Both Crevan and the younger sage were dragged out of their quarters protesting as they were shackled and led down the hall by several thorns. Aethen led the thorns in their 'raid' of the rooms. They were brought to the workroom, where Pen sat behind the still charred table. The look on two faces said much.

"...Forgive the rough treatment, we have spies among us that would seek this court's destruction." Pen said as they were released. "I had to ensure that this remained between us."

Crevan noticed Pen was wearing the Court Plaid along with her brooch, so this was business of the Freehold and not a Royal decision. She looked much like she had when he first met her in Ciri's company.

"I was informed you wished to speak to me..."

The young sage reached into his tunic and laid a sheaf of papers upon the work table. A brooch was laid on top. She reached forward, the brooch was that of a tower surrounded by Gulls.

"My Lord wished for the Guild to have these things, they are from Tor Lara...before its destruction."

"An elaborate way to have me put something in the archive..." She said. "What else..."

"Ah to the point." He set two daggers upon the table. "...My lord also wished to warn you, those were meant for you..."

"and you have them, why?"

"I come from the house of the Gull..." He said. "I was assigned to protect my lord's kinswoman..."

The look on Crevan's face said he hadn't any clue that Lara had any descendants other than Ciri's bloodline. Though he had known when he'd last seen Pen and her children were of the elder blood, to find there was a second line.

"...For now, my lord wishes to remain unknown to both courts." He said, then turned to Crevan. "My lord will be delighted to host you for a short while, under the promise of secrecy..."

Crevan could only nod, the shock of it still written on his face.

"I think we should conclude this without Master Crevan here..." Pen said.

Aethen nodded and took the elder sage away.

Aethen returned Crevan to his quarters and told the watcher to be extra careful, to call on Regis if he needed to. He was barely aware of his watcher locking the door. He slumped heavily into the hearth chair. He'd had a child by Lara...one she'd hidden from him and the whole of their race. The spark of anger soon replaced shock, and the room took the brunt. Rage faded into sadness, regret and the sharp knowledge of what would have happened to the child if they had been known. The gate would have been opened, another slaughter and enslavement...and he would have ridden proudly at the head as he had done when they stole the world they had settled. He made it to the door and pounded, his watcher answered.

"I...I...don't think I should be alone right now."

The watcher nodded. "... let's go for a walk..."

the corridors had never seemed so long.

Their walk ended in the grand hall, and the sound of a fiddle, playing something low and mournful. The table was empty, save for Regis discussing something with the healer. They both looked up as they came in. The need to talk must have been upon his face as they made room and let the music fill the silence until he was ready to speak.

It was a long night with much silence before he returned to his quarters to find it righted and a pot of sleep tea on a warmer by the hearth. A letter lay on the table next to the mug, waiting for him. He took a look at the letter, he could not read it yet. He poured himself some tea, already sweetened with honey he found. He sat, taking the letter to read.

The mug grew cold beside him as he read, a telling of a life. He finished and folded it neatly, setting aside for his mug. The knowledge came sharp again, the letter said he had a son. He knew he would have used the boy, and also have used the adult the boy became. The bitter prick of guilt touched his heart. What would he say to Ciri's surviving child, to his children? He did not blame his elder child for wanting to remain hidden. The knock startled both he and his watcher.

The being on the other side surprised them, Pen dressed in nightclothes. The watcher looked at her and nodded as he left to sit outside. She locked the door and came to sit in the chair opposite him.

"...Should Milady not be in her husband's chamber at this hour."

"He knows well where I am." She said, arranging a blanket around herself. "and I desire only your company and not your bed." She pulled up her legs to cover them with the blanket. "and your watcher is outside the door."

He rose and came to pick her up, bringing her back to sit in his lap, arranging the blanket between them.

"It is warmer here..." He said. "closer to the fire..."

There was a comfortable silence as she sat there leaning against him.

"...Tell me about her..." Pen said, a little while later.

"Of who?" He asked, he was dozing off.

"Lara..."

He held her a bit tighter against him, there was comfort in holding her. The "Story" would distract him from the woman in his lap.

"She was a princess, something I as a lowly Rider and apprentice could never have dreamed to be promised to..." He said. "I was drawn into the inner circle, there I developed a taste for the poison that plagues me still. Being promised did not mean we had to wait to be wed...I loved her when she ran off and fell in love with another...I loved her still."

"...You didn't know."

"No, I was off with the Riders...their chief navigator." He said. "...I returned to find she had fallen for a human mage...and forever out of the Aen Elle's reach. I believed in what my king wanted...until Ciri came. I thought I was looking at a Ghost." He sighed. "I will admit she angered me with some word, my hand went around her throat. I do not know what made me stop..."

He fell into silence, she let him. She wouldn't push him to tell her the story, that what was she was asking for, a "story".

"Tell me of your king." He said finally. "and why he would let you offer comfort to another male..."

"He is good and loving, knows I have no taste for pomp and polish." She said. "He knows there are lines neither of us will cross..." She stroked the arm that held her. "...and you belong..."

He had said many words, and with a few, she had taken a burden from his shoulders. He leaned in and kissed her, shifting her in his lap to face him. She broke the kiss, reaching up to touch his cheek. She shook her head.

"No," She said. "Crevan...not without your oath."

He laid his forehead against hers, breath trembling. His oath, of his blood and then he could give the one he wished to give of his body. Another kiss, hungrier than the previous one, he broke it this time.

"Tell me again..." He whispered. "Remind me..."

"No..." She said softly, but with conviction.

"Again, please..."

"No."

His hands shifted, pulling her closer so she lay against his chest.

"...I took her to the place of the end." He said. "Bedded her in front of a fire, promising her..."

He was talking of Ciri.

"...I did not know of the bond it would forge." He said. "or the fire it sparked..." He stroked her hair. "It was not until after the frost that she acknowledged me, called me her lover." He looked down at her. "...I was unworthy when she told me of our child."

He closed his eyes and just held her, she could feel him, reaching out. He let her go.

"Please, seek your own bed Milady...I fear I may cross a line that should not be crossed if you remain..."

She moved from his lap and leaned to kiss his temple. He let her slide from his hands, sighing with the kiss. Then she was gone, and his watcher was sitting in the chair opposite.