The Blood Night: Katolis, Soren
It felt good to get outside, Soren didn't go outside often anymore. He was usually too weak, but today had been good day, even though it was already drawing to a close. Little Serelai's mood was infectious, though she did have an incredible of getting into trouble. She reminded him a lot of Ezran, except she was far smarter for her age. She had managed to accomplish by six, what took Ezran until he was ten to accomplish: Earn the disdain and mistrust of every baker in the country. She even managed to make a reputation in Xadia, exceeding her uncle.
"Uncle Soren, Uncle Soren!" cried out a little voice. Soren sat down on the bench, picked up the small, mulberry colored, horned girl and set her on his knee.
"Yes, little one?" He replied.
"Can I get another jelly tart?" She asked in the impossibly sweetest voice, the one that makes it hard to refuse anything, but also warns of mischief. Internally, Soren laughed. She was a lot like the stories about her grandmother. Evidently, a lot more of her lay within Callum than he cared to admit.
"Alright, alright, you little rapscallion." He gave in with a smile as she began jump with joy. "But there are two conditions," At this she immediately stop and put on her serious face. "One, don't tell your parents and two, I don't have to kiss Bait anymore." Her serious face turned into a pout, but she quickly agreed, hopping off his leg and attempting to pull him to the soon to close bakery.
He chuckled, partly, because he realized that the serious face the little half-elf inherited from her from her mother would one day be terrifying, even despite her mismatched green and purple eyes. Rayla could scour farmland down to bedrock with that look. And partly because he was glad to never have to kiss Bait again. Bait died about five years ago, and Ezran had been devasted. So, he had Bait stuffed so that Bait would still be there in a way. Well, a few years back, Callum's daughter had mistaken the mount for a 'dolly'. Being unwilling (and unable) to break his niece's heart, let her keep him on the condition she took good care of him. She never went anywhere without Bait and was fond of making everyone kiss him. Like most children her age, she was not particularly caring or attentive of which end of Bait she made you kiss.
As she led him into a shop, he shot her a smile, before looking up to the baker.
"You're still open right?" Soren ask the baker who was cleaning off a counter with a rag.
"For a bit longer, yes. What can I get you?" He said as he turned around.
"Two jelly tarts, please."
"Alright," the Baker replied as he bent down to check a shelf. "Uhh, I have one jelly tart and a lemon tart, that okay with you?"
"Yeah that's fine, how much do I owe you?"
"Two Pence." He replied as Soren handed over a little more, "Thanks, have a nice night."
"You too." Soren said as he handed the jelly tart to Selerai and walked out of the shop.
Selerai thanked him happily and began to hum and skip ahead slightly. Oh, to be young and innocent again, Soren thought. At least with him, she slowed down her normally youthful speed to account for his normally slow speed. He kept his eyes on her and had to verbally remind her several times to stick close, resulting in the rascal skipping in circle around him as she happily consumed her jelly tart. At a certain intersection, Soren paused, suddenly lost deep in a memory.
It had been here, that after everything, he was forced to commit an heinous act. After everything with Aaravos and their father, he realized that he hadn't been back to this spot. After Rayla had wounded Viren, she and Callum battled Aaravos, while he and Claudia tracked their father. Following drops and occasion pools of blood, they tracked him into the deserted city, and eventually found him at this intersection. He had been bleeding heavily from his lower chest and was initially overjoyed to see his children.
"Claudia, Soren! It's good to see you. I need you to help me up and get me to the castle. If I can hide for a few days I can-" His father's words echoed in his mind.
"No! Dad, no more. Just give up. Callum and Ezran won't kill you, they'll-" Claudia tried to reason with him. She really did, she her utmost, and she had been telling the truth. They would have let him live, granted, he would have been under house arrest and forbidden books and magic, but they weren't monsters.
"You don't understand Claudia, not only is Azymondias a powerful being, but his right hand was to be a halfling. The elf bitch is-" He had hissed through clenched teeth.
"Rayla's pregnant?" Soren finished his father's sentence.
"Exactly. Soren you understand, don't you? All of humanity is at stake, we must-" Virien said as he managed to pull himself up.
"Do nothing! It is an unborn child, Dad!" Claudia had screamed. Viren turned away from her and looked directly at Soren.
"Soren, I am your Father. I love you, and I love your sister, but we must consider the future! Claudia must be removed so that I can save everyone." Viren harshly whispered. At that moment he knew what he needed to do. He had to save everyone, and he had wished, desperately, at that moment, that Claudia had left him paralyzed. Soren had turned to his sister with tears in his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry, Claudia." Before plunging his sword through his father.
In an instant he was back, it had been almost six years ago, but the memory was still painful. They both told everyone that they found him dead, and he hasn't spoken to Claudia since. He just didn't know what to say, if he hadn't killed their father, Dad would've done it again, and again, and again. But Callum had converted Claudia, from dark magic to the idea of justice and cyclical revenge. Both things weighed heavily on him, and it hadn't gotten easier with time. It- Wait. It's quiet. Too quiet, he realized with start. Which could only mean… Selerai!
Panicked, Soren looked behind him, no kid. He looked in every direction, no kid. He called out, "Selerai, Selerai! Come on kiddo, the moon's out, I should be taking you home. Come on kiddo!" Growing increasingly panicked. "We don't have time for hide seek."
Nothing, but a slight echo of his voice. "Selerai! If you come out, I'll buy all the jelly tarts you can eat next time!" He tried, hopefully. Nothing. No response. His face paled as he began to panic. He called for a few more minutes before finding a guard. The search for the princess was quickly escalated and within hours they were scouring the city. He was with Callum, Rayla, and Claudia throughout the search.
Everyone had become more and more anxious as the long night wore on, with hushed murmurs, and Soren's constant apologies. Rayla and Callum hoped that she just wandered off, as they told him that they didn't blame him. Halfway through the night, Bait was found, Soren could feel the blood leach out of his face. She hadn't gone anywhere without him for three years. Rayla and Callum comforted him, insisting that she just wandered off and dropped him. At dawn, news came, they had found the princess! When men showed up to escort them to her, everyone else remained tense, but hopeful. But Soren knew better, he remembered the playbook that he wrote. That was when Soren's heart broke.