Chapter 4

The Tithe, The Elixir Vitale

(~*~Translated from French~*~)

(Over ten years ago; Louisiana 2:00am...)

" Remy LeBeau, Ah'm a'gonna beat you blind if you drunk!" Belle thought, as she quietly slipped out of bed. Her best friend had called her in the dead of night in a babbling hysteria. He sounded terrified to say the least, and naturally she set off to be by his side. Remy would have done the same for her. She was now faced with the potentially dangerous task of sneaking out of the house. She was careful to step on the parts of the floor that didn't squeak. She was also careful to close each door to make sure they only made the smallest of clicks when she closed them behind her. However, it did wake the nocturnal animal that was her older brother, Julien.

Julien heard the nearly inaudible sounds that his sister made as she spoke softly on her phone and her gentle footsteps were obvious to him as she walked past his door and he was impressed that she made almost no sound as she walked downstairs through the foyer and to the front door. Slowly and stealthily he made his way downstairs and through the foyer, he could make her out clearly in her white nightgown and honey-gold hair as she slipped into the darkness of the woods behind their home.

"Baby sister? Where could you be going so late?" Julien thought as he followed her outside. He could have called to her, he could have caught up with her and brought her back inside, but then he would never learn where she was sneaking off to. He knew her phone had rang, and she had spoken to someone, but he had no idea whom. He had a feeling he would soon find out as he made his way through the total darkness along the river bank. After all, she was a young girl walking alone in murky terrine and it was an older brother's job to look after a younger sister. He enjoyed so few things, one of them was protecting and watching his sister grow into a perfect young lady. He took great joy in her perfection, he felt that Belle was exactly what a woman should be: ladylike, obedient and, above all, pure.

Sadly, Julien was not well, his mind 'wasn't right', as his father stated. Marius Boudreaux would keep a very watchful eye on his son, he would never allow Julien to be alone with his sister. Marius accepted the fact that his son was sick and though he did not feel that Belle was in immediate danger of her brother; he had never been violent to her in the past, but he would never take the risk. He knew his son had a terribly disappointing habit of torturing animals from the time he was seven to around twelve. Julien had an explosive temper, once he hit puberty he got into fights every other day, they were bloody and unprovoked. Julien never expressed any sort of remorse, this disturbed Marius greatly. He knew he was not smart enough to cure his boy, so instead he experimented with his son's murderous nature. If perhaps he could manipulate his son's urges into the correct outlet it would not become a problem.

When Julien was thirteen Marius sent him after a young LeBeau girl. A niece of Jean-Luc LeBeau, leader of the Thieves Guild. Her name was Emily LeBeau and she was in love. It was the set up of a perfectly Shakespearean tragedy: Emily was fifteen and in love with Vervon Boudreaux, a high-ranking Assassin member, he was twenty-four and had no intention of running off with her as they planned. Instead, Vervon was instructed by Marius to call Emily, and told Vervon to lure the girl to the woods between their properties. Vervon did as he was told, and poor Emily rushed to be with him. Along the way to meet her lover, Julien stalked Emily like a wolf; from the time he watched her leave the family home to the time she reached the loud rushing waters of the great Mississippi River. Just before she could get a second foot into her little hidden boat, Julien snatched her. He would lose his virginity that night in several ways, it would be his first human kill, and he made a nearly unidentifiable mess of poor Emily. Then, as instructed by his father, Julien would leave her gutted and torn remains on the steps of the LeBeau's family home. Juilen had fought the urge to bring the corpse home with him, but he would always remember how beautifully she screamed. He would remember Emily LeBeau always.

He watched his young sister walk along the river, it was the very same spot where he had snatched the LeBeau girl. Closely, he stalked with his wolf-ish walk, only steps behind her, " Sister, sister, what type of game are you playing? Where would you go so late at night?" He said almost as though he were singing some childhood taunt. It would not be surprising if he were to consider his sister as his next victim, he would hate himself later for thinking such a thing. To him, she was perfect, and untouched and he wanted her to remain that way, which is why he followed her towards the part of the river where there were perfect pools for swimming.

"Remy!" Belle called out into the darkness. From the pitch blackness of the tree line, Julien saw the youngest LeBeau son. He looked upset and frantic. The sight of the boy nearly caused Julien to call out but he gritted his teeth and watched.

" What is she doing talking to that?!" He wondered. He was fully prepared to jump from his hiding space and tear the demon-eyed Thief son apart. He didn't care if it would have incited a war. However, it was obvious that their rendezvous wasn't romantic and the boy's frantic face and tormented hand gestures caught his attention.

~*~"Why did you pull me down here so late at night? What's wrong? You look awful!"~*~ Belle said, she looked him over, and he certainly didn't look drunk. She became seriously concerned when she went to touch him and he jerked way suddenly.

~*~ " It's m-my hands, Bell! It's what I told you over the phone! Something is really wrong with them!"~*~ Remy repeated his terrified words just as he had over the phone and he was making just about as much sense. And by the look on her face, she wanted to understand but he looked completely normal, for the exception of him looking half- insane and on the verge of screaming.

~*~"I don't know what you mean. They look fine."~*~ Belle said, with a puzzled look on her face, she was beyond concerned. She couldn't understand what was causing him so much distress. Remy knew his friend wanted to believe him but just saying that his hands were doing things was not a sufficient explanation, he had to show her.

~*~" Here! This is what I mean!" ~*~ Remy said as he picked up a rock that was close to his foot and held it out in front of him, and for a moment nothing happened. Belle raised an eyebrow at him.

~*~"Remy what are you talking about? Are you ill?"~*~ Belle was inches from scolding him about the dangers of drug use.

~*~ "No, wait! LOOK! LOOK! Its happening!" ~*~ Remy was hoping that an explanation would have been enough for his friend to believe him, he dreaded this demonstration. For a moment, Remy was grateful nothing happened. He prayed that, like most things, the moment he had told Belle about something incredible and went to show her that it just wouldn't happen. He much rather look insane to his best friend then potentially destroy everything he touched, but to his great disappointment...

~*~" What?" ~*~ Was all that Belle could whisper as, miraculously, the small stone began to glow. It began as the rock taking on a lighter and lighter color and then became a throbbing magenta light and then the light burned into an intensity that caused her to squint her eyes. The light burnt so brightly that it became a blaring white, she even heard it sizzle in his hands. If she had, had the mind to, she would have slapped it out of his hand for fear that it would have burned him. She then whispered, ~*~ "What-what is it?"~*~ Belle asked in utter amazement, she then reached for the stone in his hand and attempted to grab it to inspect it. Remy fearfully gripped it in a tight fist and threw the rock out into the water. ~*~ "Why did you do that?"~*~ Belle angrily demanded, that was a better explanation than what Remy had tried to put into words and now he had thrown it away.

~*~ "Watch. This is the worst part."~*~ Remy said grimly. The rock sank into the water and beneath the surface, it continued to grow more and more brightly until, ultimately, the water's surface erupted into a great spewing fountain, the water may have reached up about thirty feet into the air. It seemed as though he where fishing with dynamite.

~*~" What did you do!?"~*~ Belle was filled with even more questions than Remy at this point. She had no idea what she had just witnessed.

~*~"I didn't do anything! It's my hands! I told you they just do that now!"~*~ A new fear was now settling into Remy's bones, what if he hadn't been quicker than Belle? What if she had taken the stone from his hands? What would it have done? Would she have died? Or maybe just lost an arm? The whole idea was scaring him even more now. What if this didn't go away; what would he do?

~*~"I don't- I don't..." ~*~ Was all Belle could muster, she was speechless. Remy stood with his hands out to his sides, afraid of his own body; he didn't know how to begin to handle this.

~*~" What do I do? What is this?" ~*~ Remy had no one to turn to, he knew his brother would tell his father, and they would both think he was crazy. He couldn't help but feel if his father saw what was happening that he would be greatly disappointed in him. Belle was the smartest person he could tell that would believe him. He was on the brink of tears, and losing his mind. ~*~ "Maybe it will go away."~*~ Remy said out loud, to himself. He was trying to consol himself, he needed Belle to agree with him very badly.

~*~"Or...Maybe, this is just you."~*~ Belle concluded. Belle regained her composure and try to offer a more likely solution to her friend. There are more things in this world that were unexplained and unbelievable, than things that made perfect sense. The secrets that both of their familes kept was proof of that. She felt that this was by no means normal, but there was a great big world that neither of them had ever experienced and this had to be one of those things; the world was catching up to them in their little isolated universe. To her, that meant that it was time to make a change and to greet the world. It would seem that the world was reaching out for her friend Remy, and she would not allow herself to fall behind.

~*~" What are you talking about?"~*~ Remy asked. Belle's heart broke at the pain in Remy's eyes, she knew he was frightened and he longed for things to stay the way they were. She was a bit on the selfish side. She was eager to leave this place and make a life for herself, she couldn't help but feel that this was a sign that things needed to change. Perhaps if she could convince Remy that this was an opportunity to escape their assigned lives they could run away together. They could leave the bayou. They could leave their families behind and carve out a life for themselves, whether it be together or start together and go their separate ways.

~*~"Well, we have always known that your eyes were never like other people's. I always thought they were magic, maybe this is something having to do with that."~*~ Belle was convinced she was special, and she knew Remy was also. If she could convince him to leave home and run away with her they would a greater chance to make it on their own; away from their families.

~*~"Magic isn't real, Bell! People don't do this!"~*~ Remy was having a serious problem understanding how Belle was trying to be optimistic at a time like this. The word 'mutant' had not yet reached the mainstream world, and it certainly hadn't reached their neck of the woods. It would be two years before Remy knew what to call himself, and it would take about as much time for others to find far uglier things to called him.

~*~ "And Thieves and Assassins hate each other ! But we don't ... the fact that we became friends was magic. We were supposed to hate each other. We were supposed to kill each other but we didn't, and we had chances to... Remember?" She was right. They had come across each other when they were both very young and even then they knew that they were supposed to hate each other, but they just couldn't. At one point each one of them had tried to do what was expected of them, but the hatred just never took.

~*~ "So?"~*~ Remy was trying to keep his temper, this was possibly the most stressful day of his life and he wanted Belle to get to her point.

~*~" In this tiny little bayou I found you and you found me. Remember?"~*~ Belle saw this as an opportunity to finally make a break to begin the life that they both deserved. With her fearlessness and intelligence and Remy's ability to protect them, there wasn't anything they couldn't do together.

"Yeah. What you gettin' at girl?" Remy asked in exasperated English.

~*~ "We should leave! Let's go tonight! We'll pack our things and we'll leave!"~*~ Belle was almost over joyed to purpose her radical idea. Remy was blind to her desperation for freedom, which was understandable seeing as how blowing things up with his hands probably ranked among the top 3 for the most traumatic things that had ever happened to him.

~*~ "What are you talking about? We can't leave our families. I can't leave my father!"~*~ Remy differed from Belle in the sense that Remy accepted his life, and he never spoke to Belle about his family, and Belle did not speak about hers; it was an unspoken rule between them.

~*~ " But now is as good a time as any-"~*~ Bell tried to desperately plead her case. She never understood Remy and his father's relationship, because she was not as attached to her own father. She resented him for keeping her in near-isolation; she never went to a regular school, she had never been out of the state and she never had a friend that she wasn't related to; for the exception of Remy. One of the most appealing things about Remy was that his friendship was forbidden; Remy was her rebellion. It never occurred to Belle that Remy didn't feel the same way about their friendship. She loved her father but she never felt compelled to stand by him the way Remy did with his.

~*~ " No Bell. I can't. My father needs me and how do you expect me to do anything like this?" ~*~ He said, holding up his hands. Belle decided not to press the argument, she knew tonight must have been hard enough on him. Remy sank down and sat on the ground, he even nearly placed his face into his hands, but abruptly stopped himself. Belle knelt down to his eye level and offered a sympathetic smile to her distressed friend.

~*~" One of these days that sense of loyalty will hurt you, Remy. You gotta do what's right for you...do trust me?"~*~ Belle asked softly, she paid no mind to the wet grass soaking her knees and night gown. Belle could never predict how horribly her advice would backfire on her and she could never fathom the monumental change it would have on her friend.

~*~"Of course." ~*~ Remy said without hesitation, he trusted Belle as much as he did his father. He trusted her so completely that he did fight her when Belle reached for him and picked up his hand by the wrist and held it tightly ~*~"Bell? What the hell are you doing!?"~*~.

~*~" I'm trusting you too."~*~ Belle said with great confidence as she pulled his wrist and his hand near her face.

~*~"Belle?! I might-I might!"~*~ He nearly screamed and tried to pull away but she wouldn't let him.

~*~"Shhh...trust me. I trust you...you see?"~*~ Belle, in a marvelous display of nerves, cupped her face with his palm. She could feel him tremble and it hurt to see him so terrified, but to her great relief Remy was able to control his incredible gift. ~*~" You can do this. You can control this. Here."~*~ She picked up another rock and placed it into his hand. "~*~ Like everything in this world you gotta practice and focus. Make it glow this time, but don't allow it to explode."~*~

~*~"You're putting a lot of faith in me."~*~ Remy could recall a time when he was a very cautious and timid child; he was never spontaneous or fearless the way Belle was and he bitterly envied her. He would later attribute his spontaneous and reckless nature to, most definitely his father, but also to Belle.

~*~" Stop being afraid and focus on what you want. Fear isn't doing you any favors."~*~ Belle said firmly.

From the thick darkness of the tree line Julien watch from afar as the boy touched his sister's beautiful face and it enraged him beyond words. The fact that the Thief-filth would even come near his sister, let alone talk to her, was enough to grant the boy death. However, it was was clear that this was no young romance and once Julien witnessed the miraculous explosion he kept his hiding place a secret. He continued to watch, he had just seen the boy light some sort of explosive in his hand, and now it looked as thought he was lighting another, however it did not explode. He didn't understand what he was looking at, and he was totally confused when the LeBeau son lit another explosive and it gradually fizzled out in his palm, which, for some reason, overjoyed Belle. His sister was so overjoyed that she threw her arms around him, and appeared to be congratulating him. Julien was baffled. He decided he would not reveal himself, he wanted to know how well they knew each other and how long has this relationship been going on.

~*~ "What have these Thieves been hiding?"~*~ Julien thought. He wanted to understand what he saw; he wanted to scream when his sister hugged the boy. Still he remained in the shadows and like any good hunter, Julien knew when to attack and now was not the time. After he watched, and was thoroughly disgusted, they embraced again and said goodnight, he followed his sister back up the river bank; she was easily seen in her white silk nightgown and gold curls. He would run up ahead of her and meet her at the doorway.

~*~"Julien!" Wh-What are you doing up?"~*~ Belle Donna's heart turned into ice, it was beyond frightening that he remained unnoticed even though he was standing right next to her. Julien had a horrible habit of hiding among shadows. For a moment, Belle couldn't breathe if her brother had any inclination of where she had been he would waste no time in outing her friendship with the youngest LeBeau son. It would not be surprising if he had followed her, and it terrified her to think if her brother had witnessed Remy's newest gift. Assassins didn't need another reason to hate Thieves.

~*~" I would ask you the same question. Where have you been?"~*~ He asked, he was interested to see what excuse she would make.

~*~" I couldn't sleep. I needed to go for a walk."~*~ She said, her hands trembled. Julien removed a pack of cigarettes from his coat.

~*~" Are you cold? ~*~ Julien asked, as he slowly and steadily pulled a cigarette from its box and lit it. The seriousness of his tone and his movements were unsettling.

~*~"I must be."~*~ She said, his overly calm voice and stoic slow movements unnerved her terribly, she knew her brother had a very violent temper and was terrified of what he may have seen. His behavior was becoming increasingly unstable; he would go days without sleeping and all he would do was look out of his window and smoke. At night he would disappear and he had an unsettling habit of burning the clothes he had been in the night before. Belle never knew what to make of it, deep down she knew he was capable of unspeakable things but would never face it. ~*~" I should get back to bed and warm up."~*~ She attempted to hurry past him but he blocked the entrance way.

~*~" It's okay, sister."~*~ Julien approached her, he never looked her in the face as he put his arms around her and hug her. He rubbed her back and pressed her to him. Belle felt the tightening of his long, very muscular arms. He then held her tightly, then too tightly and began to hurt her.

~*~" Juilen? You're-yo-!"~*~ It was not the usual brotherly hug, Belle Donna refused to notice at first, she thought perhaps he was just warming her up, but as his hug refused to loosen, Belle could feel her rib-cage bend within her body. As a python coils and tightens around its prey, Juilen continued to restricted his sister's breathing. ~*~"C-can't breath!...Ju- Julien-! Brother!...JUL-"~*~ Belle squinted her eye's tightly and she pushed back with all her might, but Juilan was far, far stronger. He watched his sister's face change from a bright red to the lightest of blues, in a moment she would black out. In her face, he was searching for something. He was looking for an answer as to why she would betray her family and fraternize with the enemy; he continued to search as the veins in her forehead and neck began to grotesquely bulged; for a moment he thought about revealing to her that he had seen her with the LeBeau son, as delivered his punishment, instead, he released her. Belle stumbled back and dropped to her knees, as she took in gulps of air and painfully filled her lungs. He towered over her, as he took another draw from his cigarette, he had never dropped it as he nearly murdered her. Belle looked up at him, her eyes steamed tears as the color returned to her face, her ribs, back and chest ached painfully.

~*~" Good night, sister"~*~ Julien said stoically, in that hug he had decided to forgive her. She was not the problem, the demon-eyed LeBeau son had corrupted her and he would be dealt with severely. He watched his sister weeze and gasp for a moment before she pulled herself to her feet. She never took her eyes off of him, as she felt the wall behind her and clumsily back-stepped into the foyer and then promptly tripped at the foot of the stairs before climbing to her feet again and scurried up the stairs.

~*~"Oh, Dear sweet lord! HE KNOWS!"~*~ Belle screamed inside her head stairs, she would not sleep that night; and she was fully aware the Julien was watching her every move. She would lose sleep for years after that night, waiting for her brother to tell her father, or even worse, handle Remy on his own.

~*~" Its okay, sister. It's okay."~*~ Julien said to himself. He silently promised her that he would handle the Thief son personally. He would deliver the long drawn out torment with his own brand of perverted cruelty. Julien would surely cut the boy's strange eyes from his face as a souvenir, but not before he got the answers to all of his questions. Answers he wouldn't have until his sister's wedding day.

(New Orleans; Present day )

Remy stood on one of the highest rooftops to watched the early day drinkers starting their bar crawls or mapping out a plan for later that night. The scores of people below were wearing all sorts of college t-shirts and revealing clubbing clothing. Remy remembered a time where this was his favorite, and least favorite time of the year. Tourists tended to annoy the hell out of him, but all of the college students with their pockets full of drinking money tantalized him. He would never sleep on the street a day in his life during spring break. He would always find a way to make friends with all sorts of visitors, mostly pretty girls, and end up staying in their rooms using their showers and taking any remaining money he saw fit for his services as a local tour guild. He would make more money than he knew what to do with in one night then he normally did in one week on Spring Break.

He remembered how impressed his father was when he would come see him at the expensive hotel suites that Remy had paid for all on his own. He remembered that visits from his father became increasingly infrequent due to the quiet war his father was waging in order to remove Assassin Guild members; one-by-one, and business-by-business until there were only Thieves. His father promised Remy that all he had to do was keep his head down and soon enough he could come back to the family home and they would be in power. They would never want for anything, money or control. However, that was not what ended up happening. When the time came, and his father had assumed complete power and was now the controlling head among organized crime in New Orleans, Remy was in France. He told his father he would not be returning to the Thieves Guild or New Orleans. The only explanation he offered was that he had honed his craft and was making incredible money as a contract- cat burglar, stealing for the highest bidder. He had gotten his powers under control and was very happy traveling the world. That was also what he told himself, but in actuality it was the shattering guilt that kept him away. Crushing guilt, that he could not face what he had done to Belle and her family and the horrible shame of enjoying the lifestyle that Belle had wanted for herself. He was using Belle's advise and lost all loyalty to anyone but himself, and then came a time where he never thought of anyone but himself. His heart became cold and callus; he had taken Belle's words to head and heart until he didn't want to care anymore or bond with anyone else ever again. His relationships from that point out were contingent on what he could take from others, for the exception of his father, he would rarely care for the needs and wants of those around him. Until he met Rogue, without meaning to at all, she ruined everything. She had awoke that old piece of him that wanted to care about about something again. After his powers emerged the only people that would look after him were people he convinced to do so, but Rogue was different.

He was about to bitterly reminisce on the conversation he had with his father the day he told him that he wasn't coming home, until the slightest smell of smoke from a thick stogie cigar interrupted the air.

"Ah, hell." Remy said aloud. He dropped his head in annoyance. He knew Logan and the others would try to catch up to him, but he was hoping he could retrieve the Assassin Guild's floor plans from they're shady carpenter without the X-men hovering around him. No such luck.

" Thought you gave us the slip didn't you, Gumbo?" Logan said, he was impressed that Gambit identified him before he wanted him to. If he hadn't been so deep in thought Logan doubted have gotten much closer to him before being addressed. " For someone in all sorts of hot water you sure don't know how to sneak around." Logan practically scoffed, he was annoyed as well, all the running around they did for his sake had angered him and it didn't help that Gambit was very low on his list of favorite people.

" Ah'm fine. All o' you here?" Gambit responded dryly. He knew that if Logan was here than Scott was too, and he was positive Rogue was as well. The fact that Rogue was here, angered him more than anything else; the added stress of Rogue possibly witnessing the ugliest part of him was both humiliating and terrifying.

" Needed more than one of us ta take care of yer ass. What kind of mess have you gotten yourself into now?" Logan asked in the rough growling tone he normally spoke to him in. Gambit was far too distracted to be irritated by it he had a plan to put together in a very short amount of time.

"Ah told ya before, dis ain't any of yo' business! Ya' all need ta go back." Gambit attempted once more to send away Logan and the others, but he knew even as he said it, it was pointless to do so.

"You really think we're gonna turn around n' leave after that stunt you pulled at the hanger?" Logan would make sure that Gambit atoned for everything while he was with the X-Men. Responsibility was the first thing he needed to learn if he was going to be a member. Remy did not answer him, he continue to focus on the club across the street. He had been watching it from the rooftop like the stone gargoyle he stood next to. He was on the look out for Noly Elmsworth, the criminal carpenter, no doubt his target would be out and about among the droves of partying tourists. He had every intention of tracking him down and liberating the plans for the Assassin Guild's newest homestead from the front of Noly's shirt pocket. He needed to focus on his priorities, he had to retrieve his father and he could be easily overwhelmed by the fear of facing Belle's death or even more terrifying, her living, breathing life. The X-Men were an unwanted interference.

"So now that ya know ya can't shake us, what's the situation?" Logan wasn't in the mood to argue either, and Remy was far too involved with the matter at hand to argue with his new team-mates he finally lamented and grudgingly explained himself to Logan.

" Dey got m' father... again." Remy said solemnly.

"Your old man is developing a really annoying habit." Logan remarked, he knew the apple didn't fall far, but it was beyond obvious that the two were related, the way they got themselves in trouble was identical.

" It's different dis time. All de leads Ah had before went cold. N' Ah can't find any o' mah family, none o' mah people." Going to the old jazz bar that he had taken Rogue to was useless, it was no longer there. It seemed like a virus had completely taken out everyone. He couldn't even recognize the enemy anymore; He had been skulking around all day and he couldn't find a familiar Assassin/Ripper face. So either they had completely gone into hiding or they had completely filled their ranks with brand new members. Remy suspected it was a little of both, at least a few original Assassin members had to be in control, and were puppeteering this new Assassin/Ripper movement. He was positive of that, everything was too controlled, too organized, and too much like the old ways, original members had to be at work. Remy's anxiety ran high at the though of seeing an Assassin that would remember him. How could an Assassin forget the black-eyed mutant/Thief son that married into the family, then abruptly massacred nearly the entire clan? Remy was surprised everyday that he was alive. His father must have made good on his promise and exterminated the Assassin problem, until this recent and overpowering Assassin/Ripper take over. " Father had dis city in de palm o'his hand, up until a few months back. Til dis new group rose up."

"Rippers?" Logan asked.

"Yeah...Rogue told you?" Gambit asked.

"You kidnapped an underage kid, remember? Either she was going to tell me everything or I was going to track you down and you were." Logan still hadn't forgotten that little stunt, and he wasn't about to let Gambit forget either. He had no response to Logan, for the exception of a heavy sigh. "So we're up against these Rippers? Or whatever stupid thing they'er callin' themselves."

" Dat's just it. Long time feud been goin' on between mah family an' another group called Assassins fo' hundreds o'years. Mah father did some-some...t'ings, n'took over. He broke a'lot of old laws dat was set in place fo' both families." Remy explained. It was coming to light who Gambit was. Logan knew the man was a criminal, but he would have never thought the guy was part of an organized crime syndicate that was older then the U.S. government.

"So the old man pissed off a whole lot of folks, eh?" Logan had a little more knowledge of this type of culture than he would admit. He entered Canada around 1880, not too long after Canada was officially formed. Like most societies, it took a while for the people to fall into line and actually accept a new form of government. Up until then, the only laws that were recognized were common laws. Families would make up laws to live along side each other and violation almost always ended with a shot gun and, more often than not, long bitter family feuds. Gambit was speaking like a guy that was raised with very similar, very old ways.

"N'...n' he got rid of a whole lot o'em too..." Remy said with shame in his voice. To say it out loud was actually far more embarrassing then he thought it would be.

"But not all, and you figure some made it out alive. Right?" Logan could blatantly see the problem and the odds were stacked against him.

" Alive n'mad. N' dey formed dis 'Ripper' group, but dey Assassins, Ah'm sure. Now mah father's gone again an' it seems like it's just me against'em." Briefly Remy forgot he had a brother in this world, but he couldn't begin to know where to start looking for him.

"So, you're being set up?"

"Oh yeah. Felt Ah was bein' set up before, de first time dis happened but Ah t'ink de first time was just a trial run. Ah t'ink dey wanted ta see if Ah was still alive." No surprise to Gambit, that his father had lied to him. To say that rescuing his father with Rogue's help the first time was easy wasn't true but it wasn't as hard as he expected either. It was obvious now that asking his father anything about the matter was pointless, he would have denied the Assassin presence in the Rippers' work no matter what he saw.

"And now they know yer still breathin', and are lookin' to settle the score." Logan felt a surprising sympathy for Gambit, even though his choices were his own, he probably never had a chance to do the right thing growing up; raised by killers and prostitutes. It didn't excuse him, but Logan understood survival.

" Yeah..." Remy let out a heavy sigh. " N' now dey playin' fo' keeps. Dis time Ah don't know if m' father will survive dis one, Logan." Gambit said seriously and he never took his eyes off the building across the street. He needed to find Noly. Logan was almost shocked, he knew that everyone was someone's kid, but it was an easy thing to forget when you were talking to a man like Gambit. Logan usually saw him as shady, a selfish opportunist, and a untrustworthy criminal; he was usually too complicated for Logan to get a read from him, but now it was undeniably clear: He was a son that wanted to save his father. Logan wouldn't have thought twice to go up against an army for his old man.

" The first right move you made was accepting our help." Logan remarked, even though Remy hadn't officially asked for it, but he hadn't tried to run from him either and that was good enough for Logan. "They'll keep your father alive for now. They're waitin' fer you, they're not gonna kill their bate before they need to. What do you know so far, do you have a plan?"

"Startin' one. Heard from a reliable source dat a career contractor has got de plans to de newest Assassin's maison. Ah'm tryin' ta get ahold o' dem plans." It was mildly comforting that Logan could put together what was happening the moment Remy explained. Though he really hated the idea of the X-Men becoming involved he knew they would be useful.

"You got the plans, you got the layout and the best chance at seeing where your father's at." Logan appreciated the simplicity of it, before he heard the rest.

"Dat's it, but Ah got a problem. De man knows m'face n' de plans ain't inna office o'drawer, dey in his pocket." Remy said with his eyes still on the brick building across the street. This was not the type of mission Logan was used to, though not impossible, he needed to rework his strategy.

" So what after that?" Logan asked.

"So far that's all Ah got... from dere Ah don' know." Gambit said as he watched the bars and shops below open their doors to let in breeze, the old Cat Club would be opening soon for set up, the bar across the street from it would be opening sooner, Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar. That bar would be his next stop, it would be the perfect spot to wait and watch, they didn't use electricity and the candle-light was never bright enough, hiding would be easy.

" Fair enough. Where's this contractor?" Logan asked.

" Noly Elmsworth, find him at de Cat Club." Remy said pointing at the old building he had been watching, it was where the newbie Assassins/Rippers and the contractor would be tonight. With all the fresh bodies in town they would not be able to resist the first day of the Spring Break holiday. Noly had an apparent affinity for young beautiful women. Especially women that wanted to be shown a good time and that he would never have to see again. "Where are de others?"

"Scott wanted to make sure the group blended in." Logan said. Remy raised an eyebrow in mild confusion and wondered what that could have meant.

(Not too far away...)

"I look like that one Unabomber psycho guy from the 90's." Bobby said looking at himself in a long grey hoodie, sunglasses, shorts and gym shoes. They had made use of some emergency cash and Scott had made the wise decision of taking off his uniform and getting into civilian clothing. Scott would never admit that he took the advise of a prostitute, but she did make a very good point.

"What do you expect? We're going to be going in and out of bars, and you look extremely underage." Scott replied in his jeans and red/white flannel shirt with a white t-shirt underneath. He looked very normal, even with his visor, handsome and very college-type. He would blend in perfectly with the droves of visiting student and he almost always appeared older than what he actually was, which would help in this situation.

"Where's Logan?" Bobby asked, as he looked for a better pair of sunglasses, rather than the pair of aviators that Scott had chosen for him.

" He got a lead on Gambit and went off to take care of tracking him down himself while we did this." Scott replied.

"Why isn't he changing?" Bobby asked, envious. He thought it was unfair he had to look like something out of a police scetch and Logan could remain in his own clothes.

"Logan pretty much blends no matter where he is, so we're the ones that have to suit up. Come on, Rogue is waiting for us." Scott replied, the small store was the perfect place to get clothing that would help them better blend into the area. Students were everywhere, they were buzzing with excitement as they walked with drinks in hand and marveled at the surroundings of the massive party that was already beginning to crowd the streets. Scott and Bobby walked out to the sidewalk, and Scott searched the crowded walk for their teammate among the dozens of gorgeous college girls, until a particular stunner spoke up; he hadn't even recognized her.

" You took long enough." Rogue commented as she stepped into view of her other two teammates. She had chosen a nude-colored full body suit that blended perfectly with her skin tone and it allowed her to remain completely covered even though she had selected deep blue daisy duke shorts that showed off her long shapely legs. She had also picked a thin black plunging v-neck t-shirt with a burnout pattern of a rose and ivy design, which complimented her figure and flirtatiously exposed her supple cleavage through the flesh colored material of the body suit. She wore sunglasses and simple black gloves that went up to her wrists, she had also chose a pair of well-worn embossed cowboy boots; clearly channeling her southern roots she looked fantastic: tough, but sassy. She looked like the exponential sexy ass-kicker and was dressed for a good time, entirely appropriately for the atmosphere.

" Whoa...um are you- aren't you a little over exposed?" Scott cautioned as he almost inappropriately inspected her outfit. He was not used to seeing so much of her, not that it was unpleasant by any means, but the only way he could express his approval was by expressing parental-style disapproval.

"Scott." Rogue said firmly she knew how to dress herself and she knew that she was completely covered and if Scott tried saying another word about it he would regret it. The look on her face must have been obvious as Scott shut his mouth. Bobby, on the other hand, was impressed.

" Nice, Rogue! You look great, too bad we're not here to actually party!" Bobby said as he looked all around him at the laughing and celebrating crowd.

" Me too, but why are you dressed like the Unabomber?" Rogue asked. Bobby's face soured.

" Scott made me." Bobby bitterly replied, then turned to Scott. "See? Told you."

"Not my fault you can't grow a mustache. C'mon, I'm sure Logan would have caught up to Gambit by now." Scott said leading the way through the busy crowd. Everywhere people from all over the country connected with each other by making friends, enjoying casual sex, drinking, eating and dancing. One adult shop celebrated their annual Spring Break/Mardi Gras tradition by showering the crowds below with condoms; Bobby and Scott were caught in a sudden downpour of prophylactics. Bobby allowed dozens to collect in the basket he had made out of his sweatshirt. He looked at Scott and couldn't help but burst out into laughter as the top of Scott's head was pelted with dozens of individually wrapped, brightly colored condoms.

" Will you get going!" Scott said, as he grabbed Bobby by the shoulder, forcing him to drop all of his catch and pushed his young teammate through the crowd.

"Hey! Some of those were ribbed and/or flavored!" Bobby laughed and faked disappointment, as Scott, bright red, pushed him through the crowds of people. Rogue laughed herself to tears at the sight of Scott bombarded by a rainbow of safe sex and becoming so uncomfortable that he was almost furious. Rogue wiped away her laughing tears and followed them. Every other step men and women tried to stop her to offer her a drink.

"Come on sweetheart come party with us!" A group of well-meaning college students offered. She smiled graciously and thought for a moment that maybe Scott had a point about her outfit, but she couldn't allow herself to become distracted. It was very difficult not to become sidetracked with all the smiling faces or the music that filled the streets, which fueled the dancing and laughter all around her.

"What could be so bad, Remy?" Rogue thought, how could a place so happy and full of music and celebration harbor so much danger and violence? Despite knowing about the ugliness that the city hid, she couldn't help but be tempted by the beauty and excitement. In every way it was the same way she felt for Remy; despite the danger and risk she couldn't help but be drawn and intrigued by the hypnotic beauty and mystery; the same way a moth didn't care about the danger of being drawn to a flickering candle flame, she hoped to help Remy without being effected by what she could potentially uncover.

(~*~Translated from French~*~)

(Years ago; Louisiana, Boudreaux home...)

Belle Donna Boudreaux or was it Belle Donna LeBeau now? She wasn't sure. She looked around her, the flies had laid their eggs within the bodies of her family; the maggots would hatch soon and consume them, she had to hurry. Half of her white wedding dress was covered in dark crimson-brown blood, the blood of her Daddy, and her older brother Julien, uncles, cousins, everyone she had known in this world was laid around her with their throats slit. The smell of blood and decomposing flesh would bring the animals soon, sobbing like a child, she dragged each body to the sink hole at the edge of the family's property and said a prayer for each body. She was begging God to explain to them on her behalf.

"Dear, dear, dear God, tell 'em! Sweet Jesus, Holy Ghost tell 'em! Ah's sorry! Ah tried, dear Lord! Ah tried, Ah tried ta do peace! Ta do good! Where is you God? Where is everyone?" Belle said aloud growing more and deranged as the horrible reality of what her life was turning into began to dawn on her. With each relative she saw consumed by the sink hole she became delirious with grief. Her father and brother were last, but she wouldn't put them in the sink hole, she couldn't, if they were gone she would be completely alone. She dug both of them a single large grave about four feet deep, she wanted them to be together. She dug relentlessly, stopping only to swing the shovel at the crows that attempted to pick at the wet meat from her brother's neck, or from perching on her Daddy's chest. Belle cried so hard it caused a throbbing pain in her head, it was so severe that she vomited twice.

~*~"Bell, how could I ever leave you? You're my family."~*~

~*~"I feel the same, but there is so much life out there! For both of us, Remy."~*~

~*~" So you're really leaving some day? You would do that?"~*~

~*~" Yeah, but we'll always be family!"~*~

The Thieves were still nearby, she was sure of it, but she didn't care if they could see her; she had nothing to lose. She would have greatly welcomed a shot to the head or a knife to the throat if it meant not being alone. However, strangely, no one never came, she was left untouched. She couldn't help but feel that this was intentional. She could not locate any Thieves within the trees or even around the property. She was alone with only the bodies of her family.

Once she dragged the bodies of her father and brother into the grave she dug, she climbed out, ripping her dress; she struggled to get to her feet. For a moment she thought about lying own in the grave with them. She stared into the grave for a long while, she then removed her wedding dress and tossed it over the faces of her father, and brother. A family grave, the dress was her; she belonged in there with them. They were in the ground because of her and her stupid ideas. The blood had soaked through her dress and onto her white slip that was now clinging to her body, it was wet with sweat and blood, but she hardly noticed.

~*~"Well? Say something!"~*~

~*~"Bell...You look...strange."~*~

~*~" Remy! Ah should beat you. You're actually telling a bride she looks strange on her wedding day! I'm starting to think if I didn't marry you, no one would! "~*~

~*~" Not strange bad, I've never seen you this way."~*~

~*~" What way is that?"~*~

~*~" You know...pretty. Not used to that."~*~

~*~" Remy, you are so rude."~*~

~*~" Far as I can tell, this is your fault. I'm not suppose to see the bride before the wedding but you needed to see if I liked the dress."~*~

~*~" In all the time I've known you, you have never apologized. It wouldn't kill you to admit you were wrong once in a while."~*~

~*~" Why would I? You don't. But I do mean it. You look really pretty."~*~

She remained silent for a moment before she began shouting down into the grave. ~*~ " Daddy, why didn't you tell me no?! Why didn't you say it was a stupid idea?! You always fought me on everything, why not this!? You always taught me ta never trust a Thief! Why did you this time!?"~*~ She stopped screaming and began panting heavily. She knew exactly why her father took a risk and chose to trust the LeBeau's; it was her. She convinced her Father that it could work: An Assassin daughter marrying a Thief son. Joining the families would heal the wound, but she was wrong, she was very very wrong. Belle dropped down to her knees at the edge of the grave and continued to beg in desperation, this time in English, "Ah-Ah-...Ah's sorry Papa! Big brother forgive me!" Belle screamed herself hoarse," Don' leave me all alone! De family n' everyone dead! Dead o' dey jus' run off! Dey left me! Left me all alone! Dear, dear, dear God bring someone back fo' me! Bring Remy, he's s'pose ta love me..." Belle Donna begged, and sobbed as she began to gather the soil and rocks to put over the corpses of her brother and father. She began with her brother, his out stretched arms would be the first thing to be covered up by the dark earth. Once she had pulled enough soil over her brother's body, she deliriously began to gather arm fulls of black soil to cover her father next.

~*~" I'm so sorry Papa! I- I should have never been mad at you! You knew what was best I should have listened to you."~*~ This was it, she would be completely alone now. "Remy's gonna come, he gonna come fo' me," Belle held herself and tried to speaking comforting words to herself. " ...maybe inna month o' two, but he ain't gonna leave me, he loves me...he loves me." She weakly rambled as she threw more soil over her father's body. She was ashamed to say such a thing in front of her father's body, but Remy was alive and she didn't know anyone else in this world. Like her Father had done when he tucked her in at night, he would pull the blankets from her toes and playfully over her head. She would start to throw the soil over his feet first and work her way up until the soil fell over his face, that was covered with the smooth white satin of her wedding dress. "Papa...Papa, Ah's so sorry!" Belle whispered now, her throat was raw and she could no longer scream. An unexpected response rose up from the grave, a sudden gurgle from under the blood-covered skirt gave her the scare of her life.

"AH!" Belle screamed out loud at the sound, and fell back out of exhaustion and shock. She quickly scrambled to the edge of the grave and peered down into it. Panting heavily, she nearly fainted when she saw her father's hand raise up from the black soil and begin to stir. "D-daddy?...Daddy!" Belle hoarsely screamed for her father as she jumped down into the grave and pushed the soil off of him. "Oh please, God! Please sweet lord, give me my Daddy! Sweet Jesus, give him to me please!" Belle prayed and begged as she pulled away arm fulls of dirt and rock, until she reached her blood soaked wedding dress, she wasted no time pulling it from her father's face. It was true, her father was alive. "Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Lord! Daddy! Mah Daddy!" Belle sobbed with a relief she never thought she would feel again, as she pulled her father up and held him.

" B-Bell?" Marius looked up at his distraught girl's face. She was covered in dirt, and her irritated red eyes poured tears.

~*~" It's me! I'm here, Papa! I'll nurse you! I'll make you healthy! I will!"~*~ Belle promised. She would spend three hours of energy she didn't have to pull her father's broken body from the grave, and through the blood soaked courtyard and into the house. After cleaning her father up a bit and giving him water he was able to speak. Her father ordered her not to contact a soul, no one should know that he survived. ~*~" But Papa, not even a doctor?"~*~

~*~" No one! You learned your remedies and you are smart. We will ride out this storm together, daughter."~*~ Marius said reassuringly. This was the last mistake he would ever make with a LeBeau, or any Thief. "Jean-Luc, you bastard." Marius repeated over and over in his head. He had intentionally left his daughter alive after he massacred the Assassin's guild, he left her alive in order to punish Marius even after he thought he was dead; he was a monster. He had broken every law that had established from the beginning to keep the Guilds in order and he would pay dearly for it. Marius vowed that he would make Jean-Luc suffer and he would start with his children, the youngest son would pay first. The youngest LeBeau boy that he foolishly allowed to marry his daughter. Agreeing to a marriage to a Thief-son was a stupid risk, but how could he not see that the boy was a mutant? He was unnatural and the very thought of him touching his daughter was sickening. Marius wanted blood, but he needed to regain his health. He understood that his daughter was frightened, she had every reason to be, only moments before she had thought him dead and he had been in a grave, only to be awoken by his daughters anguished cries. The blood in his veins boiled.

"But Daddy you're really hurt!" She was right, Marius was seriously injured. Without some sort of treatment Marius would no doubt get worse, and possibly not survive the week, he was suffering from bleeding, broken bones, lacerations, a concussion and possibly much worse. He could think of only one alternative, he wasn't able to reach out to any sort of doctor or medical establishment for help and he was desperate. If he died, his girl would be all alone, and the Assassins would be lost and if he couldn't avoid death then he needed to make sure Belle would be safe and that the Assassins would again become a force to crush the Thieves for what they had done.

"You listen to yo' Father, baby-girl. We have ta stay quiet; we seeds right now. We stay quiet, need time ta grow strong... and ...we call on Candra. We have no choice." The name struck a new fear in Belle's weary heart. Candra was the personified essence of Guild laws. She was the ultimate power that enforced laws for both Thieves and Assassins. Candra was an immortal from so long ago that her origin had long since been forgotten.

"C-Candra?" Belle stammered, Candra was also the oldest and most protected secret of both Thieves and Assassins. Belle knew of the mysterious and powerful woman but never thought she would live to see her because she was born a daughter, only men were allowed audience with Candra, but with all the Assassins dead or just gone, she was the only available Assassins member that could speak to Candra on her father's behalf.

"You take de place of yo' Brother, God rest his soul." It terrified Marius to send his daughter and now only child, outside. He knew that the Thieves would no doubt be watching the property, but he had no choice. If he was going to survive his injuries, he needed Belle to reach out to Candra. Marius knew that Jean-Luc was no stupid man, he would have the roads and waterways leading to the Bordeaux house watched. Though it was too dangerous to reach civilization, the property behind the house would not be watched. The anchers of land behind the house were dangerous, it was a dead end surrounded by sink holes but it was the exact place Marius needed. Through the swamp there was a single treacherous path that lead to an ancient ceremonial ground that served as a ritualistic place for Thieves and Assassins to gather and present honorarium. Both Assassins and Thieves would come every hundred years to call on Candra, it would be more than ten years before she would manifest again for the ritualistic offering of the tithe, but Marius' life was at stake.

"Me?! B-but A-Ah'm girl!" Belle Donna mouth dropped open, she was terrified at the thought. Her initial reaction was to decline, but ultimately she would agree to her father's wishes; what else could she do? Her father was severely hurt and the only one capable of helping him would have been Candra.

" So's she! You was always de best choice, Daughter. Tradition made it yo' Brother's place, but...but he gone now. Assassins need you ...need a leader." Marius said, he almost had a smile on his face. He loved his son but it was no mystery that the boy was a sociopath, and though Marius felt sadness for the loss of his son, there also came relief. The current situation demanded a break from tradition, and Marius knew his Daughter was strong enough to meet the challenge.

Candra had made an ancient pact with the Thieves' and Assassins' Guilds, she provided them with offerings in exchange for monetary tributes. The Thieves' Guild received the elixir vitale, giving them greatly-extended lifespans. The Assassins' Guild received power from Candra; she had the ability to unlock the x-gene within the individual Assassins that carried it. This gave the appearance that some of them were blessed with powers and others were not worthy, but this was actually not the case. They weren't blessed, they simply carried the x-gene and the others that were not carriers of the gene simply 'received' nothing, it was all due to genetics and nothing more. Assassins thought that the gift of power was based on their loyalty to Candra's laws. The randomness of the dispersed gifts based on genetics lead the Assassins to believe that Candra was truly a goddess, the Thieves were less devout. The long life spells that the Thieves enjoyed did not grant them with long memories. Jean-Luc LeBeau was a man of nearly 95, however he looked no older than 35. His father, Remy's grandfather, had given him the elxir vitale to him when he was a boy. The incredible elixir allowed him to grown up and become older but noticed he had stopped aging shortly after his 40th birthday. It would happen to Remy as well, Jean-Luc had given his sons the same elixir vitale when they reached their 13th birthdays and became active Thief members. Remy accepted the elixir vitale on his birthday but Henri did not.

"YOU! You's alive Daddy! You the best leader!" Belle nearly began to sob again.

"Baby, after you see what happened, you a fool ta believe dat. You ain't alone, Ah'm here wit' you, Ah guide you, you lead. Make...make me proud." Marius became slower, his speech became delayed.

" Papa, what do Ah do?" Belle ask becoming concerned with how slow her father was speaking and how labored his breathing was becoming.

" Go on baby, upstairs in de...in de library inna... behind a panel -behind m' desk you gonna find a gold box-boxes ...grab two. Den you...you go ta yo' brother's room put on his robe...get ta de well drop the tithe...bring an empty bottle... call on Candra. Call her..." Marius was losing consciousness, his breathing became shallow and labored.

"Daddy?" Belle said aloud growing more and frightened as her father started to fade. Belle calling for him seemed to rouse him a bit and he continued to talk.

" Ah know you scared... explain to her what happened...She- She going to be mad, it be too soon ta bring her up. A-Apologize!... be polite...Hurry! Baby...hurry!" Marius said softly as he slipped into a coma.

" Daddy?" Belle began to panic when she couldn't wake him again. "Daddy! Oh no not again! Please not again! Daddy please, Ah don't know what ta do...Ah can't see Candra alone!" She was extremely frightened and for a moment she didn't know what to do. She felt for a pulse and after a few excruciating silent moments she felt that comforting heartbeat, she would agonize for a few moments trying to pray him awake, but he never did. After a while she would accept her fate, and become the good, dedicated daughter she was. " Hang on Daddy, please hang on! Ah love you!" She raced upstairs to the library and did exactly what her Father told her. She went in the study where her father said, and behind her father's desk was a false wall that gave out and inside were millions of neatly stacked piles of money along with several small gold boxes stacked on top of each other. She retrieved two of them as instructed, and hastily and ran to her brother's room. She hated the smell of her Brother's room, it always smelled like something was rotting, but she paid it no mind as she recovered Julien's old dark leather hooded robe that the Assassins would always wear to greet Candra. Thieves always wore their long leather coats. Belle remembered the birthday when Remy received his, he was so proud. Julien's robe was far too large on her. The cuffs fell past her fingertips by at least four inches and it dragged on the ground when she walked, she would have to lift it. It made the treacherous area behind her home all the more dangerous.

There was only one safe solid path that led to the ritualistic spot that wasn't surrounded by sinkholes, it was where the two guilds would meet and receive gifts from Candra. There was only one solid path to the meeting place and Remy had shown it to her. It was only right that she use the knowledge that Remy had taught her to save her father's life. This was his fault, to think about her 'husband' filled her will rage, and sadness. She repressed it, her father was more important. She carefully avoided the dangerous sinkholes and terrain until she reached the ancient spot where nothing went. Not even birds would perch in the trees because of how dense and dark the area was. Remy had guided her well, she had little, to no problem finding the ancient spot with its stone well that protruded from the ground. The old well was dry and rose up at least four feet. And even though she would never admit it to herself, a small part of her wished Remy was with her.

~*~" You not scared are you?"~*~

~*~"Of course I'm sacred! Don't you going acting like you're not, Remy!"~*~

~*~"And don't tell me your afraid of the big scary Boogie man! Come on, Bell! You know that it won't be around here for years! "~*~

~*~" Don't even think about saying her name! And you know she is a woman! Not an 'it'. Don't you believe in her? You're going to see her soon enough."~*~

~*~"She's probably real, but my father's beginning to say that she isn't even a God."~*~

~*~" Well my Daddy says the she is! You shouldn't even be talking about her like that. Not in this place! This is where she lives! "~*~

~*~"Bell, I'll tell you what: I'll see her when I'm grown up with the rest of the Thieves and I'll tell you if she all powerful, but she's not here now! She can't hear anything!"~*~

"Oh God, what do Ah do?" Belle repeated herself over and over again in her head, even though she knew what she needed to do. She approached the stone floor that surrounded the ancient stone well and placed the two tithe boxes on the rim. She called out Candra's name quietly almost squeaking it out, she cleared her throat and called it out again " C-Candra?..." Belle called-out audibly. She then became silent and waited to see if anything around her changed, nothing did, so she tried again, "Candra! The Assassins Guild needs you! C-CANDRA!" Belle's voice shuddered and she prayed that she would hear a response, but she also prayed that she wouldn't. She didn't know what to expect. She looked at the two gold tithe boxes glimmer in the moonlight and she was alone still. Again Belle called out "Candra! Candra, please! My Daddy-my Father Marius Boudreaux, he needs you! Please!...are you here?" Belle felt as though she were praying to God, but this was not God this was something far more terrifying. "Candra..." the last time she spoke the name she again squeaked it out and was barely audible. She then fell to her knees and was just about to cry when a light from the bottom of the well begin to glow. Belle immediately wanted to run she was terrified, the wind passing through the poplar trees made a hollow whistle that chilled her to her bones. She was exhausted but more than that, she was terrified of losing her father and that's what kept her in her place and a disembodied voice rang in her head.

" A Daughter? An Assassin Daughter?" The voice said. She had seen the robe and assumed it was the robe of an Assassin man, a female was almost a shock for Candra. For a time older women were allowed to speak were granted audience with Candra but usually it was strictly men and this was the first time a young daughter had ever directly spoken with her.

Belle nearly screamed, but could only mouth the name "Candra" and even though she made no sound and simply mouthed the name the voice actually responded.

"Why do you call me? It is far too early and you are a daughter. What has happened?" The voice was very difficult to read; it didn't sound caring but it did not sound upset either. It seemed like Candra was asking more out of curiosity. Belle did not take the time to analyze it and quickly plead her case.

" Thieves! Thieves did it to us! They killed us! We tried- we tried to follow the old laws!" Belle said, " We did as we were told, and Thieves betrayed us...they don't believe in you!" Belle didn't mean to reveal Remy's Family secret of unfaithfulness, that Remy had told her so long ago, but it was true; Jean-Luc did not believe in Candra's power. It had been far too long since he had been given any evidence she had all the power Assassins said she did, but Assassins knew better.

"What is your name, Assassin daughter?" The voice said with sudden intrigue, in the hundreds of years that Candra had been associated with the two families, being called upon before the appointed time had never happened before. The voice rang in Belle's head for a moment, she thought that she was hearing voices. Perhaps she was becoming delirious with grief and exhaustion, but the light continue to throb at the bottom of the well and that, she knew she wasn't imagining.

"Belle Donna Boudreaux." Belle squeaked out quietly and full of fear "I'm sorry," She said, " Ah did not want ta disturb you, but mah father's dyin'! Please help me! Ah bring de tithe-tithes! Ah brought two!" Now she understood why her Father had her bring two tithe boxes instead of one, double the payment. Hopefully she would agree to help them before the agreed upon time.

" Where are the other Assassins?" The voice was still difficult to read. Belle couldn't tell if the voice even cared or simply wanted to know. She sounded almost entertained by the drama of it all.

"Dead!" Belle shouted abruptly it was still sinking in that her entire family and everyone she knew was gone. " Dey dead! Ah buried dem..." She squeaked, " Ah buried dem in-inna sink hole! Dat's where Ah put 'em n'Ah buried mah...mah only Brother! Mah father is de only one who's clingin' ta life!" Belle said the words aloud, and again she felt the same boiling rage that her Father did before he slipped into his coma.

" Most are dead." Candra said matter-of-factually," ...some have just run off and will not return." she said, almost coldly. It sounded as though Candra were looking around, but never gave the indication that she was doing so. " And the Thieves Guild did it all, did they not?" Candra said, somehow knowing more and more as she spoke to the petite Assassin daughter.

"Yes..." Belle hoarsely whispered. The abandonment was as crushing as the betrayal, although she could understand her Assassin family, were completely blindsided by the ambush. Control had been teetering on the side of the Thieves Guild for nearly 15 years and the attempt to marriage the families came at a good time. Some Assassins thought now would be a good opportunity to try peace before there could be an all out war, but the Thieves only used it to their advantage and attacked; surviving Assassins would be too afraid to return.

" So, the Thieves had not only rejected the Assassin olive branch, they had set it on fire ...and extinguished it in blood." The voice echoed softly, if Belle hadn't known any better she would have sworn that Candra sounded as though she was smiling. The hatred that Belle had always rejected was finally wearing through and tearing open her heart. The acidic hatred began to consume the walls of her tolerance and burned her from the inside out.

~*~" They...They did!"~*~ Belle said in a whisper, Candra had put the ugliness of Belle's betrayal into words and the feeling was so painful it was nearly blinding. The intensity of her hatred was so strong and her need for revenge was so incredible that she was incapable of committing to one language.

"...And your Thief husband as well? He murdered the eldest Assassin son...your brother?" Candra sounded as though she were taunting her, and the mere implication of it forced Belle to confront her foolish mission of peace and its consequences.

"Yes!" Belle sobbed. Belle was convinced, more than ever, that Candra was a Goddess, how else would she know the details of what had happened that night? Her angry tears began to dry up and her eyes started to fill with unbridled fury, and she forgot her fear and began to yell at the voice with conviction.

" You are speaking the truth. The Thieves have greatly misjudged their power." Candra said " Your father will not die tonight, child. Is this all you ask of me? Simply to give your father back his life?" Candra's voice almost sounded as though she offering more, pushing the girl to ask for more. She did not have to push the girl much.

"No!" Retelling of the night events changed Belle she became furious and full of rage she was no longer scared, and in her rage she nearly forgot dying father. ~*~ " Justice!"~*~ Belle demanded ~*~" I want Justice for my family, my Brother! For me, and for all Assassins!"~*~ Belle demanded in French.

"Done." Candra said, " You will wait for me. I will not be returning to either guilds until the appropriate time."

~*~"But what do Ah do until then? What about my father!?" ~*~Belle boldly asked. Candra would not return in person to the Guilds for another decade. Belle didn't see how she would be able to wait that long. Thieves would continue to guard the property around the Boudreaux home for who knows how long, and they were landlocked. Belle fully recognized that she would be imprisoned until Candra would receive audience with both of the Guilds. She could have easily appeared in person to both Guilds whenever she wanted, but Candra felt no urgency; time made no difference to an immortal. Belle was in no position to argue; she would have to do her time.

"Daughter Assassin, you make your own revenge. I will give you what you need but it will be up to you to deliver your own Justice. Within the laws!" Candra demanded, she sounded both insulted and impressed by the girls will.

" But that won't be for years-!" Belle abruptly stopped herself she was already asking for a lot. If she could just have her Father alive and if Candra told the truth and could provide her with what she needed to take her revenge, then she would obey her Father's wishes. Together they would hide quietly and plot, and they would exact their revenge the correct way, within the old laws.

" Approach the well and take your gift, and from the well, take your fill of the elixir vitale and go to your father. We will meet again child and perhaps you will win your revenge." Candra voice echoed softly in Belle's ears. She would not simply crush the Thieves Guild as Belle wanted her to, she would have to work for her revenge and though the immortal would provide her with everything she needed to exact her revenge she was not interested in helping her any more than simply giving her the tools to do so.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Belle frantically scrambled for the bottle in her Brother's robe and she could barely believe her eyes when the light in the well rose up to the rim and with it a light green- colored swamp water, it was the elixir vitale. The elixir vitale met the rim but stopped before it could over flow; Belle approached the well and placed her hands on it, she wasn't prepared for the feeling of electricity she felt the moment she grasped the well rim. She could not scream or pull away, she dropped her bottle and tried to brace herself for what ever came next. She felt as though her entire body was being broken into fractions and forced back together; a force so sever that it slammed against her so strongly that she fell flat on her back. Unbelievably she had no problem getting up, she felt stronger, healthier; her mind became clear and her intentions became obvious. She no longer felt crippling sadness, only strength. She then quickly reached for the empty bottle and dipped it into the glowing green elixir vitale and the moment the bottle filled to the brim the light began to dim and the elixir vitale in the well began to lower, the light sank back further and further down until the well was dry and dark. The tithe boxes were gone, and she was once again alone in the dark.

From the moment she ran from the well to the time she got to her Father's side, Belle's mind was a blur. Everything seemed to move so much faster, she ran with an energy and swiftness she never thought she could achieve. Before she had spoken with Candra she had felt so weak, exhausted and on the brink of collapsing but since she accepted Candra's gift she felt stronger like she could stay up for days and tend to her father.

"Here Daddy..." Belle said as she put the bottle to her father's lips and raised his head so he could swallow the elixir vitale. She massaged his throat until she was sure that he had swallowed at least half the bottle. Her father's cheeks took on a light greenish hue for just a moment before his eyes slightly cracked open. It took a moment, but Marius recognized his daughter and managed to give her a small half-smile for his girl before closing his eyes again and fell into a deep sleep. Belle breathed an enormous sigh of relief, her father would be alright. She, herself, was stronger than she could have ever thought. She felt like she had the power in her hands and could easily crush the Thieves that betrayed her and her family.

Day after day she would bathe, feed and administer the care her father required as he slept through his recovery. Days stretched into weeks, then months and years. Even with the elixir vitale he still occasionally experienced comas during his recovery, the elixir vitale saved her father's life but it could do nothing to accelerate his ability to heal. The loneliness was excruciating. Every day she would train and learn how to fight. She trained herself from what she remembered growing up; her father had shown her brother and many of her cousins how to use a sword and how to use her body as a weapon. She was an especially apt pupil, Marius would be overwhelmingly proud of her. She would run to the edges of the property for signs of life every day. For the exception of the occasional gator or bird, nothing came across the yard. Some days her entrapment was so excruciating that she would make several attempts to leave her family home, and every time she broke and attempted to steal away to the city the ground in front of her would be shot full of strategic high powered bullets. After a while she would simply stop trying, she did not quite understand the powers that Candra had unlocked for her and even if she did she would have never left her father.

"They got us here daddy...Ah tried leaving again today. Got me nowhere, o'course! It's like Thieves hidden in de sky, itself!" Belle knelt down to her father and placed her head on his shoulder. "You're right, Daddy. You was always right, til Ah convinced you ta do t'ings mah way. Thieves ain't nothin' but monsters." Remy had never come back for her, she received no message or sign, he had abandoned her like everyone else, but Belle was in denial. She held onto hope so strongly that it was damaging, she became delusional, she wanted to believe that he was trying to save her but something was keeping him from her. In a form of complicated and desperate grief she misconstrued her anger and fear as an intense love for her 'husband', she was determined to reunite them.

Sorry guys I had a little snafu in the editing process and repeated some of my same material in different chapters sorry about the confusion!