It was striking, not in a good way, how a country that had become so...evil...could be so beautiful. Pergrande had gorgeous lands, and, sticking to remote trails and rarely used roadways, Lucy was seeing them with her team….her team. Laxus had said it the first day as they had set out following the dogs.
"I'll run the show home Blondie, but this just turned into your show, so, lead the way." He'd told her. It made sense, Vander had kissed her temple "I'll scout ahead, Presca and I know these roads, this is far from our first mission into Pergrand." He said and, he'd started to move, pausing only when his new mate had reached out and grabbed his ass, giving him a dark smile that had the shadowquip smirking.
"Save it for tonight King Cobra." He purred and vanished, tiny tendrils of smoke and shadow caressing Cobras face and body for a moment after her was gone.
Lucy grinned at Cobra who growled, biting his lower lip. "Fuck I love that ass…" the slayer said.
Bickslow snorted.
"Yeah we all know, holy shit you guys couldn't even keep it in your pants in the damn bunk room, I mean damn, at least when Cosplayer is mind fucking with Kaleb she's pretty quiet." The Seith mage said as he strode past Cobra and Lucy with a tongue lolling grin.
Lucys eyes flew wide and her hand flew to her mouth as her face turned red. They heard her? Oh Gods she thought she was quiet...yes a little moan here or there escaped her but Kaleb was keeping a link with her and she missed him and seeing Cobra and Vander all over each other made her miss Kaleb in a lot of ways she'd never missed anyone before.
So, when she went to bed and Cristoff had dozed off and she could escape his arms, she'd laid there and reached out, calling to Kaleb and Gods he'd responded so fast.
I miss you too my Goddess, are you alone? He asked, his silky deep voice was so welcome, so soothing, she wanted to touch him, wanted to feel him...her whole being just ached for him.
In a way, Cris is right here but he's asleep, Cobra and Vander are having sex in the bunk across from Laxus but Cris put Laxus to sleep so he could get some rest and not electrocute everyone. She told him and Kalebs rich laugh in her head made her smile.
Glad those two are doing well, if what you say about Cobra is right they'll be a hell of a pair, How is Presca handling it? He asked.
Pretty well, he's happy for Vander, pities Cobra and says so often. She hesitated, not really wanting this small talk, but what she wanted, she couldn't have, Kaleb was back in White Sea and she was on a ship putting more and more distance between them by the moment.
When you come home I'll be here waiting Lucy, think of how it will feel to summon Aquarius in the Grass Sea at night… He said softly, knowing that was one of her favorite daydreams. She just about giggled at the reminder, unknowingly sending all her happiness flowing back through the link to Kaleb who was laying in his own bed just as unable to sleep as she was.
I want you...I want to kiss you….touch you...she sighed a moment later and what travelled through the link then had the Wizard Saint gasping in his bed.
Close your eyes Lucy, and imagine it… he'd encouraged her and she did, letting her mind conjure up his bedroom, that wonderful massive bed of his, and her on it, with him, kissing him, her hands sliding over smooth warm skin, and she felt him then, felt him there, his presence, all over her and her hands moved without her full consent.
Keep your eyes closed and just relax...let me touch you the only way I can right now…He said in that mesmerizing silken voice of his. Lucy did as he directed, and was soon panting from the feelings kaleb guiding her hands were providing.
So beautiful, your skin is better than the finest silks I've ever found… He told her and he kept talking to her, smooth and soft, deep and purring .
Kaleb...oh...oh Kaleb….I want you, I want you so bad right now…more than this...she whimpered mentally as her fingers plunged into her. It was good, so good, but no real comparison to the feel of Kalebs body, his thick length filling her, stretching her, reaching every spot inside of her that sent pleasure coursing through her in fiery bolts.
I want you too...Gods I miss you...He replied.
Then do...do to your body what I would….wrap your hand around that gorgeous cock of yours...you know I asked Arris to teach me to do blow jobs...but I love stroking you, the way the skin is so hot and velvety… Lucy responded and Kaleb moaned, which drove Lucy even more wild with need, her fingers working at her center because he let her see him following her instructions, let her see his hand on his body working his erection.
They guided each other until both reached a release and lay panting and smiling faintly.
That was incredible...not as good as the real thing...but still...incredible Lucy told him
I usually send people horrific nightmares to undo them, I've never used this...like that before… He'd told her and she'd laid panting, grateful the bunk room was still hosting Cobra and Vander who were still making not so subtle noises as they went at each other a few feet away shamelessly. Nobody would know she'd just had mental sex with Kaleb...and now she knew that existed…
So much better than a dream...she mentally sighed and Kalebs sexy chuckle had her writhing a bit then forcing herself to stay still so she didn't wake the big slayer laying in the bed beside her.
I am so happy to discover it works so well, you know...it's a new variation to a skill I need to work on so I hope you don't mind practicing with me as often as we can…he'd purred at her and Lucy had bitten into her lower lip to keep from moaning, charming Kaleb she managed with, sweet, kind, gentle Kaleb she knew well, this sexy Kaleb was way the hell too much for her to ever dream of controlling herself with. Especially when he started teasing.
But she really had thought that they had been quiet, that Cobra and Vander had provided her with a good cover for she and Kalebs nightly trysts, Gods she'd needed them, it was not as good as the real thing, no scent of sun warmed apples clinging to her skin, none of his delicious weight pressing her into the mattress or the feel of his skin, his warmth, no, the mental fun worked her mind more than her body, which in a way worked because it did tire her overactive mind and helped her to sleep.
She glanced at Cobra who was smirking at her and she rolled her eyes. "You know? Fuck it, I know you and Vander are doing a lot more than Kaleb and I have gotten to so enjoy the show." She said throwing up her hands and following Bickslow. Cobras snickering followed her and a few moments later his arm wrapped around her, pulling her into his side as he kissed her temple.
"It's ok Tink, I was too busy with my snakecharmer to pay attention to you and glowstick getting it on in your heads, that shits kinky you know? Didn't know you had it in you." He grinned at her and Lucy blushed but couldn't get mad at him, seeing Erik so happy just served to make her happy.
The gorgeous lush green countryside yielded occasional small farming communities and Vander would return to them as they neared one to warn them. He lurked near Lucy in the shadows, while they all wore travelling cloaks she was still visibly smaller than any of them, and while a hooded cloak hid her features well and baggy pants and loose fitting clothes sort of detracted from her gorgeous figure, it couldn't hide it completely, so, she would walk between Laxus and Cristoff, Cobra a little behind them, Bickslow and Freed in the lead, Presca and Vander keeping out of sight so that if they were approached, Presca could drain whoever it was while Vander made Lucy disappear.
Laxus and Cristoff though struck impressive figures, both tall with powerfully muscled bodies, in Pergrande that made all eyes that might rake over a group of travellers stop on them, because slavers in Pergrand weren't too interested in females, no, a woman like Lucy had almost no value here, but a big hulking Adonis like Laxus? He would fetch a huge price. So, in her cloak and baggy clothes, she was almost invisible walking between the two big Dragon Slayers.
They camped for the most part, and it wasn't bad, the weather was fairly mild and Virgo was a huge help, Freed used his runes to make the tents silent after Vander and cobra kept everybody up half the first night.
Lucy, when she wasn't comfortably wrapped up in a Dragon Slayer, spent her time reading, or chatting with Kaleb through the link she got more and more comfortable with.
It wasn't until the evening of their 8th day on the trek that Cobra caught her attention staring at her. She'd been telling Kaleb about the dogs, how Chara was so elegant and beautiful and Asterion was endlessly playful and that Loke was very much enjoying having them as part of her celestial family of spirits because they were very sweet.
He'd had to go into a meeting with a team of mages freshly returned from some skirmishes along the border with Seven so she'd gotten up and gone to find Freeds pack because it had all the books in it and seen Cobra staring at her.
"What? You're looking at me funny." She said narrowing her eyes on him.
"Have you been talking like that with glowstick this whole trip?" He asked incredulously.
"Glowstick?" Vander questioned, he had his head in Cobras lap and had almost looked asleep, Cobra idly running his fingers through his black hair with one hand while the other was stroking over the shadowquips well developed chest.
"Your brother, our Guildmaster." Cobra told him and Vander smirked "I like it." with Kalebs Immaculate Light sometimes, when he used it, he did glow, and his eyes always did when he was using either of his major magic types. The name fit.
Lucy rolled her eyes at both of them. "Yes, well...not the first couple of days, we were both too upset for the link he set up to work right, but after that...yes…" She told him.
Cobra whistled and Vander chuckled.
"Told ya , Kalebs a fucking Wizard Saint, just wait till he catches you and stops you from doing something you KNOW will be sensational fun before you even do a damn thing, you will no longer think his magic is cool." Vander said and Lucy frowned.
"What are you two going on about?" She asked incredulously.
"Tink...you're more than a thousand miles away from him and he's still holding a magic link right into your head, that's some fucking power there." Cobra chuckled shaking his head and Lucy blinked, it hadn't even occurred to her,it felt so simple, she would feel his presence with her and be able to talk with him, and it never dawned on her he was making it happen with a huge distance between them. She shook her head, pulling the book she wanted from Freeds pack. She was debating whether she wanted to risk more of Cobra and Vanders company as they discussed the things they would both do if they had Kalebs magic.
"I would so make the Grand Doma fuck himself, with some rusty pipe, make sure I warped his mind so he fucking enjoyed it. Right until I let him realize he was in the middle of the shopping district in downtown Crocus on a Saturday." Cobra drawled.
Vander hissed, baring his teeth and chuckling "Nice." He declared giving turning his head in Cobras lap to give the slayer a nip to the inside of his thigh before holding up his hands.
"Grand Ball at the palace, I'd stroll in and turn it into a noble orgy, get all the nasty bastards who torture people for not believing like they do and get them to fuck whatever they think is an abomination, I'd start with Freeds dad, have him fucking the hell out of every man he could get his dick in." Vander grinned and Cobra chuckled, bending to kiss his mates nose then raising a brow.
"Wait, he can control multiple targets?" He asked and Vander nodded
"Yep" he said popping the "p" and smirking up at Cobra "He walked into a clan battle, we're talking over 700 clan warriors, alot of them mages, and he stopped ALL of them, I mean, froze em dead in their fucking tracks some of em mid-swing with weapons and shit, ended em, they all dropped dead. Saved Cris, Beck and Hestors lives right there in a single moment and ended the clan wars because among the dead were the three leaders that were driving the whole mess. No I am not making that shit up either, I've seen big bro dismantle the minds of entire guilds of dark mages, was with him once during the Mage battle in Stella and we just couldn't get the fuckers to stop, they were mindlessly killing so Kaleb goes from control mode to turning thought explosive...heads exploding off bodies...yeah, after the first 14 everyone finally stopped and quit fighting. Kaleb does crowd control on like the next level, no joke. You should see some of the shit he can do with technology too, anything that uses any kind of magic signature even if its just magically powered, he can create shit….has I think...5? Hang on...CRIS! How many PHDs does Kaleb have?!" He called. Cristoff looked up from where he was helping Virgo get dinner ready.
"4, and something like 12 degrees in various things, finished the PHD in mechanical engineering what...2 years ago, I don't think he's working on any others, got bored with school." Cristoff replied.
Cobra chuckled "Ok...I don't impress easy but damn, and you're tappin that huh Tink?" He asked loving Lucys instant blush.
"She certainly is, I watched her get my dear brother who has sex down to a well practiced science to curse and give it up in the first round with her, Kaleb Suraday Pradesh, driven to an orgasm in the first round, you've no idea the accomplishment there Starshine, Kaleb can outlast damn near anyone, he's weathered Cristoffs full moons and been able to fucking work the next day." Vander was grinning, eyes fixed on his mates mouth and a low purring growl slid from him that made Cobras eyes dilate before the slayer snatched the shadowquip up into a bone crushing embrace and kissed him violently.
Lucy sighed, turning away from the pair and heading to join Cristoff and Virgo, much as she loved both men, their antics were a bit too much for her.
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They were near the border, about 8 miles and they would cross into Austiq and the unknown. They had learned passage into Estrelle wasn't easy, the border was magically maintained by the Empire of Estrelle and it took pride in keeping Pergrande from stepping a toe into their land. Even Vander had trouble getting through the border when he'd gone ahead and checked it, returning with a frown.
"I can smuggle each of you across one by one but they have magic signature tracers spells going that are fuck nasty, little huntshades, which i can control, set to run down anything that crosses the border, the conjured Lykin beasts that spawn if the huntshades fail though, those I can't control, they're beatable, put up a nasty fight when they reach you too. I went a full mile beyond the border and it still spawned things to track me down every time I emerged from the voids." He told them.
Laxus curled a lip, growling quietly and giving someone in the tavern a nasty look before returning his eyes to their group.
They were in a tavern, a fairly crowded one, the town was called Palsim and it was a hub for the region it seemed. People from Estrelle could be seen among those in the tavern and around the town. It was still Pergrande though, the women they had seen were collared and usually treated like filth. The couple of skinny things in the tavern were busy cleaning up after patrons, few men wanted a woman touching their cups or plates so only male slaves served the food and drinks.
It was...a very unpleasant place, with a large slave trade district because tribesmen from Austiq came here to sell captured enemies into slavery. None of them had wanted to go into the town but Lucy had insisted.
"We have to." She said firmly earning disbelieving stares from everyone.
"Why? Seriously Blondie?! That place is worse than fucking Romell, any one of us could get grabbed and have a control collar snapped around our neck robbing us of our magic and freewill and if they see you? They're as likely to kill you for wearing clothes and having the gaul to look em in the eye as they are to toss you into the slave cages and sell you as breeding stock." Laxus had said roughly and Lucy had met his angry gaze unflinching.
"We have to...I can't say exactly but...I know someone there...they're...in trouble...suffering...maybe more than one person we know is in there...I can...feel them..hear them…" She said haltingly, knowing how that sounded but keeping her chin up and her gaze hard and firm on the Lightning Slayer. He was the only one who could override her on this mission, Cristoff had already told her he, Presca and Vander were ordered to go where she went, protect her, uphold her directions come hell or high water by Kaleb.
"You walk into Hell...we go with you." He'd said firmly and Lucy had smiled, hugging him to her as they had laid in Cristoffs bunk on the ship. So she held her ground and Laxus stared stubbornly back at her.
"Someone we know? You can feel them? What the fuck does that even mean Blondie?! Where the hell are you getting this shit? What about Aquarius?" He shot back, using the biggest gun he had.
Lucy didn't back down though, she felt this, it was fucking real, someone in that town felt familiar, no she'd never felt anything like this before, and the whispers she got of them were muffled and hard to make out, almost like trying to understand someone speaking in a dream clearly, like on the ship when Vander had been holding Cobra as Cristoff worked to restore Cobras eye she could swear she'd heard Vander praying it worked even though his lips never left Cobras neck and ear to utter a word.
She couldn't explain it at all but she knew it was real, someone familiar, someone she knew, was in that town and needed help. They were….praying for it.
"She's not fucking around Tesla, she's legit about this, I say we check it out." Cobra said firmly and beside him Vander looked with mild surprise at his mates support of letting Lucy walk into something so dangerous but smiled and shrugged.
"I'm game, besides, I'd about kill for a decent drink and bed big enough I could tie you to it and have my way with you for a while without banging my head on Bixys bunk." He said lightly and Bickslow snorted.
"You and me both, shit, every time you two got going it was like riding a pissed off horse on succubus drugs." Bickslow said.
"Do you hear this Cobra? Whatever, whoever it is Blondie is talking about?" Laxus demanded and the Poison Slayer narrowed his eyes, tearing his attention away from his smiling mate to look down at the town that lay in the valley beneath where they stood still well hidden within a tree-line.
He couldn't, there were too many voices and if he opened himself up it overwhelmed him too fast, there was a lot of suffering happening in that place, too much for him to easily sift through and he had no idea how the hell Lucy was detecting something but, he heard it through her and had been able to hear souls and thoughts through those souls long enough he knew when something was a real heard thing versus imagined or dreamed. Lucy was "hearing" someone on some magical level he wasn't familiar with.
"No, there's too much shit down there for me to get a beat on what she's hearing, but I know, through her, it's legit, and if she's right and someone you guys know is down there suffering, you really wanna walk away and leave em there?" He asked.
That was it, he heard Laxus cussing up a storm inside himself because he couldn't, none of them could walk away, not from something like that, not even from the possibility.
"Fuck no, I'm loving the idea, little snooping around, some booze, maybe a real bed to sleep on for the first time in more than a month? Sign my happy ass up." Bickslow said and Laxus gave his friend a dark look but sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before locking eyes with Lucy again.
"You're sure about this? I mean, willing to get us all killed or worse sure?" He demanded and Lucy nodded, hating the risk she knew they were heading for, hating this was walking off the trail toward Aquarius, but she really was sure and she knew without a doubt they had to do something.
"Alright, then get fucking Gemini out because your ass can't be looking like you do in that Gods forsaken shit hole we're about to walk into." Laxus had said.
Now they were in the town, and the booze was good, but even Lucy, determined as she was. Was in a state of shock over the way life was here.
A couple of tables away a slender young man was bent over a table getting fucked by a huge greasy looking man while those sitting at the table cheered the big man on and dropped some coins into the innkeeper hand in exchange for the fun they were having with one of his slaves.
Freed had already had to deal with two leering men and Cobra had left one drooling and probably dying of some nasty toxin when he'd reached out to grab Lucys ass. She was even copying the ugliest man in Geminis memories, the scrawny asshole lawyer who had given her her fathers belongings years back. Seemed some people thought weasels were attractive.
Vander remained in the shadows, an emergency exit for Lucy if things got bad, she knew they were in the right place, but, like Cobra, she was finding herself unable to focus well with all the suffering that was around them. She had no clue how to do it either, had no idea where this all was even coming from, she just knew she believed it.
Presca was rapidly their finest asset once they were in the busy town, anyone who started toward them suddenly was tired and lightheaded and needed to sit down and he redirected negative energies, building up one man so he randomly walked over and punched a "guardsman" in the face starting a fight that ended in him getting two swords rammed through his chest but assured they had walked by unnoticed.
"That was fucking art." Cobra had muttered and Presca had given him a dark faint smile, his steel colored eyes not leaving their task of seeking which energies were getting too focused on their group. It wasn't easy. Lucy in her disguise didn't draw much attention, but Laxus and Cristoff did, both men tall, handsome, and built like a Pergrandian wet dream come to life. Laxus had the golden hair and light skin tone some favored, Cristoff the raven hair and well tanned skin others did, so, they turned heads.
"Careful using magic here, mages are valuable commodities, Pergrand pays well for them so while people are intimidated by them, they're also greedy fuckers who would be willing to team up for a big payday like they'd get for bagging one of you two for sale. You and Cris? Yeah, politicians and the super wealthy pay big time for pleasure slaves like you guys, and the Gladiator pits pay even more, you guys look like you could fight, all the more profit on legs." Presca had said bluntly as they had entered the town.
Cristoff had equipped his broadsword, making it all the more clear he was well capable of fighting, along with some key pieces of his matte silver and black armor set, leaving off those pieces that identified him as the Holy Knight of Bosco that he was, Bosco was very well hated in Pergrand but Boscan slaves fetched top dollar because of their skills in pleasure so it was best he didn't add to his appeal by displaying his nationality, even if the display also made it plain he would be far from easy prey.
Now the big slayers sat on either side of Lucy and Laxus, once done giving a man who winked at him a filthy look looked over his group of mages. "We need you to find this person you're talking about Blondie, you've got to find a way to focus this...whatever the fuck it is, we can't stay in this fucking town for long." He growled and Lucy bit her lip and looked down at the table mind racing.
"Nothing as pretty as you could fight better than you look, come on big boy, how bout letting me buy you a drink?" One of the men from the table where the big guy had just finished fucking the slender slave had stood up and come to stand by Cristoff, his eyes moving down the big slayers body, lingering on his legs while he licked his lips.
It still staggered Lucy that in Pergrande, sex was all about men with men, it was a purely patriarchal society where women were nothing but breeders worth less than dogs and good looking men commanded a lot of attention and desire. A man like Cristoff was prized, would be considered the ultimate partner or slave, he and Laxus had already been hit on plenty since they had entered the tavern of this Inn.
Cristoff narrowed his dark blue eyes on the man doubtfully. "I've already got a drink, and someone better looking than you to share it with." He responded coldly, nodding toward Laxus who struggled not to growl at him for the implication, but Cristoff knew what he was doing. The mans eyes widened "Shit...you two are together? Gods...I won't lie gorgeous, I'd give about anything to occupy this skinny old bastards spot." He said poking Lucys shoulder and she kept her eyes on Cobra and Presca who were sitting across from her.
"Be nice to my uncle and my husband and I might think about it." Cristoff said earning a grin from the man.
"Uncle huh? Looks too scrawny to be related to you...well...don't think too long...I've got gold to burn and I wouldn't mind spending it on you and your man...I mean it...I'd show you both a hell of a good time." He said, turning and going back to his table, the men there all turning to look back at Laxus and Cristoff, a couple raising their mugs to them.
"Lucy…" Laxus growled and Lucy nodded, eyes hazing a little as she reached out for the only person she could think of other than Cobra who might have a clue about what she was sensing.
Lucy, tell me you are not where your immediate memories show me you are...I'm going to kill my brothers… Kalebs voice, rich and smooth filled her head within moments of her reaching for him.
Kaleb...I had to… She protested and pushed what she was feeling, sensing, hearing to him a little wildly, grasping at him like he was a lifeline and breathing better when she felt him strengthen his hold on her and steady her, and suddenly all of her senses, the strange weak little ones that had been peeking out showing her these things sharpened.
Oh Gods...Lucy...I don't know how you're doing this...after this though you have to stop, leave it alone until you get home and I can help you ok? Promise me...PROMISE...he said sharply and she winced at it.
I don't know Kaleb...I don't know what this is… She admitted.
It's Immaculate Light Magic...laced with my own...Gods...I have no idea how you're using it...maybe the link I've got with you but if I break it now...Fuck...just, no curious little toying with this ok? Promise me Lucy, Promise me right now before I help you….He demanded and fiercely enough she sucked in a breath of surprise unknowingly drawing Laxus and Cristoffs eyes to her, Cobra watching, listening, intently. When Kaleb and Lucy "talked" he always heard it, Kalebs magic surged into Lucys mind, but the Immaculate Light that flowed through everything he did just loved Lucy, curled through her and made her "talk" with Kaleb resonate all through her being, their "mind sex" as Lucy called it was fucking profound, rocked his damn world when he'd felt it, to the point he'd grab Vander and reduce his lusty mate to mindless writhing as Cobra had to vent all that he took in from Lucy and Kalebs interactions, he even tried blocking the couple but Kaleb, even thousands of miles away, was so fucking strong he couldn't block it out completely, so always ended up venting on his mate, Vander sure didn't mind and Cobra had certainly enjoyed it too but holy mind fucking did it mess with him.
He'd sensed something shifting in Lucy the whole trip, and now it made sense. Lucy and her damn magic, the Celestial magic that had made her a target for as long as he'd known her, fully embraced the Immaculate Light that ran in her boyfriends veins. It seemed they had been together enough physically, and Kaleb creating this link to Lucy so they could "talk" while they were apart had done something, given Lucy a bit of her Wizard Saint powerhouse of a Boyfriends power.
I promise Kaleb, I won't mess with it...please...I don't want to leave without finding who it is… Lucy pleaded and Kaleb upped his link with her, Laxus growled softly, eyes snapping over to where a couple of men across the room had suddenly looked up, Lucys magic was palpable suddenly and any mage in the inn would be able to feel it. Laxus shot a look at Presca who narrowed his steely eyes and redirected the magic signature cleanly onto the big man who had been fucking the slave, making it look like it was coming from him.
I never should have done this...I should have stayed in fucking Magnolia, guild or no guild...Gods...I just want to die… Came the voice then, clear instead of the odd hazy murmuring Lucy had been unable to make out. Cobras eyes flew wide and he stood, suddenly able to pinpoint what Lucy was after through the suddenly solid and clear hold she had on the source.
"It's the drunk…" He said and they all froze.
"Where babe?" Vanders voice was right by Cobras ear and he almost shivered feeling it as much as hearing it, shadows sliding up his legs under his clothes caressing him as his mate focused on him. "I can go get them" Vander told him.
Cobra grabbed their bond and pushed his own magic back through it into the shadowquip, feeling the shadows on his legs shiver.
"Fuck me….holy shit...ok...you all sit tight…" The Shadowquip whispered into Cobras ear and the Dragon Slayer raised a hand to summon a server as if that was the reason he'd stood, ordering them another round and sitting back down shakily.
Please...fuck….Bacchus you idiot...oh Gods….
Lucy was shaking, and Cristoff grit his teeth glancing at Laxus who pushed in closer to the celestial mage trying to better shield her from view.
"Cana.." Lucy whispered, tears flowing down her face freely now as her friends pain came to her through the clear use of the magic she'd only had a faint touch of before. Cana was here in the slave trading town of Palsim in Pergrande, and she was begging for her own death.
Giermo had watched as Hestor had about come apart before him. The usually calm semi-aloof man had holed up for a couple of days and then just, left.
"I'm taking an extended mission." He said and Giermo had frowned.
"But, travel right now for us has to be cleared by the Guildmaster because that Dark Guild from Caellum has been hunting Celestial Mages." Giermo had protested.
"Fuck Kaleb, he's busy whoring himself out to that blonde from Fiore, he doesn't have time for old friends...or the people who care about him...who have spent 10 years making sure he ate meals, didn't work 24 hours straight…" He'd stopped and given Giermo an icey smile
"Tell him if you must, I don't need his permission or his damned protection." Hestor had said and had breezed right out of the guild leaving Giermo stunned.
That had been a while ago, and Kaleb didn't seem to notice Hestor was gone, even though the mage really had been a daily fixture in his life, curled up researching or napping in the bay window behind Kaleb's desk in his office most days he was home. Giermo sat at the bar in the guildhall frowning as the Guildmaster strode by, white cloak swirling around his polished black and gold boots, talking with Thane about guild business.
He considered saying something but wasn't sure what to say exactly and it wasn't his place to interfere anyway, Hestor always resented it when people did that.
"Giermo." A smooth voice startled him from his thoughts and Giermo turned meeting sky blue eyes and a smile.
"Farron." He smiled, the Guildmasters older brother wasn't often at the guild but he always made a point of spending time with Hestor when he was so Giermo had met him a few times when he'd come into the research area of the library looking for Hestor.
"Sorry to bother you, have you seen Hestor? I stopped by his apartment but he wasn't there and his neighbor across the hall said he hasn't been for a few days." Farron said frowning
"I saw no jobs registered under his name so...was wondering if you might know where I could find him?"
Giermo frowned "He had something happen the other day...Xally wasn't sure what it was but he was in tremendous pain then...he was behaving strangely and I haven't seen him, please Ambassador, If you talk with him? Let him know I'm worried and would like to help if I can?"
Farron nodded "Yes...of course...I'll do my best to find him." he said and Giermo smiled, nodding, feeling better knowing the Guildmasters older brother was now aware and would be helping.
Farron walked from the guildhall and headed for Kalebs office, something wasn't right, Hestor had gone through a rough few years when they were kids, stabilizing and adapting to the keys he held, Farron knew the man walked a line with that set, and would until he completed the set, it worried him more than a little that Hestor was acting oddly and he meant to find out why and help all he possibly could.
.