not knowing that he had infact captured a woman named Tea, by sheer chance alone of course.
He smirked, the model looked familiar. "There was the woman in a district who transformed into the exact same shape" He mused thoughtfully. He then sat down at his desk, "Mannfredd!" He called, as if on cue the massive man stepped into view. "Have the men move this model to a random district. I do not care which, but make sure it gets well placed and there is much fanfare. Its not often a model with figures already in it gets placed anywhere so make a big deal of it."
"Yes sir" Manny replied, he had no real idea what the high priest planned with the models or why he made such a huge deal over them either. But it was not his place to ask such questions. Nodding to two nearby guards, the model was carefully picked up. Manny could see it had figures on it, two women and a man. One of the women had wings.
Kiyori watched how Mannfredd treated the model, with exceptional care. That made Kiyori begin to think, maybe he could promote Manny to caring for the models, all the cleaning that came with them for example.
Turning from the gardens he viewed the fjord from his gazebo, it started to rain after the snow had fallen. The nights getting darker eailer then normal. He smiled thinly, things were happening faster then expected lately. It began to drizzle lightly as a guard stepped forwards, an umbrella in hand open and ready for Kiyori to return to the castle.
Without bothering to thank the man, Kiyori turned and with the man holding the umbrella, headed right into the castle, Turning to the guard he said "Wait for me by the front doors to the main courtyard. I plan to visit the Arko Memorial Park after dinner, I will also need a light carrier."
"It will be done" the guard replied.
"Also, look for Waterlight's return, she will more then likely have two people with her, you will permit them all inside the castle grounds at Xercines permission." Kiyori told the man, but the guard knew it was really Kiyori who gave the permission. But acting like Xercine was permitting the investigation to happen only made things slightly harder to follow.
"Of course sir" The guard replied, "Anything else ?" It was not his place to ask such a Question, but as he was being told such information he couldnt help it.
"Nothing further for now. Just be ready" Kiyori told him before disappearing into the castle and briefly passing the Healers office, the door was wide open, but the cat was nowhere to be seen. Kiyori thought a moment, he was going to need to find out more of those two cats and where they came from.
The Healer, Kaedrian, said she had found her cat in the Arko District's Memorial Parkland area, more then likely a stray and had taken right to her from the start so it seemed. So if Kiyori could find the other cats of the litter. He could possibly find the true owner.
He was wrong. Because directly under his radar, six men and four women were already making a name for themselves caring for the feral and stray cats in the kingdom's Arko District Memorial Park. And thanks to Mark Wolfe's insistance, those selfsame six men and four women had the means to counter Kiyiros powerful magic.
And as such that it made Kiyori want to make a point by looking into the feral cat colony that was growing in the Memorial Park itself. He had no idea what new turf war he was about to get into either.
Arendelle
Arko District Memorial Park
6 PM
"That's the last of them, I counted them myself" Emile said as he checked the clipboard in his hands. "Twenty six littters averaging about four kittens apiece. All of them are as healthy as we can see so far, we dont have any veterinarians on hand so Ezra is doing the health checks on the kittens, the mothers are all healthy though." He said to Spike
Spike smiled as a kitten was asleep in her arms. Purring in chunks like a six week old kitten would. "That is good news, anything from Xim and James on the boundaries to be kept ?" She asked
"Nothing yet, only that more people know of us by word of mouth, far as Xim can tell we wont get messed with here, but we need to be careful of the main road that splits the District." Emile replied.
"Anything from Dylan or Daniel ?" Spike asked then as she stroked the kittens fur.
"Only that the cat food stores are low." came the reply. Spike had to smile, her brothers, Dylan and Daniel were checking the cat food stores. While Xim and James were ensuring that the kingdom knew they were there to ensure the cats were kept safe and well fed and cared for.
Fortunatrely as Emile had pointed out, the kingdom, for the most part, had heard by word of mouth that nobody messed with the Milligans or their properties they cared for. Spike was unable to get the kitten distangled from her arm as the kitten pretty much climbed between her breasts and went back to sleep, the gutteral purring continued.
Spike soon gave up on trying to dislodge the kitten. "Alright, what else ?" from what she knew, Ezra was doing the health check, but there was only one real way to ensure the cats were healthy, find a veterinarian, or a Healer. Hell what she wouldnt give to have Vitas there to help out. Vitas took the time to visit one or two of the cat colonies in Sacremento to ensure the structureal integrity was sound enough for the cats to survive and also well built enough to ensure the space needed was properly set up.
That and Vitas loved cats to begin with, so when she heard that Spike had six older brothers who looked after three different feral cat colonies in the city of Sacrem,ento, Vitas made a huge deal of the whole thing and insisted on allocating Sacrementos federal founds to the project and care of the colonies.
Spike had originally tried to decline, but then she realised, with the money Vitas was offering to fund the colonies, the cats could be so well cared for, that and Spike could properly build the housing structures to properly care for each litter in the safety of a well kept homelike atmosphere.
And now Spike and her brothers ventured to Arendelle, and word of mouth had reached the small country, kingdom, whatever really. And there was one, so far at least, cat colony in an old battlefield memorial park. The cats were well fed and cared for, But the structures wher the cats had their litters were in such bad shape it made Spike upset and very worried for the safety of the litters.
So she started asking for donations to help care for the cats, not just in buying cat food and other cat care products, but to also build a few places with heat for the cats to live within. Enough so that the cats could thrive in the coming winter safely.
Because she knew for a fact, in that kind of weather, the kittens might not make it. "What about the house Mark offered us to use ? Can we safely move the kittens and their mothers into it ?" Spike asked her brother.
"Maybe, most of the mothers hissed at me when I got too close, I think handling the kittens might not be easy, some of the litters are only hours old, and the last one I check, the momma must have just had her kittens, her butt was still wet." Emile replied.
"I see, whoa, hey!" Spike replied, the kitten sqiurmed between her breasts and had Spike not caught the little thing by holding her dress tight against her stomach, the kitten would have slid down her stomach and hit the ground between her legs. A moment of movement was all it took for Spike to safely remove the kitten from her dress. Her brother of course ensuring Spike did not have any onlookers.
That and her wings helped shield her from prying eyes too. After another moment the sleepy kitten was safely returned to her mother who was purring loudly and attentively watching Spikes every move. "Nice save" Emile commented on how quickly, and safely Spike had caught the kitten before she could hurt herself.
"I've had practise" Spike replied, it was more then a little true. Over time Kittens had tangled themselves in her wings, or had climbed down her dress between her breasts to nest against her stomach with a warm 'blanket' being Spikes dress keeping them snug and safe.
Emile had to smile however. "She kinda reminds me of Ghost back home, you remebmer her ?" Spike nodded, Ghost was the kitten Spike had received as a birthday gift, a beautiful solid white girl. Sadly she had been fixed since she was adopteed from a nearby shelter at the time, Spike and Ghost never went anywhere alone, Ghost was always close to Spike, almost constantly being held infact. Although ,as time went on, Spike met Vitas, and Ghost liked her too.
Then came the cruise when Spike met Vitas. Spike could not wait for Vitas to meet Ghost, of course the cruise line refused to let Ghost aboard, but even then. It did not matter, much if that.
"She does, you think Ghost came back in the form of this little one ?" Spike asked her brother.
"Possible" He replied, "I wouldnt put it past Vitas to ensure Ghost had another chance at life with you."
Spike had to smile, Ghost had died shortly after Spike had returned thanks to Vitas resurrecting her. Spike had been so heartbroken with the loss, Vitas made a point of holding a state funeral for the poor feline. It made Spike feeel better, but in a way it also made the city of Sacremento feel more united as well by the loss.
And donations for the cat colinies in Sacremento and Crecent City doubled nearly overnight. So the possiblity of Ghost coming back to Spike was a strong possiblity. Spike smirked and looked to her brother, Emile raised an eyebrow at her.
"You know what they say" Spike said, gently stroking the ghostly pearlwhite fur of the four week old kitten. "Cats have nine lives."
"That is true, but which life was Ghost on ? Her first, or her last ?" Emile asked, it had been over a year since Spike had lost Ghost.
"Dont do that to me, please." Spike replied. Emile smiled softly and gave his sister a hug.
"Dont worry, somehow I think Ghost is back. It just feels right" He said to her, Spike nodded. Emile then broke the hug when he saw a group of soldiers arrive. The kitten now named Ghost, whose mother growled seeing the soldiers nearing them alerted both Spike and her brother. "We got company" Emile said tersely.
Turning to the soldiers Spike saw the leader of the group. "Well fuck" She swore softly as Kiyori himself made his precense known, Ghost however, a tiny kitten, did not seem to notice. Spike sighed as Emile spoke up
"Can we help you ?" Emile asked, his voice stern and to the point.
"One can only hope" Kiyori replied, he then explained why he was there. "The royal healer said she got her cat from this area. Am I correct in assuming that you two are caring for these cats ?"
"You are" Spike replied stiffly, she did not like the look of the man before her whatsoever. "Forgive me for being blunt but you do not look like a cat type of person. More of a dog person now that I think about it. Maybe even a bird person."
Kiyori had to smile at that, ah yes, defiance. Just what he did not want to hear or see. "So you are the keeper of these cats ? If I ask that you take them elsewhere, what would you do ?"
"I would tell you that you are entirely out of your fucked up mind for trying to tell me and my brothers what to do," Spike said simply, crossing her arms over her chest as Emile set the clipboard onto a nearby pallet. The mother cat growled something and quickly moved her kittens, including ghost closer to the pallet where Emile was. He gently lifted them to the top of the pallet to see what was going on. But also to keep them safe. Unseen by Kiyori or his men, Emile quickly wrote a defense rune to protect the kittens and their mother.
Spike continued to speak. "My brothers and I care for these cats. Mess with me, you mess with my family, and trust me, you do not want that to happen." Spike said, Emile smirked. If it came to it, they could fight, there were no litters within reach of the guards. There had to be half a dozen of them.
"And if I gave orders for you to leave ?" Kiyori said, already starting to lose his cool with Spike.
"I'd laugh and say, you're not in charge, because you're not in charge. You never were, you just think you are. Now if we're done here, dont make me turn your men here into cat food, because I'm currently pissed off that you showed up in the middle of my meditational moment with a mother cat and her kittens." Spike said, giving the High Priest a really dirty look.
But rather then leave, Kiyori pressed forwards, asking. "Who are you ? Why did you come to Arendelle ?"
"Two things, you do not need to know my name, or the name of my family. But what you do need to know is that you stink, and you need to leave." Spike told him quite bluntly. "Show up here again and these cats will not hesitate to claw your face. Because if they dont claw you up. I will"
"Are you threatening me ?" Kiyori asked, the soldiers looked ready to fight as Spike sighed. This man did not get it.
"No, I am warning you" She replied, "Warning and threatening are two different things, a threat is normally just that, a threat, whereas a warning is a very real thing. A threat leads to a warning, and a warning, well, a warning normally leads to extreme bodily harm. Now if your man close to that pallet would like to get his arm looped off, I'd advise him to step back a good foot or so"
"What ?" Kiyori asked her. "You dare to tell me what to do ?"
"Dont say I didnt warn him" Spike said. A flick of the wrist and a pistol was in Spikes hand, hidden by the folds of her dress. A sudden scream was heard and the man fell backwards holding his eyes. Rather then aiming for his arm, the mother cat, Ghosts mother infact, hissed loudly and smacked, claws out. Across the guards face,. The thug fell back screaming holding his cut eyes.
It was that hiss and slicing noise however that alerted the entire colony, and also Spikes brothers across it. Emile sighed and rubbed his temple. "Oh, this wont end well." he said simply as Spike stared down the High Priest. She towered over him a good two or so feet, even without her massive black and red feathered wings.
"This is not over" He growled at her. Spike smirked.
"I will kill you, you show up here again." She warned him, it was not a empty threat either, it was a very real threat, a very real warning.
Kiyori thought a moment. "Fine, you're right, I dont give the orders here but I am respected by the Council so my words have weight, I will take the matter up with them, and if they send a soldier or a summons, what will you do ?"
"Well it depends on how the soldier or person carrying the summons carry themselves. If their demanor is peaceful and only wanting to talk, or give the summons, the cats will allow them to get close enough to me. Otherwise, the cats will defend their homes. And I will defend them." Spike replied
Kiyori thought a moment, but then nodded. "Alright, you made your point. For now you may stay and care for these animals, I assume that is your plan." Spike nodded, but she never put her gun away. "Very well, I will speak to the council. Until a summons is sent, or a soldier is sent, you may stay here." He then turned and left the soldeirs helping their injured fellow in his wake.
"That went well," Xim spoke up as he appeared out of the mist as the soldiers disappeared into the drizzle.
"So it did" Spike replied simply. She smiled at her brother. "We're going to have to be on guard now, the High Priest knows what I look like." She put her pistol away
"So ? You told his ass off" Dylan replied as he stepped into view from aempty structure. "If you ask me you should have shot him, just to see what kind of reaction you'd get from it."
"But nobody asked you, and you know what, you're right I should have shot him. I should have showed him I mean business. Because I do mean business, I dont want that fucker coming near the kittens. Not if Ghost and her mother and littermates are to be safe." Spike said as she put her gun away once she was sure the safety was on.
"Ghost ?" Ezra asked as Spike disarmed the defense rune and gently stroked the kittens in the litter as the mother cat calmed seeing who was directly before her. Ezra then saw the solid white kitten. A smile then grazed his face. "Of course. I am going to guess the kitten is a girl ?"
"She is, and if you're right, they are four weeks or so old too" The mother cat looked healthy.
"As near as I can tell yes. One litter is possibly just minutes old, the placenta was beside a kitten just born." Ezra reported.
"Alright, the house Mark Wolfe gave us, we're going to have to get the kittens there, and quickly. Get some guards that Mark trusts," Spike said already giving orders, she wanted those kittens as safe as they could possibly be, and if that meant getting them all out of the Arkor District Memorial Park and into her own home, the safer the kittens and their mothers would all be.
"Right, I'm on it." Xim said, "Dylan, Daniel, you two and Emile patrol the borders and find as many litters as you can, I'll go round up the guards we'll need. James ?" The man called James looked to his twin. "You're with me. Spike," Spike looked at her oldest brother
"Yes Xim ?" She said as she still stroked the pearlwhite kittens fur.
Xim smiled seeing the look on his sisters face. "She's beautiful" He said, meaning the kitten that Spike had named Ghost
Arendelle
Yaeko District
Xeirs house
8 PM
"Tie ? Are you alright ? What is it ? Whats wrong ?" Xeir asked seeing how her seemingly oldest most experienced Sparrow was acting, the woman was clearly worried about something.
"Have you see Tea ?" Tie asked, Die and Zen were both accounted for, but Tea was missing.
"Not since yesterday before dinner, why ?" Xeir replied
"That's just it, Tea is never away for more then an hour, and shes been missing since last night." Tie said
"Let me guess, you're scared to go to the guards ?" Xeir asked. Tie nodded. Xeir thought a moment quietly, then sighed. "Its possible she had been waylaid. I will look for her. If you must hide in safety somewhere, go to the Taelieon District by way of the sewers. Tell the leader there that Xeir sent you, and he will know what he means, if you must detail how I know them, mention Aruchii and Nekhii, and Aruchiis sister Kara, they will confirm your story."
"Yes my lady" Tie replied
Xeir raised a hand a finger pointed. "But remmeber, only if you must in dire need, seek help. I will try not to be too long. I promise that Tea will return home with me." It was those words that made Tie calmer, now much much less worried then she had been initally.
"Thank you my lady, I will see to preparing the night time meal for your return." Tie said. Xeir smiled and stood up
"Its possible shes in a model like Tie was" Tiri chirped as she formed from a nearby coushin.
"Did you wait for Tie to leave before speaking up ?" Xeir asked her, giving her an amused look.
"Not really no, it was just the fact that she just left and you plan on going out on your own again... dont give me that look I know that look" Tiri said while interrupting herself and pointing an ice finger at Xeir. Which made the dragoness smile.
"Would you like to come along ?" Xeir asked her
"And here I was going to ask if you wanted to offer me some toast" Tiri said, which got a bark of laughter from Xeir.
"I think that can be arranged, you coming ?" Xeir replied. Tiri shook her head. "Suit yourself." before she then took her leave. Heading out of the house and courtyard before finding a street empty and focusing her vision slightly. Her vision cleared, showing the area around her in one broad sweep. Dragon Vision was a wonderful tool. It helped Xeir where she needed it most, it helped her to decern who was telling the truth, who was a friend and who was an enemy, as well as showing outlines as if seeing ghostly figures to show her a scene of an event or crime.
Dragon Vision. Otherwise known as The Sight to the Assassins was an incredibly powerful tool. It was a dangerous tool. But it allowed Xeir to spot and find models in the kingdom. And focusing her power on them if they had people in them she was able to free those trapped within. Though as she walked along, there seemed to be an elaborate procession going on in the Wolfe District near the jail. So she followed it a few streets before easily tanking to a back alley road and following that. Finally getting tyo a rooftop she was able to look down on the procession.
A model was being installed
Xeir focused her Sight and spotted the model, it had people already in it. However the model also glittered a bright gold. "Nhee Dask" Xeir mumbled softly. Why was the model glowing gold ? Was that were Tea was held ? She hoped not. "Damned svitran" Xeir growled. If Tea was held on that model, was that why the huge big procession to install it ? Xeir focused again, honing in as best she could on trhe model to try and get a better look. There was more then one figure on it. At least a few were there. Xeir stayed on the rooftop unseen in the rainfall as the soldiers patrolled and the model was put into its place.
This was inhumane. Xeir smirked, someone was going to have to put that stupid priest in his place. And somehow! The man she knew could not be far behind unless he was with the procession itself. She focused again. She only saw the model glittering in gold. Wel lthat sucked. So where was the High and mighty High Priest ? Was he hiding ? Was he doing something else while his model was being installed ? Was he trying to lord over someone who did not give two fucks whatsoesver about his being in charge while he had a puppet ruling the kingdom as a whole ?
Yes and yes to the last two as far as Xeir was concerned, Spike hindering and keeping the High Priest busy made the timing perfect for Xeir to make her strike. But in the rain, Xeir felt she shouldnt strike, no if she struck then it would only make things worse. Instead she simply laid on te roof in the rain and watched and waited.
There was something about the big man, the man at the head of the pack, who made Xeir nervous, but also made Xeir smile. The big man at the head of the pack seemed reluctulant to be there, to do the things he was doing, it meant that the man in question was caught in a issue, one so vast and deep that it did not make a lot of sense.
One that if timed right and dug in deeply enough. It only made all the more sense for it to happen. Infact if Xeir could corner the man alone. Which she doubted heavily at that moment. Surrounded by a squad of soldiers in their new getup. She couldnbt recognise them now.
As she laid on the rooftop, Xeir briefly felt something was off. Looking around she spotted a few snipers taking their posts on the rooftop. Were they there to protect the new model ?
She hoped so. She hoped those men were there to protect the model even if they were simply to patrol on the rooftops. Which meant that she had two ways of enjoying herself at that moment.
She could enjoy the show, the installation of the model seemed to happen with little, if any, ceremony, and the guards then went onto a patrol pattern. The big man then left with half of the patrol back to where they had come from. But this close to the Wolfe Manor made Xeir smirk. She could lose them inside!
Without a sound or even being noticed in the now drenching rainfall that turned the snow into slush and mud, Xeir slithered from the roof and got back to the ground level. It was time to steal a model. Which was different then freeing the models prisoners. In this case instead of getting directly near it to let those within it free, the model was undamaged until Xeir wanted to pry into it.
Moving silently she stepped into candance with a patrolling pair of soldiers, then one after the other, she assassinasted both without a sound, the unseen hidden blade fading into her scales as she used it. She smirked and then headed for the second patrol, nobody noticed the men sink to the ground in the rain for a few moments. She mapped out the route of the other patrol and got into step with them. But this patrol was bigger then the other. In the sense that this patrol had a full count instead of just two men
Xeir got about half through the patrol before she was noticed by the leader of it and the fight was on. Bringing up a arm she used her scales to protect herself, the bullets fired from the rifles the soldeirs carried did little, if any damage, bouncing harmlessly off her arm as Xeir span about, drawing her swords and striking, easily slicing into one soildier before running for the next in line
The nine man squad was wittled down to four, then three, then two as the commander put up a fight along with his grenadier. Xeir growled and smashed into the man with a full tackle. Forcing the commander of the squad three dozen paces before smashing into a cart, the man sank to the ground as Xeir finally just came down on his neck. Snapping it.
Turning towards the grenadier, the last soldier in the patrol, Xeir threw the commanderes combat knife, it nailed the grenadier in the shoulder, as he twisted from the strike she ran at him, and tackled the man. She smashed the man against the wall before jumping into the air as time seemed to slow. Smashing down upon the soldier Xeir noted the street was empty, it was pouring rain.
Nobody had seen her take the soldiers apart. She scanned the street, her vision shifting to Draconic as she saw she was the only living soul aside from the gold glittering model Looking closer at the model she saw it. A winged figure, clearly female, and two others, one of them more then likely a male. But Xeir didnt care. What she cared about right then was making sure there was a dry space for when she released the models prisoners.
She took the model, it was lighter then she had feared it to be. The soldiers made a big deal of installing it. But it took just a little Draconic strength to pry it lose. Which made Xeir snicker., "Anything not nailed down is mine" She said simply "Anything I can pry loose, is not nailed down" with a simple happy nod she had the model in hand and headed for a nearby gazem and used her magic under its cofer to free the prisoners in the model.
Two women, one of them had wings, it was Tea of all people, and a man pretty much fell out of the model. The man looked upset at least until he saw who was the person who freed him. "Oh, thank you Madam" it was not that the older man was greatful, he was indeed greatful to her for freeing him. He offered a hand to her. "My name is James, James Wallace." He said, Xeir smiled
She took his hand. "Xeir" She said, "Pleasure to meet you." She said before turning to Tea who dusted herself off. "Are you alright, Tea ?"
"I am, that ingrate Priest arrested me, next thing I knew I was trapped down there with that girl." Tea nodded to the woman getting to her feet. Xeir had never seen a woman like her before.
A beautiful red gown slender tall body. And above all. A head of ink black hair that framed a youthful beautiful face that had deep blue eyes within them. "Thank you. I was starting to wonder if the man remebmered capturing me. The fact I am free means I can finally get my revenge, tell me, is Prince Hans still alive ?"
"He is, but he might still be in Arendelle, I heard the High Priest talk about him and his brother using guest rooms at the castle" James replied
"Might I ask your name ?" Xeir asked the woman.
"Nessa, I am looking for a dear friend of mine, her name is Blackbird." The woman said in reply.
Xeir had to really think on the name, she had heard it once or twice before over the ages. A woman named Blackbird, traveling the realms before settling simply on Earth in the Mortal realm. But that was all Xeir knew.
She had no idea that Blackbird herself was enroute to the kingdom. But it would be the spring when she finally arrived by hovertrain. "I am sorry, but I am not familiar with that name. Either way. James, you seem a man of importantce here ?"
"Yes I own a string of taverns in the Pond and Clock Districts." He replied, he was well known and also well liked.
"Why were you a prisoner ?" Xeir asked as Tea stood near by.
"I apparently made the mistake of speaking my mind against the high priest, saying that Anna, the woman on the poster for the Heir of the Throne of Arendelle, is really the lost Princess of Arendelle." James replied, "Should Anna become queen, she should entirely dispose of Kiyori, and not just by exile either."
Xeir smiled and chuckled briefly. "There is nothing there to worry about then. I plan on taking on the High Priest. He made the mistake of capturing two of my servants on two different models." Xeir said
James was thoughtful as Nessa sat against a post of the gazebo. Finally James said "Tell you what, you freed me from that hellhole, the least I can do is let you and yours drink and eat for free when you show up at any of the major taverns in the Pond or Clock Districts" he said to her.
The Clock District was so named because of the Clocktower in the center of the district. Xeir had to smile, she wanted to explore the kingdom. "How much pull do you have in the Clock District ?" Xeir asked him
"Enough to tell off Kiyoris soldiers, but not enough to tell him off entirely." James replied simploy
"Would it trouble you then for me to have what aid you can give in the district ?" Xeir asked. The rain began to let up.
"I can do that yes." He replied, he could as he had told her, do only so much. But he did have some local boys on hand able to help where needed. Good sized gangs that wandered the kingdom freely.
Nessa stood from the post she leaned against. "If it is alright with you, I would simply like to return to the Dojo District where I was captured for apparently freeloading" The fact of the matter was that Nessa did not have a house to call her own and she merely slept in different places all the time. Never in the same place twice really.
"Fine with me, will we see you again ?" Xeir asked her, she was always welcome to come to the Yaeko District and stay at the house.
"We will see. If I can find Blackbird before then. We will see" with that, Nessa took her leave. James sighed.
"Is something wrong ?" Xeir asked.
"No, nothing is wrong, just trying to figure out something" James replied, he was unable to fully fathom how Xeir got them all free. "Was it just you alone who freed us from that ?" He asked pointing at the model
Xeir nodded "Yes, my magic counters the models and frees those imprisoned within them. I used to just turn everything around the model into gold, but I have since figured out who to refine and carefully aim my magic enough to focus strictly on the model and not its pedistal." She said
"Well, you saved me, the only person who really cared for the kingdom was Elsa, she was on her way to making it profitable again. At least had she not taken that vacation last year." James said
Xeir said nothing. But listened as James explained how Elsa had planned to begin a trading system with a place called Oslo, and then from there London and Rome and everything in between. Xeir had to smile however. James was none the wiser that Xeir was Elsa. Finally it was James mentioning that he felt Elsa was never coming back to the kingdom when Xeir shook her head. "What do you mean ?" James asked her meaning why was she shaking her head.
"I mean that there is something much too complicated to explain, something that you would not be able to understand right now. But I am sorry to say this, Elsa is dead. She is gone. But she is also still around. Somewhere." Xeir still had Elsas memories. She made it seem as if the memories were of the painful past.
She knew where things were, what her limits were before waking up. But now those limits were tossed out the window. Which allowed her to focus instead on building up her reputation in the kingdom. "That does not make sense to me. Can you explain it while we walk ?" The rain had stopped by then.
Xeir smiled and while the three walked, she tried her best to explain what she could. Finally they parted ways, with James entering one of his taverns, lost in the thoughts of different things then he used to have.
He knew know the reason why the feeling of Elsa being gone, in this case long dead, her body and voice, memories, they were all gone. Infact, if Xeir did not know any better, it meant that James could infact follow behind Anna, put his vote behind her in favor of the Throne.
Anna, even though she was listed as a possible Heir out of three different women, was already a Princess, she was the former Queens sister. And that told him what he needed to know. And what he needed to know was everything of what to plan for the next day.
So as Xeir and Tea entered the courtyard house together, Tea had by that point explained how she had been captured the night before. It was on her way home after her daily hour of shopping. Instead of flying home, she chose instead to walk. Which was a bad idea.
"The high priest made two mistakes, capturing you, and capturing Tie. Thankfully I can easily get you out of the models. So, until the High Priest is done with in some manner. I want to get you and the others some means of protection from getting trapped in those models. The problem was, how ? How could she get that protection outside of giving as blessing ? It was not her place to give a blessing to begin with. So instead she asked "Do you know why the Wolfe District for the model to be placed ?" Xeir had made sure to damage the model after freeing the three prisoners trapped in it.
"No, I could not fully understand much of what was going on when trapped in the model" Tea admitted. Finally reunited with her sisters. Xeir went back to her room after requesting some slatscrolls to read through. She was tired, it had been a long night.
One of the slatscrolls she had been given was a record of the previous year, it was going to give her a good rundown of events for each month more then likely. However she was surprised to find it had the daily details by date, but not by time, all sorts of things began in the first month. Which noted that Elsa had been away for one month already. That alone was to be expected.
"Huh, so Elsa, Mark, Anna and Diana left the kingdom for a year one month before this slatscroll started.' Xeir mused thoughtfully. It made sense, for the most part. Of course there was the minor issue as Xeir briefly breezed through the rest of the slatscroll that there was no other mention of Elsa or the others in it.
She set the slat scroll on the bedstand. "So it was true, the Nothing was forgotten even while I slept outside the kingdom in the Pine Forest District." Xeir mumbled. There were two Pine Districts, in order to denote them apart, one was called Pine Forest, it was where most if not all of the trees grew in the kingdom as a whole.
The Pine Forest was where the old farmhouse was located. It was where Xeir was asleep all that time. It was where DiT did her experiments in order to get her revenge.
"Scala ad Caelum" Xeir mused thoughtfully. It was possible she could go there. She knew where it was. How to get there. But the question was, would she find what she sought while she was there ? Was it really just a dream ? The red shard glittered upon the bed where she had hidden it in the pillow. Nobody would think of checking the pillowcase for valued items.
Turning to it, She mused softly as she went back to reading the slat scrolls. "Alright you weird glowy thing. Whats your story ?" She picked up the star shard, and waited while holding it, there were no memories, at least nothing asctive, but it pulsed in her hand, dancing with color.
Xeir did not like how things were going recently. She needed to figure out how to take out the High Priest. She needed information. She looked towards the nearby clock. Sleep was in order. But she was not the least bit tired at that moment.
Instead she smiled. She activated a model of the kingdom and focused on the Wolfe District. She was bored, she couldnt sleep. So why not do a 'security camera' hack instead ? Of course there was a few reasons she knew of that doing what she was about to do was not going to work.
But fortunately, she could not think of a single reason for not trying to do it. So she tried it. She wanted to track some soldiers. So she tagged four of them, trying to find the big man that was leading the patrol. Where was that patrol ? She found it as it neared the castle, the big man had split off from the group and reentered the castle.
The more Xeir thought about it the more she figured out a sort of plan. The plan was the barebones of a plan, it was not entirely flshed out, but it was going to have to do for the moment. She set the sdtar shard on the bedside stand and got ready for bed.
She noticed that Tiri was not present, had the Icewraith another task to do no her own ? Xeir did not care at that moment, the fight in the rain, the rescuing of Tea and James, and also the strange woman named Nessa had really only made things more confusing.
But Xeir was not one to complain, far from it. She just needed sleep. But she still was not sleepy. Now dressed for bed, Xeir climbed under the covers and for a moment or so, stared at the ceiling before focusing on another slat scroll, maybe she could read herself to sleep ?
Yeah right, the last time Xeir had fallen asleep while reading was because she was trying to read up on Kaldas adventures in her mothers library. Her mother and Waterlight had found her asleep, the slatscroll on her face like a eyeshade. And Xeir was cutting down a tree with a dull saw very slowly at the time.
That smiling thought made Xeir want to go to bed. So she rolled up the slat scroll and went to sleep.
