Private Tales How I met your mother.

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

Gwen remembered verry little of the past few months.

In all honesty from what she could recall...It was probably for the best.

Pain..

Screams..

The voices..

By the abyss the..

She faded back out of consciousness.

By her bed Cleo sighed. Dutifully attending to anything her mistresses fit had upset.

A small room in the depths of the archives massive labyrinthian building. It had a Large bed, along with a small bedside table and two chairs, a small fountain incorporated into the wall along with a small planter of cave fauna took the place of windows and lit the room in a eerie moving light of blended blues and whites.

It had been the only place the demon had been since Amadeus brought her mistress' broken corpse through the door. Whatever he and Charity had done after Cleo had fled with Mrs.Altas...

The demon was glad she hadnt been there to see. what was not eviscerated, was burned. Despite this..

Amadeus had never shown even a crack of doubt. He could heal her.

It would just take careful magic and time.

He had barred Charity from entering the first week. Gwen was so fragile, and no child should see her mother like that...Her face...gods and demons below...Her beautiful mane of silver hair...It would break the child more than everything else already had...

Cleo was worried a second bloody fight would ensue during THAT argument.

She had again excused herself to Gwen's side. But even in the archives bowls...

They shook the walls.

Charity had eventually relented however. She began to visit the moment her father allowed. Gwen was still broken, and comatose, but she was a bit less...rough. She was clearly recovering by the day. Her hair and face had healed well and had regained their beauty even if the conditions she was in did rob them of their refinement and luster, but after what Cleo had witnessed..

She was reserving her relief until Gwen's eyes opened and she wasnt tearing into everything.

Aside from Charity, Cleo, and Amadeus.

No one entered past the archives entrance. And even that was business' of a grade Amadeus would himself, step to the front and handle, before returning.

This went on for months..

Until her eyes opened.

After a violent inhale, like a drowning woman plucked from the water seconds before taking her first lung full of water.

She swirling grey eyes snapped shut before her breathing relaxed and her eyes opened once more with a slow calm movement she was known for.

Cleo had shrank to her knees at the bedside. Taking her mistresses' hand "Cleo.." She would say with a small smile.. "What the f*** happened to me?" She asked with a sigh and another slow blink.

Cleo felt the archives open. Amadeus had only stepped out for a moment. he undoubtedly felt her presence and was returning. Charity would undoubtedly be right on his heels.

"You have endured much ma'am. Try not to think on things such as that too intensely for the time being.."

"Where is my daughter Cleo..Did I.." Gwen began. her calm starting to break as flashes passed through her now waking mind..She had hurt her hadnt she..She still remembered her daughters blood on her hands..

How it felt..

She needed her here.

To hold her.

To apologize..

Her sweet child..

How could she have..

Cleos hand took hers calming her for a monmet as the physical touch demanded her attention be drawn away from such intrusive thoughts. " Charity is fine. She will undoubtedly be right behind her father." Cleo assured her, which calmed the woman visibly. She was ok..Thank the abyss..

"Why..Why did I.." Gwen began as her thoughts broke through once again.

"Your eldest children.." Cleo said with a note of disdain her voice often gained when speaking of the sisters had only become permanent since the said sisters blunder in their mothers resurrection.

Amadeus had sentenced them himself. No one had witnessed the event. No sister out ranked them to have the authority, but no one had heard from them sense. That was a message in itself. Though many guessed at the horrors he had unleashed on them..

In the end only Amadeus knew the truth.

"They..." She began venom mixing into her words. before a door opening stopped her. Demonic instinct causing her to throw herself over her mistress protectively baring her teeth at the attacker. Only to pale and meekly resumed attending to her mistress.

Respectfully falling silent. Amadeus may be a different person from those centuries on earth.

But Cleo had known him millennia ago. When he ruled in the abyss. So though he demanded none of this respect... Cleos demonic instincts of self preservation treated him with the same respect one might treat a dragon always a misdeed away from razing a village to a black mark on the landscape. So while he demanded none of this behavior from others around him...

If they had known him then...

They would give it from fear alone.

"She is stirring master." She would say politely as Gwendolyn began to sit up. Waving away the protesting demons codling. "I can speak for myself Cleo." She said with a smirk at the demons flustered reaction. "I..I would never..I only meant.."

The smirk only deepened as she placed as hand on the demons shoulder to silence her. "I am only joking Cleo. I appreciate your attentiveness through this ordeal...Even if I am not sure exactly how long of an ordeal it was...Or what brought it about." Her eyes fell on Amadeus.

"Something I am hoping you can help change." She said with a smile. Her eyes met his once again. Charity was safe. He had kept her children at large safe. He had kept his word. And while still guarded..Gwens eyes held genuine appreciation for her mater that they had not held in decades. It was something she thought she woul not get a chance to do again.

Look into those beautifully crafted twin mirrors of lies, and tricks, and see the true beauty beneath it. It was something she had enjoyed doing all those decades ago.. "After accepting my gratitude for your aid in it." She said with a slight grunt of effort lifting her hand to offer it to him.

Her normally steady, hand slightly shaking hoping his would steady it quickly…

Only..

There was no hand.

The arm she raised to him halted at her elbow.

She blinked..

A moment ago she could have sworn she had even felt it there…

She took a deep breath.

Accepting this fact and processing it.

When her eyes opened again they looked to Amadeus for explanation once more.

Lowering her arm back to her side slowly.

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

Gwen remembered very little of the past few months. In all honesty from what she could recall...It was probably for the best.

Pain..

Screams..

The voices..

By the abyss the..

She faded back out of consciousness.

By her bed Cleo sighed. Dutifully attending to anything her mistresses fit had upset.

A small room in the depths of the archives massive labyrinthian building. It had a Large bed, along with a small bedside table and two chairs, a small fountain incorporated into the wall along with a small planter of cave fauna took the place of windows and lit the room in a eerie moving light of blended blues and whites.

It had been the only place the demon had been since Amadeus brought her mistress' broken corpse through the door. Whatever he and Charity had done after Cleo had fled with Mrs. Altas...

The demon was glad she hadn't been there to see. what was not eviscerated, was burned. Despite this..

Amadeus had never shown even a crack of doubt. He could heal her.

It would just take careful magic and time.

He had barred Charity from entering the first week. Gwen was so fragile, and no child should see her mother like that...Her face...gods and demons below...Her beautiful mane of silver hair...It would break the child more than everything else already had...

Cleo was worried a second bloody fight would ensue during THAT argument.

She had again excused herself to Gwen's side.

When Amadeus brought a maimed and unconscious Gwendolyn back to the archive he began her treatment immediately.
She was finally in a form where he could reach her, where he could help her and heal her.
As she laid on the bed in her half-dead state he sat by her side and channeled his power into her... Day and night he labored over her nearly constantly and it was by his order that none but Cleo were allowed to enter.
Even Charity. Or, more accurately, especially Charity.

Not only did he desire to spare her the sight of her mother like this... He couldn't bear for her, or any of their children, to see him in his state. His emotions were hovering between hope and grief, and the black tears that ran from his eyes stained his hands and dropped onto Gwen, seeping into her skin.
He was in the guise of Amadeus, the face that Gwendolyn earned the right to see only after pursuing him devotedly and unraveling his web of lies.

As he labored over her without Cleo present he spoke to Gwen in hushed tones, telling her things that he wished she could hear and wished he could tell her.

He reached into her mind, tracing her fractured psyche back to pandemonium where it laid scattered and tormented.
And one by one he gathered them and brought them back to her.
But each time he did she would sometimes awaken, and sometimes in a blind rage and he would have to fight to subdue her again.

But even in the archives bowls...

They shook the walls.

Amadeus kept her contained in the room, but their battles destroyed it several times over. He struggled, the injury he received from her made breathing difficult, but each time she fought less and less fiercely.

Outside the Cherry Rose operated normally, business as usual. Gilgamesh was as mysterious as ever, somehow in multiple places at once keeping the company afloat without the direct hand of Amadeus intervening.
The daughters were kept busy aiding the Cherry Rose with various jobs and duties and in general were kept completely out of the loop... It was like the Greywood branch of the family once again submerged beyond their knowledge as secrets once again arose around it.
Gilgamesh would appear regularly to them, but for those who knew of the cult that had adopted the face of Gilgamesh, it was almost like a change had come over the clones. The tiny telltale mistakes that the daughters might have caught before were no longer present in the enigmatic merchant doubles.

Charity had eventually relented however. She began to visit the moment her father allowed. Gwen was still broken, and comatose, but she was a bit less...rough. She was clearly recovering by the day. Her hair and face had healed well and had regained their beauty even if the conditions she was in did rob them of their refinement and luster, but after what Cleo had witnessed..

She was reserving her relief until Gwen's eyes opened and she wasn't tearing into everything.

Aside from Charity, Cleo, and Amadeus.

No one entered past the archives entrance. And even that was business' of a grade Amadeus would himself, step to the front and handle, before returning.

This went on for months..

The Archives were effectively quarantined. All questions went unanswered, all inquiries were turned away, all attempts to learn more were blocked or foiled.
All by the order of Amadeus Greywood.

For three months this information blackout permeated the Cherry Rose.
And Amadeus never left Gwendolyn's side once during this time except during the third month when her episodes ceased to become violent.
He then wasn't at her side constantly and allowed himself some small minutes to rest, and allowed Charity and Charity alone to sit by Gwen's side with Cleo once she no longer appeared wasted and mutilated, her beauty still dull due to lack of proper grooming but the damage to her had been undone... Save for the arm he took from her in their battle. It refused to be rejoined to her, much like his own leg and side refused to fully recover.

He was able to trust that Charity would be safe without his presence because in her current condition, Gwen was now significantly weaker than Cleo, and the demon alone would be enough to subdue her.

Until her eyes opened.

After a violent inhale, like a drowning woman plucked from the water seconds before taking her first lung full of water.

She swirling grey eyes snapped shut before her breathing relaxed and her eyes opened once more with a slow calm movement she was known for.

Cleo had shrank to her knees at the bedside. Taking her mistresses' hand "Cleo.." She would say with a small smile.. "What the f*** happened to me?" She asked with a sigh and another slow blink.

It was while Amadeus had left the archives for one of his brief respites that he felt her awaken fully.
The door had only just been locked behind him when his head whipped around and he staggered to the door, heedless of the pain that shot through his crippled leg as he rushed to unlock the door and jump inside!

Cleo felt the archives open. Amadeus had only stepped out for a moment. he undoubtedly felt her presence and was returning. Charity would undoubtedly be right on his heels.

"You have endured much ma'am. Try not to think on things such as that too intensely for the time being.."

"Where is my daughter Cleo..Did I.." Gwen began. her calm starting to break as flashes passed through her now waking mind..She had hurt her hadnt she..She still remembered her daughters blood on her hands..

How it felt..

She needed her here.

To hold her.

To apologize..

Her sweet child..

How could she have..

Cleos hand took hers calming her for a moment as the physical touch demanded her attention be drawn away from such intrusive thoughts. " Charity is fine. She will undoubtedly be right behind her father." Cleo assured her, which calmed the woman visibly. She was ok..Thank the abyss..

"Why..Why did I.." Gwen began as her thoughts broke through once again.

"Your eldest children.." Cleo said with a note of disdain her voice often gained when speaking of the sisters had only become permanent since the said sisters blunder in their mothers resurrection.

Amadeus had sentenced them himself. No one had witnessed the event. No sister out ranked them to have the authority, but no one had heard from them sense. That was a message in itself. Though many guessed at the horrors he had unleashed on them..

In the end only Amadeus knew the truth.

Part of the information blackout particularly pertained to the two eldest of their daughters. No information involving them was available for any who asked, and Amadeus didn't have any intentions of reversing this decision.

Their actions did ultimately bring Gwendolyn back, and for that their punishment was not fatal. But, unless they disobeyed his orders, no member of the Cherry Rose or Greywoods would ever hear from them again.

Amadeus ran to the room, he fell several times in the halls when his leg gave out under him, but he fought through the agony and forced himself to his feet again and ran.
The door almost exploded off it's hinges as he reached the room, out of breath and disheveled... And he saw her, awake and in her right mind.

"They..." She began venom mixing into her words. before a door opening stopped her. Demonic instinct causing her to throw herself over her mistress protectively baring her teeth at the attacker. Only to pale and meekly resumed attending to her mistress.

Respectfully falling silent. Amadeus may be a different person from those centuries on earth.

But Cleo had known him millennia ago. When he ruled in the abyss. So though he demanded none of this respect... Cleos demonic instincts of self preservation treated him with the same respect one might treat a dragon always a misdeed away from razing a village to a black mark on the landscape. So while he demanded none of this behavior from others around him...

If they had known him then...

They would give it from fear alone.

"She is stirring master." She would say politely as Gwendolyn began to sit up. Waving away the protesting demons codling. "I can speak for myself Cleo." She said with a smirk at the demons flustered reaction. "I..I would never..I only meant.."

The smirk only deepened as she placed as hand on the demons shoulder to silence her. "I am only joking Cleo. I appreciate your attentiveness through this ordeal...Even if I am not sure exactly how long of an ordeal it was...Or what brought it about." Her eyes fell on Amadeus.

"Something I am hoping you can help change." She said with a smile. Her eyes met his once again. Charity was safe. He had kept her children at large safe. He had kept his word. And while still guarded.. Gwen's eyes held genuine appreciation for her master that they had not held in decades. It was something she thought she would not get a chance to do again.

He stared at her, his expression one of disbelief! He thought for a moment that he had to be dreaming but... For the first time since the day he betrayed her, she smiled in his presence... A genuine sweet smile... In that moment, he knew that if he were to die now that he could find peace.

Look into those beautifully crafted twin mirrors of lies, and tricks, and see the true beauty beneath it. It was something she had enjoyed doing all those decades ago.. "After accepting my gratitude for your aid in it." She said with a slight grunt of effort lifting her hand to offer it to him.

Her normally steady, hand slightly shaking hoping his would steady it quickly.

Only..

There was no hand.

The arm she raised to him halted at her elbow.

She blinked..

A moment ago she could have sworn she had even felt it there…

She took a deep breath.

Accepting this fact and processing it.

When her eyes opened again they looked to Amadeus for explanation once more.

Lowering her arm back to her side slowly.

She reached out to him... But it was only then that she realized that her arm was gone and he watched the momentary shock wash over her.
He staggered forward quickly and fell to his knees at the side of her bed.

His eyes looked as if they couldn't decide if they were clear blue or inky black, and so they simply swirled with color as black tears threatened to fall once again.
He opened his mouth to speak but words refused to come out. He cleared his throat and tried again but with the same result.

What could he even say? That she'd nearly killed her daughters? That he cut off her arm in their battle?
He wanted to lie... Lies were safe, lies would spare Gwen from grief over what happened even if it wasn't her fault.
He opened his mouth again.
"You've been asleep for four months. When the third month began something else entered your body and took control. Our children and I fought it but... I am sorry... I made a mistake and took your arm in our battle."
Not entirely a lie, but not the whole truth. There was no reason for Gwen to know that it was a broken version of herself that tried to kill everyone. Better to alleviate any responsibility she might take on herself out of the gate.

He reached out to her tentatively... Afraid that even now she might shy away from him. But if she allowed it, he would put his black stained hand underneath what remained of her arm and hold it, as if he were holding her hand.
"Cleo will fill you in on everything once you're fully recovered. In the meantime, perhaps you are feeling well enough to eat something?"
He looked to Cleo for the first time since he entered the room.
"Bring her something light to start with."

The unspoken message in his eyes told Cleo in no uncertain terms that she wasn't to undo the lie he told Gwen. While it's true that she had no control over herself, it was better to blame it on a fictional third party than risk her taking any responsibility for her actions.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

"You've been asleep for four months. When the third month began something else entered your body and took control. Our children and I fought it but... I am sorry... I made a mistake and took your arm in our battle."

“I see..” She said slowly.. her memories that still survived had no detail that disrupted this story.

She chided herself for being suspicious.

They had made so much progress together before…

“How did I survive..” She asked. Almost to herself. “I do not feel right Amadeus..” She said slowly.

Things began to settle.

The weight of reality sinking neatly into her shoulders.

Her body and mind still felt somewhat separate.

Like two halves of a bone mending in a cast felt when the cast was finally removed. But this was different. It felt wrong.

“Like I should not be here at all..” She said finally.

“Like a ghost..I..I..” She began to break up slightly.

He reached out to her tentatively... Afraid that even now she might shy away from him. But if she allowed it, he would put his black stained hand underneath what remained of her arm and hold it, as if he were holding her hand.
"Cleo will fill you in on everything once you're fully recovered. In the meantime, perhaps you are feeling well enough to eat something?"

His touch was in noticed at first, but after a small pause it was accepted. It calmed her rambling as it seemed to ground her.

His words calmed her further as she seemed to settle back into her bed with a grateful nod.

Perhaps food, and drink would help shake this disconnect she was feeling…

He looked to Cleo for the first time since he entered the room.
"Bring her something light to start with."

The unspoken message in his eyes told Cleo in no uncertain terms that she wasn't to undo the lie he told Gwen. While it's true that she had no control over herself, it was better to blame it on a fictional third party than risk her taking any responsibility for her actions.

Cleo straightened as Amadeus addressed her directly.

He had never needed words to speak. But some messages could be conveyed without telepathy either.

She gave a slow measured nod with a frown of disapproval.

His unrelenting gaze boring into her just long enough to wither it away to its usual obedient neutrality before allowing her freedom from it.

She took her leave to prepare the food.

Gwen watched her leave. “Where are my daughters Amadeus..When can I see them?” She asked finally placing her hand over his own where it rested on her wound.

Her eyes began to hold worry again. She would always worry about them.

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

“I see..” She said slowly.. her memories that still survived had no detail that disrupted this story.

She chided herself for being suspicious.

They had made so much progress together before…

“How did I survive..” She asked. Almost to herself. “I do not feel right Amadeus..” She said slowly.

Things began to settle.

The weight of reality sinking neatly into her shoulders.

Her body and mind still felt somewhat separate.

Like two halves of a bone mending in a cast felt when the cast was finally removed. But this was different. It felt wrong.

“Like I should not be here at all..” She said finally.

“Like a ghost..I..I..” She began to break up slightly.

"Shush..." He interjected before she could wander too far down that path.
"I will explain everything later. For now just rest."

His touch was in noticed at first, but after a small pause it was accepted. It calmed her rambling as it seemed to ground her.

His words calmed her further as she seemed to settle back into her bed with a grateful nod.

Perhaps food, and drink would help shake this disconnect she was feeling…

Cleo straightened as Amadeus addressed her directly.

He had never needed words to speak. But some messages could be conveyed without telepathy either.

She gave a slow measured nod with a frown of disapproval.

His unrelenting gaze boring into her just long enough to wither it away to its usual obedient neutrality before allowing her freedom from it.

She took her leave to prepare the food.

Gwen watched her leave. “Where are my daughters Amadeus..When can I see them?” She asked finally placing her hand over his own where it rested on her wound.

Her eyes began to hold worry again. She would always worry about them.

That was... Unexpectedly almost too much for him. Her willing touch on his hand... He didn't realize how much he missed it.
He wanted to kiss it, but for now he had to tell another lie for his own sake until he knew if her heart towards him had truly shifted.
The lie of apathy...
"Our daughters are safe. I have given them tasks to keep them from idleness and in order to better keep a close eye on all of them. Thus far I have spared them from seeing you like this. I have ordered an information blackout, they do not know what happened to you or even that you are alive... Save for Charity."

And Faustian and Heticate. They both knew, he made sure they knew that their actions ultimately succeeded in bringing Gwendolyn back, so that they knew for that reason he would not kill them or have them killed.
But it in no way lessened their sentence, and his judgement of their fate was final and brokered no disobedience.

"I imagine quite a few of our daughters felt your awakening, though only Charity knows where to find you at the moment, she should be wrapping up what she's doing and heading here now. I think you would be quite interested to learn what she's been up to, but I think she'd much prefer to tell you herself."

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"Daddy! Daddy!" Charity shouted as she burst through the doorway, nearly colliding with an exiting Cleo. "Is mother really-" Charity gasped in amazement as she spied Gwendolyn sitting up in bed. "MOTHER!" The force of her hug nearly knocked the poor woman flat on her back. "Mother! Mother! I was so worried you would never wake up!" Charity bawled for a long while, burying her face into Gwen's shoulder and hugging her tightly.

The Charity that appeared before Gwendolyn would be much different from the Charity she remembered. Gone was her bright blonde hair, replaced with a demonic red. It was no longer roughly cut and messy, instead being properly maintained and grown out to chin length.

She had also filled out a bit. Between staying home to care for Lucy, cooking meals, and cleaning, Charity had much less time to run around the city. Thanks to that she had put on some weight and was no longer the thin girl she had once been.

Lastly, Gwendolyn might also notice that Charity had abandoned her more manly attire, opting for a simple dress and more comfortable women's clothing.

"Mother! You've missed so much!" Charity exclaimed loudly in excitement as she dried her tears. "Where do I even start?! Oh! Oh! I know! I met a wonderful, beautiful woman a few years ago named Dianna! She's a knight, Mother! A KNIGHT! And so strong, that she almost beat ME in a fight! Anyway! You would love her! Dianna's very supportive, and sweet, and kind! She takes very good care of me too! I love her so much! Can't wait for you to meet her!"

"AND we got engaged during the winter festival last year! See? See?!" Charity held out her hand to gleefully show Gwen her ring made of intricately braided blue crystal. "Daddy wasn't too happy about it though. He doesn't really like Dianna... Says she's slowing me down in our search for Angelica... " Charity frowned, but only for a moment. "Still! He did promise that he would do everything in this power to make sure we could have the perfect day!"

"Daddy gave me my own small group of sisters to work with!" Charity said swiftly changing subjects. "We work around the harbor! Stealing cargo, pirating, guarding shipments, offering "protection", and pretty much anything else we can get our hands in! I can amass SO much more loot that way compared to just stealing!" Charity grinned mischievously. "Dianna disapproves of my career choice, but she turns a blind eye as long as I don't talk about it at home." Charity smiled warmly. Dianna's law abiding nature had been a sticking point in the beginning, but now they had come to a compromise.

"Daddy also tasked us with locating Angelica... But we haven't had much luck. We're not nearly as good at the intelligence and information gathering side of things as you are." She scowled, hating to admit to her failures, though it quickly broke as a new happy thought entered her mind.

"OH! OH! Elli had her baby not too long after you..." Charity paused uncertainly. "Well anyway!" she continued. "She gave birth to an adorable baby girl named Lucinda! But I just call her Lulu! She's got Elli's cute face! And her shadows..." Charity grumbled. "But! Dianna and I love her very much! I'll make sure to bring her over soon so you can meet her!"

"Lulu's super smart too! Just the other day she-" Charity's words ground to a halt as she realized she had been rambling on. Gwen had just awoken. There would plenty of time to tell her everything. "Sorry Mother.... I'm just so happy to have you back! I guess I got carried away..." Charity hugged her mother once again, and sat back still holding onto her hand.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

Gwendolyn blinked. Opening her mouth to greet her blur of a daughter. Charity slammed into her with a bit more force than the woman could handle in her state.

She let out a small grunt, but returned the hug with just as much force. “Charity..” She whispered. Her tone had a deep love and relief at seeing her here and well.

“I..My daughter. My sweet moon rose. I missed you..” She whispered pulling her daughter closer. Her hands running through her hair as she used to. Pressing her face into the space between her neck/shoulder. Tears welled in her eyes for a moment. Tears of relief.

But soon she released her. And the flood gates opened… This was a lot of information even for the intellect of the woman. She glanced at Gilgamesh. Her hand sliding away. He had said weeks…What Charity was telling her..These things took years.

Years.

She slowly looked at her arm. Charity’s words fading into background noise. Snaps of memory flashed through her brain. Jagged edges of images carving her brain as she stared at her wound.

Pain.

An angel. Darkness. Monsters. Hopelessness..Screams..Blood. Sweat began to bead on her forehead. Her grip on the bed sheets tightened slowly. Bunching up the soft fabric. Her jaw tightened. Her eyes never left her wound. The noises got louder. The memories more real. The-

"Lulu's super smart too! Just the other day she-" Charity's words ground to a halt as she realized she had been rambling on. Gwen had just awoken. There would plenty of time to tell her everything. "Sorry Mother.... I'm just so happy to have you back! I guess I got carried away..." Charity hugged her mother once again, and sat back still holding onto her hand.

Her world snapped back into reality. Her tightening hand was taken by Charity. She had hugged her again.

Cleo had returned with a tray of food. A few of her favorite fruits and foods, with a goblet of fresh water along with a pitcher of more.

Gwen took the tray appreciatively giving Cleo a nod before taking a drink of water. “I..I see you have been busy..” She said with a nervous laugh.

“I shall need to meet this knight you hold in such high regard..” She said. Finally moving her hand from charity’s grasp and ruffled her hair, styling it out of her eyes, before sliding down to her daughters cheek. Gwen smiled genuinely.

Her thumb rubbing her cheekbone. Like she couldn’t believe that she could touch her again, speak to her again.

“But for now..” She said slowly addressing the room at large. “I would like to know what happened to me..” She said. Her voice wavering at the end before she reigned it in.

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

"Daddy! Daddy!" Charity shouted as she burst through the doorway, nearly colliding with an exiting Cleo. "Is mother really-" Charity gasped in amazement as she spied Gwendolyn sitting up in bed. "MOTHER!" The force of her hug nearly knocked the poor woman flat on her back. "Mother! Mother! I was so worried you would never wake up!" Charity bawled for a long while, burying her face into Gwen's shoulder and hugging her tightly.

The Charity that appeared before Gwendolyn would be much different from the Charity she remembered. Gone was her bright blonde hair, replaced with a demonic red. It was no longer roughly cut and messy, instead being properly maintained and grown out to chin length.

She had also filled out a bit. Between staying home to care for Lucy, cooking meals, and cleaning, Charity had much less time to run around the city. Thanks to that she had put on some weight and was no longer the thin girl she had once been.

Lastly, Gwendolyn might also notice that Charity had abandoned her more manly attire, opting for a simple dress and more comfortable women's clothing.

As if on que. That girl had a sixth sense for timing as she flew like a bullet through the door and to her mother the instant she saw that she was upright and awake... And in her right mind.

Gilgamesh barely shifted out of the way in time to avoid being pushed over by Charity's exuberant and tearful embrace.
He was still watchful of Gwendolyn for any homicidal twitches, but he allowed himself a small secret smile at the reunion.

"Mother! You've missed so much!" Charity exclaimed loudly in excitement as she dried her tears. "Where do I even start?! Oh! Oh! I know! I met a wonderful, beautiful woman a few years ago named Dianna! She's a knight, Mother! A KNIGHT! And so strong, that she almost beat ME in a fight! Anyway! You would love her! Dianna's very supportive, and sweet, and kind! She takes very good care of me too! I love her so much! Can't wait for you to meet her!"

"AND we got engaged during the winter festival last year! See? See?!" Charity held out her hand to gleefully show Gwen her ring made of intricately braided blue crystal. "Daddy wasn't too happy about it though. He doesn't really like Dianna... Says she's slowing me down in our search for Angelica... " Charity frowned, but only for a moment. "Still! He did promise that he would do everything in this power to make sure we could have the perfect day!"

A promise he made under extreme duress, and not one he made without expecting anything in return. As her father there were certain expectations of him in the public eye that he would fulfill, so the wedding would be on his dime.
But he wasn't happy with it, and he wasn't happy with Charity and the woman called Dianna Calcutte. That woman was changing her, "corrupting" her.

Happiness was well and good, and Charity deserved some. But for all of her obedience she was no longer loyal to him because of that woman and her pure hearted notions. Charity obeyed his orders and carried them out well, but his word was becoming secondary in her life.
If Dianna didn't know already she was at least suspicious of him and the work he has Charity do, she was sharp but their only saving grace at this point might be her willful ignorance. For all the dangers of love that he was all too familiar with, perhaps the blindness it caused was working to their advantage for once.

Gilgamesh inwardly cringed as Charity blurted out the timeline when she met Dianna.
He had purposely not told her how long it's been, how long she'd been dead and how long he'd been treating her. She'd just returned to her right mind and been through an ordeal, it would have been better to deal with those things slowly and not all at once... She lost an arm to him after all.

"Daddy gave me my own small group of sisters to work with!" Charity said swiftly changing subjects. "We work around the harbor! Stealing cargo, pirating, guarding shipments, offering "protection", and pretty much anything else we can get our hands in! I can amass SO much more loot that way compared to just stealing!" Charity grinned mischievously. "Dianna disapproves of my career choice, but she turns a blind eye as long as I don't talk about it at home." Charity smiled warmly. Dianna's law abiding nature had been a sticking point in the beginning, but now they had come to a compromise.

"Daddy also tasked us with locating Angelica... But we haven't had much luck. We're not nearly as good at the intelligence and information gathering side of things as you are." She scowled, hating to admit to her failures, though it quickly broke as a new happy thought entered her mind.

Perhaps the source of his true displeasure.
What Charity failed to share is that the reason the hunt for Angelica had come to a standstill is because she was completely and utterly distracted by her willful and stubborn attraction to Dianna. Charity refused to expand her search beyond Alliria for fear that if she leaves Dianna might turn up dead or worse, not an unfounded fear and probably the most insightful decision she's made since taking on more responsibilities... Frustratingly so.

It was no secret in the Greywood's that he was displeased with the relationship, and some of the other daughters would most certainly have moved to kill or seduce Dianna if Charity were not there as a deterrent.
Gilgamesh would have done it himself but the fact is that his love for Charity held him back, he's the only one besides the exiled Greywoods who could overpower her, but he was also the only one who couldn't endure her righteous resentment that would follow.

Gilgamesh has been forced to continue the investigation himself, until this incident with Gwendolyn.

"OH! OH! Elli had her baby not too long after you..." Charity paused uncertainly. "Well anyway!" she continued. "She gave birth to an adorable baby girl named Lucinda! But I just call her Lulu! She's got Elli's cute face! And her shadows..." Charity grumbled. "But! Dianna and I love her very much! I'll make sure to bring her over soon so you can meet her!"

"Lulu's super smart too! Just the other day she-" Charity's words ground to a halt as she realized she had been rambling on. Gwen had just awoken. There would plenty of time to tell her everything. "Sorry Mother.... I'm just so happy to have you back! I guess I got carried away..." Charity hugged her mother once again, and sat back still holding onto her hand.

Gwendolyn blinked. Opening her mouth to greet her blur of a daughter. Charity slammed into her with a bit more force than the woman could handle in her state.

She let out a small grunt, but returned the hug with just as much force. “Charity..” She whispered. Her tone had a deep love and relief at seeing her here and well.

“I..My daughter. My sweet moon rose. I missed you..” She whispered pulling her daughter closer. Her hands running through her hair as she used to. Pressing her face into the space between her neck/shoulder. Tears welled in her eyes for a moment. Tears of relief.

But soon she released her. And the flood gates opened… This was a lot of information even for the intellect of the woman. She glanced at Gilgamesh. Her hand sliding away. He had said weeks…What Charity was telling her..These things took years.

Years.

She slowly looked at her arm. Charity’s words fading into background noise. Snaps of memory flashed through her brain. Jagged edges of images carving her brain as she stared at her wound.

Pain.

An angel. Darkness. Monsters. Hopelessness..Screams..Blood. Sweat began to bead on her forehead. Her grip on the bed sheets tightened slowly. Bunching up the soft fabric. Her jaw tightened. Her eyes never left her wound. The noises got louder. The memories more real. The-

He watched Gwendolyn's reaction as she latched onto the key word, "years". And as fragments of memory flooded into her mind he was on the alert, if anything could trigger a violent episode it would be the sudden onset of her memories.

He prepared to move quickly, to throw Charity back and restrain Gwendolyn if she got that feral look in her eyes for even the briefest moment.

Her world snapped back into reality. Her tightening hand was taken by Charity. She had hugged her again.

Cleo had returned with a tray of food. A few of her favorite fruits and foods, with a goblet of fresh water along with a pitcher of more.

He relaxed a little when Charity's touch seemed to snap her back to reality and the room they were in.
He stopped gripping his cane so fiercely and soothed his taught muscles.

He still watched her for signs of injury or fatigue, but after taking the mental strain of her memories without snapping he wasn't concerned that she would lose control.

Gwen took the tray appreciatively giving Cleo a nod before taking a drink of water. “I..I see you have been busy..” She said with a nervous laugh.

“I shall need to meet this knight you hold in such high regard..” She said. Finally moving her hand from charity’s grasp and ruffled her hair, styling it out of her eyes, before sliding down to her daughters cheek. Gwen smiled genuinely.

Her thumb rubbing her cheekbone. Like she couldn’t believe that she could touch her again, speak to her again.

“But for now..” She said slowly addressing the room at large. “I would like to know what happened to me..” She said. Her voice wavering at the end before she reigned it in.

The waver in her voice indicated to Gilgamesh that she was feeling drained by the excitement and stress, so he stepped forward and put a hand on Charity's shoulder.
"Not now. As I said, Cleo will explain everything once you've fully recovered. Rest for now, and eat. It would not be wise to overwhelm you with events when you've yet to regain your strength."

Leaving her care to Cleo was a job he could always trust with the demon, the creature had been her constant companion since she was summoned. Cleo would know when she was ready to be told everything, and Cleo knew how to give that report calmly and efficiently.

He wanted to go to her side again and hold her once more... But a fear sprung up unbidden in his heart... Was the way she looked at him a fluke? When she reached out to him with her missing hand was it an empty gesture? Doubts crept into his mind.
Before they had worked together to confront Angelica, and even during that incident, they were at each other's throats. Gwendolyn's loyalty laid with her family, with their children, ever since he betrayed her.

What was different now? Had she finally pulled a deception on him? He visibly ached to go to her, to put his hands on her and know her once again... But the conflict in his heart and mind convinced him not to.
Other mortal creatures dealt in truths, he dealt in falsehoods. If her heart had turned back to him at last, he will know it in due time.
For now he hid his heart in a pleasant mask that was simply glad that she was back and alright.
"Come, Charity. We should let your mother rest..."

His order wasn't delivered very convincingly and sounded more like a request.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Gwen took the tray appreciatively giving Cleo a nod before taking a drink of water. “I..I see you have been busy..” She said with a nervous laugh.

“I shall need to meet this knight you hold in such high regard..” She said. Finally moving her hand from charity’s grasp and ruffled her hair, styling it out of her eyes, before sliding down to her daughters cheek. Gwen smiled genuinely.

Her thumb rubbing her cheekbone. Like she couldn’t believe that she could touch her again, speak to her again.

“But for now..” She said slowly addressing the room at large. “I would like to know what happened to me..” She said. Her voice wavering at the end before she reigned it in.

"I have! I have!" Charity agreed readily. "Very busy!" She nuzzled against Gwen's hand, reveling in her mother's affections. Just the warmth and love the touch conveyed was almost enough to bring Charity back to tears. "Yes! I will bring Dianna to meet you as soon as I can!" Charity smiled warmly. Gwendolyn and Dianna were such caring and loving and kind women that she was sure they would get along just fine.

As for what had happened to Gwendolyn though, telling her was going to be on Amadeus. Charity couldn't recall much of the fight with her mother. There were hazy memories of laying in a pool of blood with her chest ripped open and too many broken bones to count, but that was it. But thanks to the combined efforts of her father and Lydia, everything was back to the way it was originally, except for a faint pink scar running downwards from her collarbone.

"Come, Charity. We should let your mother rest..."

His order wasn't delivered very convincingly and sounded more like a request.

"Aww... But Daaaddy..." Charity whined, stubbornly holding on to Gwen. "I haven't been able to speak with Mother in soooo long! There's still so much more that I want to tell her!" Happenings in the family. Work. Her trip to Mardus with Dianna. Every single little detail about Lucy and how proud she was of her. And of course there was still a whole conversation to be had about how amazing Dianna was and how much she had changed Charity's life.

Even so, her father's word was to be obeyed without question, even if it came across as more of a request. And Charity was nothing if not obedient when it came to Amadeus. Though his power over her had diminished in the past few years, Charity still felt compelled to follow his orders, if only to keep her favor in his eyes.

"Okay, fine. I s'pose you're right." she grumbled. Gwen did still appear to be quite exhausted and worn out. Now that she was back, there would be ample time to tell her mother everything she wanted to. "Cinder's sure to be wondering if I'm ever gonna pick up Lulu anyway. That woman has the patience of a saint, but I mean it already has been.." How long had she been hiding out in her old room in the archives waiting for Gwen to wake up? Four days? Five? A week? As soon as she had started feeling the faintest signs of Gwendolyn's awakening, Charity had refused to leave the archives for any reason.

"Poor Lu's gonna think I abandoned her, and Dianna's no doubt worried sick." As this had been a family matter, Charity had left Dianna almost completely in the dark about what was going on, save for vague hints about having to visit the archives for unspecified reasons. But the more Charity thought about her own family, the more she longed to see them. To play with Lucy... Cuddle with Dianna...

"I'll come back and see you soon!" Charity hugged her mother once again, much more gently this time, and kissed her cheek. "I'll bring Lulu by too! I know she would love to meet her grandmother! Just watch out for her shadows! And as soon as Dianna has time you can meet her!" She squeezed Gwen a bit tighter. "I love you Mother! And make sure to listen to Cleo okay? Can't have you stuck in bed forever!"

Charity released Gwen reluctantly and stood, trading hugging Gwen for hugging her father's arm. "Ready to go Daddy?" She allowed Amadeus to lead her up and out of the archives, chattering nonstop all the while.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

Gwendolyn watched them go for a moment before she raised a hand.

“Wait just a moment. Both of you.” She said using a tone that would make them both halt and stand a bit straighter. Cleo certainly did. It was not harsh, but it was commanding.

More a sign she was beginning to come back to her self than a sign of displeasure with the pair. “We will be having dinner. Tonight. I will have it arranged.” She said turning her cloud grey eyes one Amadeus.

“You will be present and on time. No doppelgängers. No excuses. Work has waited this long. One more night will not topple your empire.”

Her precise gaze only slightly softened as it turned on Charity.

“You will bring Dianna. If she does not have something…nice enough.. to wear on such short notice I will arrange something. If she has met Cleo. Then she will have her measurements.” The demon nodded as Gwen spared her a glance.

“If she has any complications I can have them taken care of.” Gwendolyn continued.

“I promised myself if..I..” Her vision unfocused for a moment.

“I just feel a need for us to sit down as a family. The restaurant will be private. Not too many eyes. And I wish to meet this woman that has swept my daughter off her feet so swiftly..” She said with a genuine smile breaking her stern expression now that her orders have been given.

“I will rest until then..” Gwen relented to Cleo as the demon opened her mouth to question her strength.

“I will leave the preparations to you three.” Gwen finished with her warm smile remaining. She couldn’t believe she was with them again.

Half of her still thought she might be dead. But she knew who waited for her in death now she supposed.

Everything was all torn and ran together in her mind.

But she did know..at least she knew she knew something…

“Please…” She added finally to them both. Before she seemed to settle and began to slip back into sleep.

Her body decideding she had done enough for the next few hours.

As her eyes dropped she watched Amadeus and Charity finally leave the room. Cleo squeezed her shoulder and said something Gwen didn’t hear.

She finally let the warm darkness take her…


…………….

She sat at her desk.

The girl was sitting across from her.

It had only been a week since Amadeus had dropped her off at the archives and asked her to raise her. The girls parents must have died.

She didn’t ask, but the girl had an urchin look to her and her behavior wasn’t much better.

The first thing she had received was a bath. Cleo had scrubbed her throughly, as in Gwen’s experience children were usually…Dirty, sticky, sick or an unsavory combination of all three.

Gwendolyn was no stranger to raising young ones. She acted as a matriarch to thousands after all.

But disciplined and respected nobles or socialites beginning in their teens was one thing.

This was something she had never had to deal with. From the sounds Gwen heard in the bathroom however..

The bath had been quite the epic battle for the demon. Who afterwards seemed rather drained.

“She..Wouldn’t stop..Squirming.. “

The demon said catching her breath as Charity sprinted past her still soaking wet and made a right turn.

“That’s the hallway to the basilisk enclosure is it not..” Gwen mused with a raised eyebrow.

“I think it may..in fact…be..” Cleo responded. They held each others gaze for a moment.

“Did you remember to lock it.” Gwen asked as the sound of a large door opening further down said hall met them…

“I do not…think I did ma’am…” The demon admitted. Wincing as the sound of the aforementioned door shutting met them as well..

“That thing cost me a fortune.” Gwen sighed reaching into the wall of her archives as the stones seemed to part to her touch.

Revealing a small crevice that had not been there before.

“Can we just let it eat her..?” Cleo muttered seeming to realize the child had managed to tie part of her tail into a knot. Gwen raised any eyebrow.

Pausing and looking at the demon pointedly. Cleo indignantly gestured to her tail.

Specially the knot in it.

Gwen shrugged as if to say her protests made sense. “As much as I sympathized..We were asked to raise her. That involves her being alive.” She said with a smirk.

Pulling her hand free brought a large broad sword along with it. Gwen hefted it with a grace her figure would not suggest possible.

“Come now Cleo. And at least save the eyes, teeth, heart and liver. I was hoping to find him a mate before this but the child comes first..” Gwen sighed as the hallway seemed to disappear and reform beside them.

The door to the basilisks keep hung open. They both silently stepped inside. Gwen’s sword beginning to glow as she channeled her electricity into her swords blade and gave it a few practices swings.

The massive door shut behind them.

“No more going into doors unless I’m beside you. Until you understand this place it can put you into danger with out meaning to.” Gwen explained to Charity.

She patted her head.

The girl had probably been thinking about how cool it would be to see a giant snake.

The archives had obliged her with a very large snake indeed. It understood she was a guest and what it did not understand was that she was a child.

The remains of the basilisk sat in the back ground. Gwen’s sword left where it had been lodged.

Squarely in the massive serpents forehead.

The large broad sword was sunk halfway to the hilt.

“Cleo?” Gwen called out as the head twitched. “Come now Cleo. There’s preparations for lunch, and I have a meeting with some scholars from the college.”

The head shaking increased until the body of the snake began to shake a bit as well.

Before the front of the snakes snout was blasted apart and Cleo pulled herself from the gory remains.

“I was calling for you for five minutes!” She huffed.

“How could you let it eat me!” She continued indignantly.

“I hear their stomach acids good for your skin..” Gwen said with a shrug.

“It was awful in there..” Cleo said with a shiver. Glancing back at the mangled remains of her once her cold blooded prison.

“Cleo.” Gwen said snapping her fingers.

“Lunch, elbion scholar meeting…work in general.” She said curtly causing the demon to hop to attention with a nod and leave to begin her tasks…

She gave a slight inward chuckle at the memory… She looked at the young girl now with a glance from her paper work. She followed Gwen everywhere.

There were times when Gwen would leave her in Cleo’s care. (The demon swore she would eat the child one day…) or Amadeus or whatever he went by nowadays..would take her for a week or two when his work allowed.

But if Gwen and Charity were in the same building.

She was with Gwen.

Even when she was just doing paper work in her office.

Like right now.. Gwen had been pulled from her memory by the feeling of eyes boring into her.

She glanced at the child again, and confirmed her suspicion.

Charity had begun looking at her hair.

With the small flashes of lighting tangling between the hairs of her silvery blonde silk mane she maintained so meticulously.

“If I let you play with my hair will you quit fidgeting, sit quietly and let me work young one?” She said with a sigh. Setting down her quill and giving the girl her full attention.

It was true. Her tendency to fidget was distracting, but she said it in a playful manner, with a kind smile.

She was not normally one to smile. There hadn’t been much reason to in a long time, but the more she was around this little urchin..

The more she found herself doing so naturally.

She sighed once more and pushed her chair back to look at Charity better. However the child seemed take this as an invitation to come climb aboard.

“W-wai..” Gwen struggled with her words of protest. But relented with a sigh as charity simply ignored her and got comfortable.


Although she had been there for a week now..Gwen had been a bit distant. Even though charity followed her around she rarely spoke to the girl unless it was needed…

Maybe Gwen was being obtuse…The girl clearly idolized her. If she was to raise her then maybe it was time she actually tried.

“Young one. Did you want to ask me anything?” She asked Charity as she continued to play with the elf’s hair.

“I answer questions for people you know.” She said with a little mystic flair.

Children loved magic right?

“I can tell you almost anything in the world.” She said coaxingly seemingly trying to single it was alright for Charity to respond.

Cleo, and everyone the girl met always talked about how much a roguish little chatter box she was.

Yet around the archivist she would always clam up and just followed her by her preferred method of latching to Gwen’s arm/hand.

Gwen enjoyed silence but she would not have this child scared of her.

“Accept about my eyes. I’m not blind. I can see you just fine..” Gwen said placing a finger to the girls mouth to hush her as she was about to ask something.

It was more of a joke. Everyone asked about her eyes. But unlike their parents. Children often simply blatantly asked her often much to the chagrin of said parents.

But if she had been about to ask..Maybe she would think Gwen a bit more magical than she was.

The archivist and information broker was quite a powerful mage..Reading minds was a bit much.

But children always had questions, and for once, a child had access to someone who could actually answer some of them.

Rather than their parents who often couldn’t even read themselves and simply told them “it was the gods will.”

After removing her hand Gwen waited for Charity to think of another question as a bit of her lightening in her hair arc to charity’s hand, and rather than shocking her, it would gently weave around and web between her fingers before it folded and formed into a bird and flew off to fade after a quick loop.

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

Gwendolyn watched them go for a moment before she raised her hand.

“Wait just a moment. Both of you.” She said using a tone that would make them both halt and stand a bit straighter. Cleo certainly did. It was not harsh, but it was commanding.

Gilgamesh stopped at her call and whipped his head around to look at her, concern flashed across his features before he had a chance to conceal it.

More a sign she was beginning to come back to her self than a sign of displeasure with the pair. “We will be having dinner. Tonight. I will have it arranged.” She said turning her cloud grey eyes on Amadeus.

“You will be present and on time. No doppelgängers. No excuses. Work has waited this long. One more night will not topple your empire.”

He furrowed his brow.
Tonight? He could hardly recommend that for her condition, being bedridden until she's had a chance for some actual restful sleep was best for her, sleep that wasn't unconsciousness or a coma or a battle between life and death.

But in the end her determination won him over.

He lowered his head to her in acquiescence to her wishes.
"It will be as you say, my Lady."

Her precise gaze only slightly softened as it turned on Charity.

“You will bring Dianna. If she does not have something…nice enough.. to wear on such short notice I will arrange something. If she has met Cleo. Then she will have her measurements.” The demon nodded as Gwen spared her a glance.

Dianna. Even Gilgamesh hadn't yet come face to face with the girl. His sources told him everything he needed to know about her family and much about herself.
A slight rebellious streak but still a dangerous person to be around for people in his line of work.

As an individual she posed no threat to Gilgamesh or the Cherry Rose, or the Briarthornes.
But if anything were to happen to her and it could be tied back to the organization, it would present quite the headache for him.
Her continued association with Charity has been affecting his goddaughter, and not in a desirable fashion, but if there was to ever be a way to use the daughter of the Calcutte family, the best way would be through their relationship... Provided she doesn't turn Charity against them.

“If she has any complications I can have them taken care of.” Gwendolyn continued.

“I promised myself if..I..” Her vision unfocused for a moment.

“I just feel a need for us to sit down as a family. The restaurant will be private. Not too many eyes. And I wish to meet this woman that has swept my daughter off her feet so swiftly..” She said with a genuine smile breaking her stern expression now that her orders have been given.

“I will rest until then..” Gwen relented to Cleo as the demon opened her mouth to question her strength.

“I will leave the preparations to you three.” Gwen finished with her warm smile remaining. She couldn’t believe she was with them again.

Half of her still thought she might be dead. But she knew who waited for her in death now she supposed.

Everything was all torn and ran together in her mind.

But she did know..at least she knew she knew something…

“Please…” She added finally to them both. Before she seemed to settle and began to slip back into sleep.

Her body decided she had done enough for the next few hours.

As her eyes dropped she watched Amadeus and Charity finally leave the room. Cleo squeezed her shoulder and said something Gwen didn’t hear.

She finally let the warm darkness take her…

Gilgamesh watched her eyes close again before taking Charity by the hand and walking quietly out of the room.
In accordance with Gwendolyn's wishes, they both had a lot to do.
Once the door was closed he let go of Charity's hand and turned to her.

"I will prepare the venue and send word when everything is ready. Go find your pet and make sure she shows up presentable, I expect you to be presentable as well."
He spoke his instructions matter-of-factly, heedless of any ire he provoked by calling Charity's girlfriend a "pet". Gilgamesh made no effort to hide his displeasure in their relationship.

He wished he knew what Gwendolyn was thinking, but the fact was that so much had changed that he wasn't sure her former tells and habits were still the same.
It was like meeting Gwendolyn all over again for the first time, but in a timeline when she wasn't his zealous follower but... Something else.
He turned away from Charity and limped off, already mentally instructing his minions to make preparations.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

“Wait just a moment. Both of you.” She said using a tone that would make them both halt and stand a bit straighter. Cleo certainly did. It was not harsh, but it was commanding.

More a sign she was beginning to come back to her self than a sign of displeasure with the pair. “We will be having dinner. Tonight. I will have it arranged.” She said turning her cloud grey eyes one Amadeus.

“You will be present and on time. No doppelgängers. No excuses. Work has waited this long. One more night will not topple your empire.”

Her precise gaze only slightly softened as it turned on Charity.

“You will bring Dianna. If she does not have something…nice enough.. to wear on such short notice I will arrange something. If she has met Cleo. Then she will have her measurements.” The demon nodded as Gwen spared her a glance.

“If she has any complications I can have them taken care of.” Gwendolyn continued.

Charity instinctively stood at attention at Gwen's tone of voice. It was the tone she had heard all too often when she was being reprimanded for misbehaving. What? She wanted to meet Dianna already? This was sudden and she thought Dianna might not be too happy about being summoned on such short notice. Besides, Gwen could use some rest. But Charity wasn't going to argue with her mother. Not when she had been trained since day one to obey Gwen without question. "Of course Mother. I will bring her with me. I have no doubt that she will be delighted to meet you!" She then followed her father out the door.

This was not how Dianna was supposed to meet her parents. Charity wasn't too concerned about Dianna meeting Gwen. She was sure they would get on just fine. It was Amadeus she was worried about. Charity had worked for months to keep her father and Dianna from crossing paths. She knew that Amadeus knew everything there was to know about Dianna already. And Charity knew that he wasn't happy with what he had learned. Dianna and her father were bound to butt heads, and Charity could only hope that she could keep them both from tearing at each other's throats.

"I will prepare the venue and send word when everything is ready. Go find your pet and make sure she shows up presentable, I expect you to be presentable as well."
He spoke his instructions matter-of-factly, heedless of any ire he provoked by calling Charity's girlfriend a "pet". Gilgamesh made no effort to hide his displeasure in their relationship.

"Okay Daddy! I'll be waiting to hear from you!" Charity hugged her father tightly. "And Dianna isn't my pet!" she growled quietly, her eyes flashing a very displeased red. "She's my girlfriend whether you like it or not!" Another squeeze and Charity was off into the streets of Alliria. She could already tell that this wasn't going to be a pleasant family dinner.

Charity hurried to the Mardanian embassy barracks, stopping to catch her breath as she reached the front office. "Can I... help you...?" the man behind the desk asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes!" Charity slapped her hands down on the desk. "I need to see Dianna Calcutte please. It's urgent!" The man studied her carefully. A knowing smile pulling at his lips. "Hey... Aren't you Charity? Didn't think you two had gone that far yet. Couldn't you wait until her day off? then you'd have her all to-" Charity slammed her hand on the desk a second time. "That is NOT what this is about! Please I just need to speak with her!" The man rolled his eyes and sent somebody to fetch her, and Charity waited impatiently with crossed arms.

---

That day had been the most eventful day in Charity's young life. It all began early in the afternoon as she and the other urchins went out scouting for anything they could get their sticky little fingers on to trade for food.

As she ran through the streets, a faint glint of something buried in the dirt caught her eye. Charity ran over and frantically began digging. It wasn't a random piece of metal as she had thought, but a silver coin. A whole silver coin?! Neither Charity nor her friends had ever seen that amount of money before! Surely it had to be enough to get a decent meal somewhere! As much as they could eat! Charity sprinted back to their hideout as fast as her tiny legs could carry her and hid the coin in their safe spot. She had to tell the other girls! They wouldn't believe it!

But between her excitement and all the running, Charity had to stop and catch her breath. While she stood there with her hands on her knees, a dark wooden carriage drew up beside her. A carriage? In the Shallows? Most wouldn't dare drive in the slums as they made for easy targets for robbers. The door opened and a man with a cane stepped out. Just his mere presence was enough to shock Charity into a fearful silence. She had never seen anybody so intimidating. Not even the guards at the city gates were that scary!

Huh? The strange scary man wanted to adopt her? Give her a safe place to live where she would never have to worry about food or anything else? This was all too good to be true! But what about the other girls? She couldn't just leave them behind! Charity opened her mouth to protest but was hoisted into the carriage and into the lap of a beautiful young woman before she knew what had happened.

The man spoke once again as they rode into the city proper, his tone was one of a teacher giving instructions. Charity was to call him Father and she listened in wonder as he described her new life. Apparently she was also on her way to meet her new mother!

Upon arrival, they were greeted by another young woman, although this one was decidedly less friendly looking. Charity was led out of the carriage by the pretty young woman while her father conversed with the other one. After a moment the second woman came over and took her hand. "Come on now, Charity. Your mother is waiting to meet you!" Charity? Was that her name now? She had to admit it was much better than the names she had been called previously.

Once inside she was greeted by the final new face, a tall elven woman introducing herself as Charity's new mother. She was so tall, Charity had to tilt her head all the way back just to see her face! But the woman's face was kind and caring, if not a tiny bit cold. She lifted Charity up and hugged her gently. After that it was off to take a bath where Charity struggled mightily against Cleo and demanded to hear a story. She settled down as Cleo wove a tale of a giant evil serpent slaughtering the people of a small village, and the brave heroine who stopped its rampage.

Charity had been awestruck at Cleo's tale, but the second she was out of the tub and dressed, she grabbed a brush, brandishing it like a sword and charged out of the room to find her own serpent to slay. As if by magic, the walls shifted and she was met with a large wooden door. No mere door could halt her quest, so she shoved it open and kept running into the dimly lit room. The torches on the wall flickered as a massive shadow loomed over her. Charity froze in place as two cold yellow eyes glared down at her.

“No more going into doors unless I’m beside you. Until you understand this place it can put you into danger with out meaning to.” Gwen explained to Charity.

In an instant Charity had been pulled to safety behind Gwendolyn and before she knew it the basilisk lay dead, a sword buried deep in its skull. She stared at Gwendolyn in awe. The elf was just like the mighty hero in the story! Were these archives a magical place where stories came to life?! Whether they were or not, Gwen was a hero in Charity's eyes as she hugged the taller woman's waist. "O-Okay..." she said meekly.

After that, Charity followed her new hero and idol wherever she went, attaching herself to Gwendolyn however she could. And that's how she found herself in Gwen's office some days later watching her fill out paperwork. Charity fidgeted in her seat, playing with things on the desk and doodling on a crumpled up parchment. She jumped at the chance to play with Gwen's hair and scrambled into her lap.

“Young one. Did you want to ask me anything?” She asked Charity as she continued to play with the elf’s hair.

“I answer questions for people you know.” She said with a little mystic flair.

Children loved magic right?

“I can tell you almost anything in the world.” She said coaxingly seemingly trying to single it was alright for Charity to respond.

Cleo, and everyone the girl met always talked about how much a roguish little chatter box she was.

Yet around the archivist she would always clam up and just followed her by her preferred method of latching to Gwen’s arm/hand.

Gwen enjoyed silence but she would not have this child scared of her.

“Accept about my eyes. I’m not blind. I can see you just fine..” Gwen said placing a finger to the girls mouth to hush her as she was about to ask something.

Charity played with the lightning in Gwen's hair gleefully until the woman's voice once again commanded her attention. Did she want to ask anything? Charity pondered on the question for a minute. There was something she had been wondering about since first meeting Gwen. Charity opened her mouth to ask, only to have that exact question answered by Gwen. Wow! Could she read people's minds?! Everything Charity learned about Gwen only made her idolize her more.

As she thought of other questions, the lightning jumped from Gwen's hair onto her hand. Charity watched it, amazed as it wound around her fingers and hand before becoming a bird and flying off. Whatever other questions she might have had were immediately pushed aside. "Was that magic?" she inquired curiously. "How does that trick work? Can I try it?!" Charity bounced excitedly in Gwen's lap as she awaited a response.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

"Was that magic?" she inquired curiously. "How does that trick work? Can I try it?!" Charity bounced excitedly in Gwen's lap as she awaited a response.

The elf smiled at the girl in her lap. It seemed she had assumed correctly. Children could be much the same in some ways, yet so different in others.

It always fascinated Gwendolyn. She assumed it was part of this fascination that lead her to allow herself to become the matriarch for her master.

The young zealot that had agreed being thirsty for approval was long gone, her fascination had kept her diligent after the flames of her loyalty had been extinguished.

“You might.” She said slowly. Pondering the answer. “It’s light magic. Illusionary. It’s a specialty of mine. That along with..” Long webs of crackling lightening playing up her arm and between her fingers like the webs spun by an unnatural spider.

“Lightening, and general meteorological phenomenon..” She noticed Charity’s slack jawed expression and furrowed brow.

She messaged the bridge of her nose with a sigh. “Clouds and rain.” She said slowly.

Cutting off the sarcasm like a diseased limb before it could enter her tone. At this point it was almost her own fault for forgetting most children were not raised like her.

Her mother had spoken to her as an equal for most of her life. She had been expected to learn words she didn’t understand after she heard them from her mother.

Because her mother was not slowing down for her sake…

Her smile quickly returned however as she saw Charity’s eyes light up at the idea of there being a possibility of acquiring powers like Gwen’s.

“There are tests. We can see if you can. And if you can..Then I can teach you.” She said with a rare kind smile, only Charity and a couple of Gwen’s daughters ever saw.

She ran her fingers through Charity’s hair fixing it and adjusting it here and there in a comforting way.

“Now let’s get something to eat. I hear Cleo’s making..”

…………
Cleo had work to do.

This was of course, nothing new. The demon usually had work to do.

This however was a particularly important task.

It was the first thing she had done sense Gwen’s death, that was actually a wish of hers.

Not just wordless work to keep the archives going but a genuine request.

Cleo would not fail.

As the demon left a carriage pulled up to greet her. A wonderfully ornate way to travel.

The blacked out carriage was gothic in its design, and as it rolled it barely made a clack or clank. The horse barely seemed to breathe.. Cleo entered without a second glance. “Embassy.” Cleo said shortly.

The demon had ensured Dianna would be unhindered by her duties.

A researcher that was close friends with one of Dianna’s superiors had been offered to be bumped up the recently reopened queue. And offer that researcher had jumped at readily.

It was a small ask for a reward some would kill for…and what was asked wasn’t even illegal. Just giving a soldier the night off.

The knight must have friends in VERY high places. Her superior would make a note of that as well..

There must be far more to this woman than originally appeared.

There would also be a carriage to be allowed to wait at the gates.

The proper paper work was approved.

All done very quickly.

Once arranged the demon would melt into the shadows leaving the researcher puzzled and a bit chilled..but satisfied with the queue now reflecting his new position.

Next was the taylor.

Two orders were placed.

Measurements given.

The demon left as the dresses began to be made. Such luxurious dresses in such short order was unheard of. But the taylor and seamstress were well…Very talented.

Having made their own deals…

Another shadow step led her to a wonderful restaurant.

It was rustic and in the country side just outside of the city.

Amadeus and Gwen had first eaten here when it was a lowly tavern.

The owners had been kind to the demon.

Had made deals with him.

Never knowing the nature of him and while having their guesses were wise enough to never pry.

As a result over the decades their tavern and inn had grown into a very successful restaurant known for its outdoor dining.

Many of the rich and affluent would pay well to enjoy luxury and the outdoors while avoiding the…

Less fortunate that often inhabited it inside the city.

Often a couple of the richer parties would reserve a lawn and have a private tent.

It was often only reserved for large events and was ludicrous in its expense, and even still some waited months.

It was to be a nice night. Cleo went directly to the owner. They knew the assistant well. And who she represented. They had jumped at the opportunity to set up a private, open tent, on their center lawn.

Surrounding them in a semi circle would be the indoor and patio dining, which of course was now closed for the night.

The center lawn was a gorgeous carpet well lit by enchanted lanterns. It was something often 2 or 3 wealthy family’s would reserve for an event.

It being used for a sole family at a moments notice would have astounded many.

The lush grass was magically enchanted to remain clean as well as free of bugs, pests, and thorns.

A beautiful fountain sat as the set piece of the dining area and bubbled happily. They knew what Gwen liked.

It had been years since she had requested they make a place for her and her family, and the owner was more than happy to show his respect to the matriarch of the man that had helped his parents and his parents parents, the owner suspected he had helped from the very beginning.. and yet still seemed to never age..

He cleared the thought from his mind as he rallied his staff and focused on ensuring the night was perfect for Gwendolyn and her family.

That being taken care of as well she would mentally alert Amadeus and his staff of the update and location as well as the time. After doing so there was one more stop on her list.

A guest Gwen had requested be invited to a nice breakfast later that week. Respectfully allowing the invited party time if their research held them up.

Mentally finding her intended target. Granted the target having allowed themselves to be found.

Cleo would once more take to the shadows before appearing in a room with a woman hard at work.

The archives had shut her out after Gwen’s death and the blackout Amadeus had issued had bared her further.

Knowing not of her death but of the lockdown and black out. The elf would not allow this to continue.

“Mrs.Altas.” The demon said with a respectful bow. Making her presence known to the human that had likely already sensed her.

Though at the times the demon could catch her off guard if she was particularly focused. Times the demon took great pleasure in.

“Mrs.Vollmund would like to request your presence to the archives for a friendly breakfast, at your earliest convenience. Also speaking in regard to returning your ability to access the archives at your leisure once more.” The demon would say calmly.

She still disliked the human for her role in Gwen’s return. But the archivist would hear none of it. Selina was going to be around.

It would be best if Cleo got over it. That was Gwen’s opinion at any rate. It seemed she enjoyed the young mage enormously.

It had been one of her first tasks after planning the dinner.
Cleo did not even wait for the young woman to reply before taking her leave.

Returning to the Taylor she received the two dresses. One was clearly made for Charity.

It was beautiful but not too frilly or feminine. It served its purpose and while not too revealing, was far from too conservative. The next was for Dianna,

Much like Charity’s own dress, this dress however had a bit more frills, and was clearly made for a woman that knew how to wear a dress properly.

Different hidden buttons and hooks could make the dress far more revealing, or far more conservative depending on how the wearer felt. Clearly showing they understood

Dianna was well versed enough to appreciate being able to make the choice of what was appropriate herself.

A choice that had not been allowed to Charity.

Once the parcels were picked up Cleo took to the shadows for a final time arriving outside the carriage that waited for the couple outside of the embassy. Where she waited with a warm smile on her face that didn’t quite meet her eyes.

…………

Gwendolyn awoke gently.

A far cry from her desperate gasping upon reawakening a few hours ago.

Her eyes opened slowly.

Adjusting to the little light the naturally dark room provided.

There was a small bowl of fresh fruit and a goblet of fresh water.

She ate and drank from both of only to wet her sleep dried mouth. It tasted like dust and old blood.

Very unpleasant.

Cleo had undoubtedly been attending to her tasks and they were undoubtedly near completion.

Feeling more herself, her healing had come along in leaps and bounds.

If not for the lack of her arm, and the much more healthy, but still unkept nature of her.

She would feel almost like her old self.

There was no fixing the arm.

It was something she needed to grow accustomed to.

And quick.

She hoped Cleo had attended to Selina first.

While the lock down was in place her friend had undoubtedly been worried.

Gwen was eager to see her again.

The last they had spoken Gwen was asking about her work and letting her know she was leaving.

The young mage deeply enjoyed having the archives to herself.

She didn’t mind Gwen.

Even appreciated her, and would ask her questions about things.

But the way her eyes lit up slightly anytime Gwendolyn mentioned the prospect, was never lost on the information broker…

Gwen paused in her thoughts as the archives opened its walls to her allowing the door of her washroom to appear.

She had just referred to Selina as her friend..

The elf didn’t do that very often. What was getting into her.

Next she’d start a book club. Snorting at the idea Gwen entered her washroom and began to set herself right. First with a bath, then the light makeup, and finally her hair.

It took time, but when Gwen exited her hair was once more the silvery, blonde, silk sheet she cared for so carefully. It glistened with its occasional flashes of lightening crawling through it once more.

Gwen sighed looking at herself in the mirror. It felt good to see herself..Well..More herself.

She chose an elegant cloudy grey and cream dress that fit her perfectly. While attractive and even a bit sultry with how it clung to her, it’s cut was conservative, as well as it’s length.

What skin she did show was shown well.

It was a dress Amadeus liked.

It was one of four out of the thousand she owned, that he had ever bothered to comment on.

Not that it mattered.

Gwen wore it because she liked it, but if he enjoyed it…

Well that wasn’t such an awful thing..

Gwen put the finishing touches to her look. Her eyes finally falling on her arm. Or lack there of.

She frowned.

That would not do..

She let out a deep breath.

Getting her feet under her now that she felt her magic beginning to flow again.

A new arm sprung from her stump.

Seeming to mend and flow out until a fully formed arm was now where none had been before.

Gwen smiled.

That would do for now.

Examining her limb she would finally take her leave.

She looked stunning. She felt a bit tired, but compared to how she had felt before she rested…

She felt like her old self again. She entered the lobby of the archives before simply taking a seat as if she was a customer waiting for Cleo to show her to the archives themselves.

She smiled, the small, cute, irony of it was not lost on her.

It was not but a few moments that she heard the wheels of the carriage arriving to pick her up.

Jexa would be the one to enter. Amadeus would meet them at the dinner, and Charity along with Dianna would follow him.

Leaving Gwen to attend to a few things before showing up early and ensuring everything was perfect as she was want to do. Many would assume Gwendolyn to think herself “better than.” And the type to show up “fashionably late.”

This was not so.

Every function,

every dinner,

Gwendolyn always showed early to add any personal touches.

The sister stopped as she looked at Gwen.

The last Jexa had seen her..She was being put into a casket.

“Jexa..” Gwen said calmly looking at the stoic assassin/bodyguard.

“It’s nice to..Oh!” Gwen extended her hand only to have Jexa gracefully pull her from the wrist into a tight hug. “I missed you mother.” She said shortly. Gwen was taken aback. Jexa did not normally act like this…

After a moment Gwen returned the hug.

Jexa had been raised in a different time. It was very rare Gwen remembered she was just an elf like herself.

Working with so many demons and hybrids..Gwen often forgot Jexa was not one.

“I missed you as well.” Gwen said with a smile once Jexa broke the embrace and step forward to open the door for her.

Gwen nodded with appreciation, but opened the carriage door for herself. Taking a seat and offering the one next to her to Jexa who took it with a nod in return.

As the door closed the horses were roused by the driver and clacked down the streets of the city heading out of the gates and for the country side. It was a ride Gwen had missed.

Amadeus and herself would often take this drive to this restaurant when it was a humble tavern.

It had been nice even then, but there was something to be said about the rustic charm of it back then…

Once they arrived Gwen quickly found the staff had done exceptionally well. From the menu to the outdoor venue. The restaurant was devoid of any other customers.

Gwen had not asked for them to close.

She did not need to.

She noticed this and nodded to the manager with a slight bow of her head in gratitude.

One he returned graciously as Jexa noticed a couple of sisters lounging and acting like they werent taking advantage of being part of the security to glimpse Gwendolyn and report back to the various gossip trains of their fellow sisters. The quiet elf gave a Gwen a look as if to say “I’ll handle them.” She strode towards them with a clap.

Both jumping to attention the sisters quickly took their leave and melted into the shadows as they began to encircle and guard the perimeter. Jexa would take her leave right behind them. The rest of her guests should be arriving soon. The table was a dark oak square and situated Amadeus and Gwendolyn on one side and Charity and Dianna on the other.

She walked to her seat at the table, but halted halfway. Adjusting a single fork by Charity’s plate to match the rest.

Before taking her seat and allowing the server who was the kind middle aged woman who always waited on them. Kija. Kija was quiet, professional, and gorgeous. She spoke very little and only to the Greywoods.

The staff knew very little about her.

Only that she only arrived when the Greywoods were dining. The owner would place a uniform at the back staff entrance. She silently entered and changed in the back. She always looked the same, spoke to none of them, and knew where everything was. Wordlessly.

The servers were instructed to stay out of her way and ignore her unless asked to aid her in a task.

She only spoke to the chefs about the food, and it was in a tone of voice devoid of anything but the common her tongue used to make the sound.

“It’s like if the dark could talk..I just get it over with..and make sure it’s ******* right..” The head chef would mutter if a new hire ever asked about “the mysterious family.” that dined there on occasion.

“Can I start with your usual wine?” Kija asked with a smile.

“I think that would be a wonderful idea. Thank you. The rest will be arriving soon.” Gwen said with a nod as she waited for her wine and the rest of her guests.

She sighed.

Things were starting to feel normal again, but she still felt off.

Just slightly. But still noticeably..When Kija returned with her wine Gwen absentmindedly reached for it with her newly formed hand only for the glass to slip through it like it was nonexistent.

The hand shimmering for a moment before returning to it original appearance.

Kija raised an eyebrow but quickly cleaned the mess and returned with another glass. This time on the side with Gwen’s good arm, and she set it on the table herself rather than having Gwen take it herself. Apologizing she took her leave until the rest of the guests arrived.

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

This is all too soon...

This sentiment echoed repeatedly in his mind.
As the carriage took him away from the Archive he massaged the dragon head of his cane and thought hard, putting his immense intellect to the test.

Far too soon...

Gilgamesh felt like a fool for not considering the possibility.
When he was healing Gwendolyn he dealt with Pandemonium very gently. Even for devils of his station, Pandemonium was an enigma, a mystery too dangerous to crack.
During the Pandemonium Crisis the Cherry Rose survived just fine, with negligible damages and casualties. The demons were no challenge for the sisters raised by Gwendolyn and Gilgamesh.
But the land itself was unknown and the powers that existed there were equally mysterious.
The little they did know, aside from ancient knowledge and writings from the Archives, came from the survivors who'd been captured by the mists of Pandemonium and related their experiences of a blasted hellish landscape completely choked with the demons of Pandemonium.

Gilgamesh felt that he'd been using the utmost caution in dealing with it, as he tracked down each shard of Gwendolyn's soul and brought them back... In his eagerness to finally be able to save her, is it possible that he made a mistake? Is it possible that he slipped up?
It's not probable, but certainly possible, the non-zero chance existed and needed to be treated as a certainty if he was the least bit responsible.

As he wrapped himself in shadows to ensure his disguise was perfect he made preparations that were not for dinner.
Jexa would be her escort, and he will ensure that all the other sisters present for security detail were also of Jexa's generation. The sisters of that generation were almost exclusively loyal to him, if a schism ever appeared in the Cherry Rose they would be loyal to him, of this he was certain.

But, just in case, since Cleo was ostensibly the one organizing this security detail he organized a second one to monitor the first.
The one time he overcame his paranoia he lost Gwendolyn, so now he will fully listen to it in hopes that it's wrong like it usually is.

The carriage stopped outside a rundown apothecary barely clinging to business outside of the slums. It was closed up for the night but as Gilgamesh stepped out of the carriage the door opened.
Gilgamesh stepped onto the sidewalk dressed in a freshly pressed black dinner suit, his greying hair and beard were neatly combed and trimmed, his leg brace was polished and oiled so it didn't creak with every other step.

Gilgamesh also stepped onto the sidewalk in his normal black merchant suit, his hair and beard also immaculate but his leg brace creaked and squeaked with every step.

They both held the exact same dragon head cane.

The Gilgamesh that came out of the shop immediately knelt before the one who came out of the carriage.
"What is your will, Lord?"

Gilgamesh considered his clone for only a moment before answering.
"You will contact 'those two', by the means I instructed you. Tell them that their mother has awoken at last."

"It shall be done, Lord."

With his business done Gilgamesh rose to his feet and disappeared back inside the shop while Gilgamesh returned to his carriage.
The horses began to pull again and now he made his way towards the restaurant.

'Those two' could no longer be considered part of the family, but they deserved to know that the punishment was worth it for what they accomplished. They may not get to see Gwendolyn for themselves, but they can be satisfied with the knowledge that they did well according to their own desires.

Gilgamesh put 'those two' out of his mind for the time being and thought about his destination.
It occurred to him that he'd never come to this restaurant by himself, he was always with family every time... And he was fine with that, it held a special place in his black labyrinthine heart of deception for that reason alone.
He shared a secret smile with himself in his heart of hearts over this small indulgence of sentimentality.

The carriage arrived, it was time for his game face.
He wore his... He was actually unsure of what face to wear... He'd worn his merchant face, his grandfather face, his overindulging rich godfather face, his murder face, his cowering face, his stern authoritative face... But he'd never worn a kind husband face... Perhaps aged lovers? Old friends?
Who was Gwendolyn Vollmund to him exactly?
She was a zealot in his service in the past, but those days were long past. After that she was a valuable resource that he often had to placate since she had technically left his direct service to run the archives... Now... How to treat her?

The carriage door opened and Jexa helped him down and led him to the area that was reserved for them.
He limped in silence, his brace audibly sliding over it's freshly oiled hinges with each step.
When he saw Gwendolyn he stopped short, standing across the way facing her.
His paranoia flared again... There was absolutely no way this was truly Gwendolyn, sitting upright in a chair under her own power so shortly after waking up from her demon filled nightmares.
He was cautious, but he also knew that he didn't make a single mistake when he brought her back from Pandemonium, this was too important and he never would have made such a mistake with this on the line.

He approached the ethereal figure of Gwendolyn Vollmund, seated regally in her chair like she always did. A gossamer beauty wreathed in the most captivating storm clouds with lightning dancing in her hair.
... Almost... Almost like nothing had happened, like she had never left, but his eye was drawn directly to the illusion that was her right arm.
His face was completely neutral as he approached and Jexa pulled out his chair for him.
For now, until Dianna and Charity arrived, he will sit across from Gwendolyn so that he could look at her.

His senses were fully trained on her, for a single sign or signal, for her to make the first move so that he, with his impeccable skills of deception, improv and tact, could react appropriately.
He felt for all the world like a boy who had confessed his love for a girl and now awaited her decision to accept his feelings or let him down easy, but appeared for all the world like he was trying to imitate a stone wall.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

Dianna hadn't seen Charity more than a handful of times over these past months.
From their brief interactions she gathered that it had something to do with her mother, or her father, or her sisters, or all of the above!
Lulu said that she'd sometimes drop by while Dianna was at work but not for very long.
Dianna did at least know that she was staying at her mother's Archives, a place that Dianna was explicitly told to never go to under any circumstances.

Family was certainly important, but Dianna was getting worried. Her visits were sparse before but recently they had stopped altogether.
Luckily Dianna was able to rely on the babysitter that Charity had picked out to take care of Lulu, otherwise she'd have to request that she be allowed to bring Lulu to the Embassy where she'd most likely be told to sit in one place with nothing to do.

Dianna was able to distract herself with work while she let Charity work out whatever family issues had come up, but she couldn't avoid problems of her own.
Work at the embassy had become more dangerous as time went on. Political landscapes rarely remained stagnant and it was easy for relationships to become tense depending on how a policy is presented.
The political landscape back in Mardania was certainly in a state of flux, and whoever was making decisions at the moment clearly didn't understand much about international interests.

Word had arrived months ago that the princess of Mardania had disappeared during a political visit to Vel Anir, and this was around the same time that Charity went completely quiet.
Her orders and Lulu were all that kept her in Alliria. It was the princess who ordered this embassy be sent here and it was the princess that she was loyal to... But as it currently stands, the continued existence of the Knight Paladins of Mardus hung upon the kingdom learning the fate of the princess, Dianna could only imagine how hard her father and the others loyal to the princess were working to buy time in the courts, holding out hope she will turn up in good health.
It was many months travel to Vel Anir from Mardania, even with the use of gates, and if she'd been separated from her knights and was on foot it could certainly take much longer.

Tensions were high even all the way out here, and as the demands being leveled at Alliria became more and more unreasonable due to incompetent people in Mardus, the situation here became more and more stressful.

The Merchant Council is becoming dissatisfied with the Mardanian embassy and a few individuals are organizing their constituents into small protests outside the embassy. Protests were fine, but as more people joined in a mob mentality would sometimes develop and the people could become aggressive, throwing things or pushing against their shields and then quickly retreating to a safe distance.
This sort of thing has become more common as of late, and one of her comrades was even injured when a glass bottle was smashed through his open faced helm.

That was the extent of the aggression so far.
Dianna was fortunate to have not been hurt or to hurt anyone else during these incidents while she was on front gate duty.

Charity hurried to the Mardanian embassy barracks, stopping to catch her breath as she reached the front office. "Can I... help you...?" the man behind the desk asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes!" Charity slapped her hands down on the desk. "I need to see Dianna Calcutte please. It's urgent!" The man studied her carefully. A knowing smile pulling at his lips. "Hey... Aren't you Charity? Didn't think you two had gone that far yet. Couldn't you wait until her day off? then you'd have her all to-" Charity slammed her hand on the desk a second time. "That is NOT what this is about! Please I just need to speak with her!" The man rolled his eyes and sent somebody to fetch her, and Charity waited impatiently with crossed arms.

Dianna received word quickly that Charity had come to see her, and that it seemed urgent.
It was late but Dianna was on patrol around the embassy grounds when this news came to her, her heart plummeted to her stomach, had something happened? Why now?
With a nauseous feeling in her stomach she clenched her teeth and was about to continue the patrol with her partner, thinking furiously about how she might feign sickness, or perhaps having her time of the month, when she was also informed by the same messenger that she was relieved of her duty for the rest of the evening.

This made her blink in surprise. Had Charity done something? Did she threaten someone? Maybe she started a fight in the reception hall and demanded to see her... Dianna rolled her eyes, she could certainly imagine Charity doing something like that.
Praying that it's not an emergency and Charity was just being dramatic and destructive Dianna quickly returned to the embassy main building and removed her Dracontine armor.
She decided not to bother changing out of her uniform just to save on time.

She burst through the door to the reception hall only 30 minutes after Charity had arrived.
She was relieved to note that she didn't see running knights or the sounds of combat as she approached.
She quickly spotted Charity pacing as she moved in that direction, her face a stern mask of concern.
"Charity? Where have you been?! What's wrong? Is Lulu okay? Did you do something? Are you in trouble?"
She stepped up to Charity but didn't stop to hug her or anything, she just quickly grabbed her by the hand and dragged her to the front door of the embassy.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

She quickly spotted Charity pacing as she moved in that direction, her face a stern mask of concern.
"Charity? Where have you been?! What's wrong? Is Lulu okay? Did you do something? Are you in trouble?"
She stepped up to Charity but didn't stop to hug her or anything, she just quickly grabbed her by the hand and dragged her to the front door of the embassy.

"DIANNA!" Charity cried joyfully with a goofy smile upon seeing the woman burst through the door. She waved and began hurrying toward her. "I've missed-" Any further words disappeared as Dianna grabbed her hand and hauled her towards the front entrance, bombarding her with worried questions all the way.

Charity frowned in disappointment. No hug? No kiss? Nothing at all? Charity thought that Dianna would've been more excited to see her girlfriend, but then again, the knight was a bit of a worrywart when it came to Charity, and rightfully so. And Charity's dramatic entrance, demanding to see her girlfriend under the pretense of urgency only exacerbated it.

"Huh? Where have I been? I thought I told you I was staying at the archives? And nothing's wrong! Its all good things actually! My-" But Dianna's whirlwind of questions wasn't stopping for her answers.

"Wait! What do you mean 'is Lulu okay'?!" Charity began panicking a little bit herself. "Where is she? Please tell me Lu's still with Cinder!" Charity's sister had been ecstatic at the opportunity to babysit her niece, and had readily agreed to watch Lucy whenever it was needed. "I swear, if anything were to happen to that brat-"

"Trouble? Dianna, I'm always in some sort of trouble, you know this. Follows me wherever I go. But I'm fine! For now... anyways! There's something important I need to tell you!"

An unpleasant realization dawned upon Charity as she answered Dianna's endless questions. The realization that she had been a terrible mother and girlfriend. She had put her own selfish desires of seeing her mother above the people who mattered most to her. She had abandoned them, like Charity herself had been many times before. An unpleasant feeling grew in the pit of her stomach as they exited the front doors.

"Hey. Hey." Charity spoke soothingly, interrupting Dianna's endless stream of questions. She took both of Dianna's hands in her own and gently pulled her off to the side. "Everything's fine, I promise." Charity pulled Diana closer, embracing her lovingly and kissed her cheek. "I'm really sorry for being so absent these past months. It's just that there was a minuscule chance that my mother wasn't really gone and we could bring her back from where she was. And I kinda let that hope overtake everything else in my life..."

She released Dianna, but kept holding one hand. "But guess what! She DID come back!" Charity exclaimed excitedly. "That's part of the reason I'm here. That and I HAD to see you after all this time apart! Anyway, I told Mother all about you and she insisted that she meet you over dinner. I know its sudden, but when my mother stays to do something, you do it whether you like it or not if you know what's good for you..." Charity grumbled.

"OH! And I suppose I should apologize for barging in and demanding to see you like the world was ending." Charity scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "So... Uh... Sorry. I mean, I guess it was kind of urgent, but certainly not to the extent that I made it out to be. It's just that Mother really doesn't like to be kept waiting..."

"Soooo.... Yeah..." she continued uncertainly. "We have some time before the carriage arrives. Honestly took way less time than I had thought it would. Figured I would have to fight half the knights just to get you the night off!" Charity laughed. "Cleo's picking up "presentable attire" for us, but until then, why don't we find somewhere to sit down and chat? I'm dying to know what you've been up to! And is Lulu doing okay? What else have I missed? Tell me everything!"

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"DIANNA!" Charity cried joyfully with a goofy smile upon seeing the woman burst through the door. She waved and began hurrying toward her. "I've missed-" Any further words disappeared as Dianna grabbed her hand and hauled her towards the front entrance, bombarding her with worried questions all the way.

Charity frowned in disappointment. No hug? No kiss? Nothing at all? Charity thought that Dianna would've been more excited to see her girlfriend, but then again, the knight was a bit of a worrywart when it came to Charity, and rightfully so. And Charity's dramatic entrance, demanding to see her girlfriend under the pretense of urgency only exacerbated it.

"Huh? Where have I been? I thought I told you I was staying at the archives? And nothing's wrong! Its all good things actually! My-" But Dianna's whirlwind of questions wasn't stopping for her answers.

"Wait! What do you mean 'is Lulu okay'?!" Charity began panicking a little bit herself. "Where is she? Please tell me Lu's still with Cinder!" Charity's sister had been ecstatic at the opportunity to babysit her niece, and had readily agreed to watch Lucy whenever it was needed. "I swear, if anything were to happen to that brat-"

"Trouble? Dianna, I'm always in some sort of trouble, you know this. Follows me wherever I go. But I'm fine! For now... anyways! There's something important I need to tell you!"

An unpleasant realization dawned upon Charity as she answered Dianna's endless questions. The realization that she had been a terrible mother and girlfriend. She had put her own selfish desires of seeing her mother above the people who mattered most to her. She had abandoned them, like Charity herself had been many times before. An unpleasant feeling grew in the pit of her stomach as they exited the front doors.

"Hey. Hey." Charity spoke soothingly, interrupting Dianna's endless stream of questions. She took both of Dianna's hands in her own and gently pulled her off to the side. "Everything's fine, I promise." Charity pulled Diana closer, embracing her lovingly and kissed her cheek. "I'm really sorry for being so absent these past months. It's just that there was a minuscule chance that my mother wasn't really gone and we could bring her back from where she was. And I kinda let that hope overtake everything else in my life..."

Dianna melted a little and relented when Charity soothed her and took her hands to get her to slow down. She visibly relaxed when Charity told her that everything was fine... Not that she fully believed her, but it's what she wanted to hear at the moment.
What came next was confusion when Charity started filling her in on the details concerning her mother. Dianna hadn't met the woman, but when she and Charity first met the girl told Dianna that her mother was dead, and heavily insinuated that there was a tombstone and everything!

Dianna wracked her brain, trying to remember the few hurried words they shared for the few moments that Charity stopped at home to check up on her and Lucy... She did say she was staying at the archive, Dianna knew that much, but if there was anything else Charity certainly didn't see fit to share... And Dianna felt it was prudent to not know too much, especially when Charity mumbled something about her father, and another mumble about her sisters.
At first Dianna was instinctually grilling her during those brief moments together, trying to get her to admit to something like filching the Merchant King's purse so she could convince her to give it back and they could get back to life as usual.
but upon hearing that it involved her family she stopped, her suspicions all but confirmed that her father had strong ties to the underworld and that her sisters were deep in the family business... She figured that they were planning a big heist, and knowing too much would make her a liability and neither of them would want that...

But now, as Charity started to finally explain herself, her fears of organized crime were now replaced with other suspicions along the lines of necromancy.

She released Dianna, but kept holding one hand. "But guess what! She DID come back!" Charity exclaimed excitedly. "That's part of the reason I'm here. That and I HAD to see you after all this time apart! Anyway, I told Mother all about you and she insisted that she meet you over dinner. I know its sudden, but when my mother stays to do something, you do it whether you like it or not if you know what's good for you..." Charity grumbled.

"OH! And I suppose I should apologize for barging in and demanding to see you like the world was ending." Charity scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "So... Uh... Sorry. I mean, I guess it was kind of urgent, but certainly not to the extent that I made it out to be. It's just that Mother really doesn't like to be kept waiting..."

"Soooo.... Yeah..." she continued uncertainly. "We have some time before the carriage arrives. Honestly took way less time than I had thought it would. Figured I would have to fight half the knights just to get you the night off!" Charity laughed. "Cleo's picking up "presentable attire" for us, but until then, why don't we find somewhere to sit down and chat? I'm dying to know what you've been up to! And is Lulu doing okay? What else have I missed? Tell me everything!"

Once Charity was finished and had delivered her apology;
Dianna extracted her hand from Charity's,
drew herself up to her full height,
closed her eyes and took two... long... deep breaths,
opened her eyes and squared herself with Charity...

Then she hugged her, with a kiss on the lips for good measure, for a full thirty seconds on the dot before breaking the kiss.
"I'm glad you're back, and I'm happy for you! Your mother coming back is great news and I cannot wait to finally meet her!"
Dianna gave Charity the most reassuring smile she could manage while still hiding her reservations.

She offered her arm to Charity in the knightliest gesture she knew and walked with her down the street. Dianna didn't want to get into how worried she actually was at the moment, imagining meeting a half-rotted corpse wielding immense magical power and terrifying abilities were extreme thoughts that danced at the back of her mind.
"Lucy is fine, I've been spending as much time as I could with her whenever I get time off, Cinder tells me she gets to be a handful at times, and she's certainly been a little obstinate lately around me... I DO spend as much time with her as I can, but honestly, I don't have a whole lot of it to begin with. That combined with you being gone... she's understandably become a little resentful."

They approach a bench in a nearby park and Dianna motions for Charity to sit as she suggested before sitting down herself beside her.
"... Lucy told me that sometimes when I'm at work and Cinder is watching her, your father will drop by and visit with her, she said he'd come and teach her some things but whenever I asked what he would teach her she refused to tell me."

Dianna expelled a frustrated sigh.
It was more than just a little obstinance on Lucy's part, Cinder was just as loyal to Mr Briarthorn and she was sure there were many things the babysitter wasn't telling her... All this being kept in the dark was starting to get to her, and Lucy joining the ranks of that family of dark secrets felt like the final straw, the last stab in the back to her... As if this was her reward for falling in love with Charity, constant worry.
Now, Charity's mother was back... Somehow, no matter what form that takes, Dianna felt like this was finally the time where she gets some answers, even if she had to demand them from the matron of one of the more highly influential families in Alliria.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Once Charity was finished and had delivered her apology;
Dianna extracted her hand from Charity's,
drew herself up to her full height,
closed her eyes and took two... long... deep breaths,
opened her eyes and squared herself with Charity...

Then she hugged her, with a kiss on the lips for good measure, for a full thirty seconds on the dot before breaking the kiss.
"I'm glad you're back, and I'm happy for you! Your mother coming back is great news and I cannot wait to finally meet her!"
Dianna gave Charity the most reassuring smile she could manage while still hiding her reservations.

Charity pouted as Diana pulled her hand away. Her first physical contact with her girlfriend in months, and it was over already. The pouting was short lived however, and her expression shifted to worry as Dianna stood and looked down at her. Charity steeled herself, knowing what was coming next - A long, stern talk of some sort. Would it be because she had disappeared for such a long time with hardly a word? Or was it going to be for being a awful mother and abandoning Lucy? It felt as if there were at least a thousand different reasons Dianna could be upset. Leaning back slightly, she tensed dreading what was coming next.

A muffled cry escaped from her lips. In place of the harsh reprimand she had been expecting to receive, Dianna instead leaned down to hug her tightly with a long unbroken kiss. Charity returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around Dianna's waist and pulling her even closer. She allowed herself to melt into the pleasant warmth of Dianna's love. But like the hand holding, the moment was over far too quickly. "I'm SO glad to be back!" Charity looked up at Diana lovingly. "Can't even begin to tell you how much I missed you!"

"Lucy is fine, I've been spending as much time as I could with her whenever I get time off, Cinder tells me she gets to be a handful at times, and she's certainly been a little obstinate lately around me... I DO spend as much time with her as I can, but honestly, I don't have a whole lot of it to begin with. That combined with you being gone... she's understandably become a little resentful."

Charity took Dianna's offered arm without hesitation, hugging it to her chest and taking Dianna's hand. As they walked Charity moved closer and closer until she was glued to the knight's side. For a second she wondered if she was being too clingy, but shrugged, knowing Dianna would let her know if she wanted more space.

A sharp pang of guilt stabbed Charity's heart hearing Dianna speak about Lucy. "Well I'm glad she gets to see one of us..." Charity hung her head shamefully. "Thank you for keeping an eye on her. Cinder has the patience of a saint, but I know how that brat can be. It's no wonder Lu was acting out. Musta thought I had abandoned her..." Charity of all people knew the worry and pain of being abandoned. "Hey, as soon as you have a day free, we should do something together as a family. I know it won't make things right with you or Lucy, but it's a good place to start..."

They approach a bench in a nearby park and Dianna motions for Charity to sit as she suggested before sitting down herself beside her.
"... Lucy told me that sometimes when I'm at work and Cinder is watching her, your father will drop by and visit with her, she said he'd come and teach her some things but whenever I asked what he would teach her she refused to tell me."

The second Dianna had taken a seat next to her, Charity resumed hugging her arm. She knew was definitely being clingy now, but she couldn't help herself after being away from Dianna for so long.

Charity wasn't any more pleased with the news of her father visiting Lucy than Dianna was. As far as she could tell, Amadeus had spent the entirety of the last few months at the archives. Had her sent a clone to begin the task of instilling his influence in the young girl? If he had, Charity was going to have some strong words for him.

Unbeknownst to Dianna, Charity had tried to make a deal with her father upon taking in Lucinda. Charity had laid a claim on her and her future. Amadeus was to stay out of Lucy's life until she was old enough to make her own choices, save for grandfatherly duties. Charity's long term goal was to keep her newfound daughter out of the family and their affairs. She would teach Lucy the tricks of her trade, hopefully leaving her as an independent woman free from the Greywoods, her only tie to them being by name alone. If all else failed, she would try to bring Lucy into her gang where she could keep an eye on her. That was her plan, but Amadeus seemed to have something else in mind.

Charity wished with all her heart that she could talk to Dianna about the other side of Lucy's life and get some sort of recommendation of steps that should be taken. Dianna's strong maternal instincts were a godsend to Charity as her own were half baked at best, and she always seemed to know exactly what needed to be done. But at the same time, Charity knew she couldn't breathe a word of the current situation to Dianna. The more she knew about family affairs, the more Charity's sisters and others in the criminal world would target her. She loathed having to keep such a large part of herself and her life away from Dianna but there was little she could do about it.

"I'll have a talk with Cinder tonight when I pick up Lulu. See if I can get her to tell me what Daddy's been up to. And if Cinder won't tell me, I'm sure Lucy will. Provided I bribe her with enough sweets!" Charity giggled. "Until then, let's just try to enjoy dinner tonight and not worry too much about it, okay?" She turned and gave Dianna a big kiss on the cheek, before freeing an arm and saluting. "I'll have a full report ready by the time you get home tomorrow!" Charity giggled again, dropping her arm, which somehow found its way back around Dianna's.

Charity looked to Dianna with a contented smile. "So, how have things been at the embassy these past months? Are trade negotiations and all that proceeding smoothly?"

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

Charity pouted as Diana pulled her hand away. Her first physical contact with her girlfriend in months, and it was over already. The pouting was short lived however, and her expression shifted to worry as Dianna stood and looked down at her. Charity steeled herself, knowing what was coming next - A long, stern talk of some sort. Would it be because she had disappeared for such a long time with hardly a word? Or was it going to be for being a awful mother and abandoning Lucy? It felt as if there were at least a thousand different reasons Dianna could be upset. Leaning back slightly, she tensed dreading what was coming next.

A muffled cry escaped from her lips. In place of the harsh reprimand, she had been expecting to receive, Dianna instead leaned down to hug her tightly with a long unbroken kiss. Charity returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around Dianna's waist and pulling her even closer. She allowed herself to melt into the pleasant warmth of Dianna's love. But like the hand holding, the moment was over far too quickly. "I'm SO glad to be back!" Charity looked up at Diana lovingly. "Can't even begin to tell you how much I missed you!"


Charity took Dianna's offered arm without hesitation, hugging it to her chest and taking Dianna's hand. As they walked Charity moved closer and closer until she was glued to the knight's side. For a second, she wondered if she was being too clingy, but shrugged, knowing Dianna would let her know if she wanted more space.

A sharp pang of guilt stabbed Charity's heart hearing Dianna speak about Lucy. "Well I'm glad she gets to see one of us..." Charity hung her head shamefully. "Thank you for keeping an eye on her. Cinder has the patience of a saint, but I know how that brat can be. It's no wonder Lu was acting out. Musta thought I had abandoned her..." Charity of all people knew the worry and pain of being abandoned. "Hey, as soon as you have a day free, we should do something together as a family. I know it won't make things right with you or Lucy, but it's a good place to start..."

Dianna strode stoically forward with Charity clinging tightly to her arm. And at her suggestion Dianna smiled with relief at Charity's thoughtfulness to the new family she had.
"I think that's a good idea, next week when I have time off, we should do something together!"
As much as she didn't want Charity to feel obligated or forced into it, she felt a selfish amount of indignation herself that was brought on by the distance and lack of communication. She did feel owed a little bit of one-on-one time with Charity.

The second Dianna had taken a seat next to her, Charity resumed hugging her arm. She knew she was definitely being clingy now, but she couldn't help herself after being away from Dianna for so long.

Charity wasn't any more pleased with the news of her father visiting Lucy than Dianna was. As far as she could tell, Amadeus had spent the entirety of the last few months at the archives. Had he sent a clone to begin the task of instilling his influence in the young girl? If he had, Charity was going to have some strong words for him.

Unbeknownst to Dianna, Charity had tried to make a deal with her father upon taking in Lucinda. Charity had laid a claim on her and her future. Amadeus was to stay out of Lucy's life until she was old enough to make her own choices, save for grandfatherly duties. Charity's long term goal was to keep her newfound daughter out of the family and their affairs. She would teach Lucy the tricks of her trade, hopefully leaving her as an independent woman free from the Greywoods, her only tie to them being by name alone. If all else failed, she would try to bring Lucy into her gang where she could keep an eye on her. That was her plan, but Amadeus seemed to have something else in mind.

Charity wished with all her heart that she could talk to Dianna about the other side of Lucy's life and get some sort of recommendation of steps that should be taken. Dianna's strong maternal instincts were a godsend to Charity as her own were half baked at best, and she always seemed to know exactly what needed to be done. But at the same time, Charity knew she couldn't breathe a word of the current situation to Dianna. The more she knew about family affairs, the more Charity's sisters and others in the criminal world would target her. She loathed having to keep such a large part of herself and her life away from Dianna but there was little she could do about it.

"I'll have a talk with Cinder tonight when I pick up Lulu. See if I can get her to tell me what Daddy's been up to. And if Cinder won't tell me, I'm sure Lucy will. Provided I bribe her with enough sweets!" Charity giggled. "Until then, let's just try to enjoy dinner tonight and not worry too much about it, okay?"

Dianna grunted her agreement as Charity related her plan to bribe Lucy. But not worrying about dinner tonight was a tall order, Dianna was already mentally preparing herself for the absolute worse even as she tried to soak up these moments with Charity. Charity clung to Dianna, and Dianna held onto Charity like she had just found one of her comrades wounded somewhere in the woods after being missing for months, and they were waiting for the Cleric while hiding from enemies.

That was the image in her head at least. Her brain was in tactical mode, attempting to assess the upcoming situation where she had little to no information.
She was entering a social battlefield, something her stepmother had wanted to prepare her for, but for all the wrong reasons. She was meeting someone who was likely one of the most powerful men in the Allirian underworld, and his wife who she knew almost nothing about but was likely equally as dangerous. What was more, she was going in with one squad member and no backup, the possible daughter of a crime boss who she HOPED wouldn't have her loyalties swayed in the middle of battle, Charity clearly doted on her mother and was very fond of her, but Dianna and Charity were building something together and she hoped that not even her mother would be able to pull them apart.

She turned and gave Dianna a big kiss on the cheek, before freeing an arm and saluting. "I'll have a full report ready by the time you get home tomorrow!" Charity giggled again, dropping her arm, which somehow found its way back around Dianna's.

Dianna chuckled and returned her salute.
"Welcome back, squire Charity. I expect it'll be an interesting report!"
Dianna laced her fingers together with Charity's and kissed the back of her hand as they sat and waited for the carriage. She supposed that they were meant to change clothes in the carriage when it arrived to take them to their destination.

She shook her head, as if clearing it of her war thoughts, and she turned Charity's face to hers and gave her another long and passionate kiss... It had been a while, and Dianna had missed her deeply. She wanted to go home and take Charity to bed, but the night wasn't over yet so she took what little she could get before she went to war in the proverbial sense.

Charity looked to Dianna with a contented smile. "So, how have things been at the embassy these past months? Are trade negotiations and all that proceeding smoothly?"

Dianna nodded.
"As far as I'm able to reveal, negotiations are still underway... Things are developing in an unexpected direction. Our original goal for this embassy was to establish mutually beneficial terms and agreements, but with the situation in Mardania our original orders are being contradicted by our new orders, so the ambassador is in an incredibly awkward situation at the moment."

No word still on the missing princess. The man in charge of policy was now demanding that the ambassador make harsher demands of the Merchant Council that more heavily favor Mardania... The Ambassador and the knights here, including Dianna, were in a very difficult position of whether they prioritize their original orders from the princess or obey the new orders coming down the line from the incompetent who now has authority in Mardania.
If the princess isn't found sometime soon, Dianna's time as a knight could be limited.

Dianna thought about what might happen to her if the Knight Paladins were disbanded. The knights ostensibly were loyal to the crown, but the major royal company of knights were directly loyal and subordinate to the princess.
If there was a violent takeover, any knights captured would be executed one way or another. If they were ordered to stand down and disband the possibility of a similar outcome was low but not zero. If the princess turned up at some point whoever had risen to power wouldn't want her to have any skilled subordinates who could support her in retaking the kingdom.

Best case scenario, she'd be allowed to settle down here with Charity and simply fade out of the Mardanian scene until her liege returned... If ever.
Dianna thought all of this with a distant stare across the street, her grip on Charity's hand steadily getting tighter the more intense her thoughts became before she returned to reality and consciously relaxed her grip.
"Sorry..." She apologized.
"It's not been any easy time... I understand why you had to leave, but things were harder without you there."

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Best case scenario, she'd be allowed to settle down here with Charity and simply fade out of the Mardanian scene until her liege returned... If ever.
Dianna thought all of this with a distant stare across the street, her grip on Charity's hand steadily getting tighter the more intense her thoughts became before she returned to reality and consciously relaxed her grip.
"Sorry..." She apologized.
"It's not been any easy time... I understand why you had to leave, but things were harder without you there."

Charity grit her teeth as Dianna's powerful grip felt like it had begun to crush her hand. She wanted to complain or give Dianna some hint that she was hurting her, but part of her felt like she somewhat deserved it. Was Dianna worrying about work again? She only ever seemed to get that far away look in her eyes when contemplating the future of her work or homeland. Truthfully, it was something that Charity worried about as well. If something were to happen to the embassy, or Dianna was called home, what would become of everything they had built?

Charity breathed a silent sigh of relief with Dianna's hand relaxing around her own. "It's okay! Really!" She looked at Dianna with a small smile. Charity felt a bit guilty that Dianna thought that she had to leave to tend to her mother. She didn't have to leave, she had chosen to leave. In all honesty, Charity knew that Cleo would notify her the second her mother awoke, leaving her with an ample amount of time to spend with the two most important people in her life.

She reached up to cup Dianna's cheek, gently stroking her cheek with her thumb and pulling her in for a deep kiss. "I'm so sorry for suddenly leaving you like that. I realize how hard it must've been for you." Dianna tended to be a worrywart, and Charity was sure her disappearance only caused the knight all the more worry. And she often forgot just how stressful Dianna's work was. It wasn't just being a soldier, she also always had a mountain of other things that needed attending to. She turned to look Dianna in the eye. "Dianna, I promise you that from now on, I'll never disappear again. It's not worth the trouble it causes or the misery of missing you." Charity hung her head in shame until an idea to begin rectifying the situation popped into her mind.

Charity pulled Dianna in for a kiss once more, this time with smoldering passion. Her lips lingered on Dianna's for a few fleeting moments before slowly traveling over to her cheek, down her neck, and ever so slowly back up towards her ear. "Hmm... Let me make it up to you?" Charity suggested, her voice soft and breathy in Dianna's ear. "Soon as Lucy's asleep tonight, I'm all yours, so do with me what you will!" She knew that her offer was nowhere near enough to compensate Dianna for all the time they had missed together, or for the trouble she had caused her, but it was the best she could do for tonight.

Charity moved to lean against Dianna's shoulder. "'Sides from that, I'm open to any other suggestions you may have as well. Whatever you think will make up for the lost time and trouble, I'll do it! Even if it takes years, I will atone for my selfishness!"

She snuggled against Dianna as they went on to talk about various other things. Lucy and her misadventures, a bard doing a children's show that Dianna had taken Lucy to see, workplace drama and the like, scandals, the rise and fall of political figures... As they spoke, it dawned on Charity just how isolated from the world she had really been in the archives. She couldn't wait to reconnect with her sisters and hear their stories as well!

Before too long, a carriage built out of dark wood and pulled by a soot black horse pulled up in front of them. Charity immediately recognized it and the rose motif that decorated the bottom edge. The personal carriage of one Amadeus Greywood. No! It was too soon!Charity didn't want to go to dinner yet! She needed more time with Dianna!

The carriage door swung open silently and a pale woman with short black hair stepped out, and folding her hands in front of herself. "Miss Briarthorne," the demon's speech was as polite and formal as always, "I have come to bring you to dinner at your parents' behest." Charity groaned and detached herself from Dianna, before standing, grumbling to herself the entire time. She sighed before turning to offer her hand to Dianna with a loving smile. "Lady Calcutte, if you would be so kind as to let me escort you?"

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

Charity grit her teeth as Dianna's powerful grip felt like it had begun to crush her hand. She wanted to complain or give Dianna some hint that she was hurting her, but part of her felt like she somewhat deserved it. Was Dianna worrying about work again? She only ever seemed to get that far away look in her eyes when contemplating the future of her work or homeland. Truthfully, it was something that Charity worried about as well. If something were to happen to the embassy, or Dianna was called home, what would become of everything they had built?

Charity breathed a silent sigh of relief with Dianna's hand relaxing around her own. "It's okay! Really!" She looked at Dianna with a small smile. Charity felt a bit guilty that Dianna thought that she had to leave to tend to her mother. She didn't have to leave, she had chosen to leave. In all honesty, Charity knew that Cleo would notify her the second her mother awoke, leaving her with an ample amount of time to spend with the two most important people in her life.

She reached up to cup Dianna's cheek, gently stroking her cheek with her thumb and pulling her in for a deep kiss. "I'm so sorry for suddenly leaving you like that. I realize how hard it must've been for you." Dianna tended to be a worrywart, and Charity was sure her disappearance only caused the knight all the more worry. And she often forgot just how stressful Dianna's work was. It wasn't just being a soldier, she also always had a mountain of other things that needed attending to. She turned to look Dianna in the eye. "Dianna, I promise you that from now on, I'll never disappear again. It's not worth the trouble it causes or the misery of missing you." Charity hung her head in shame until an idea to begin rectifying the situation popped into her mind.

Dianna closed her eyes and sighed into the kiss. She ached for her, it had been so long, and they hadn't been able to enjoy each other's company, Dianna was stressed, and no doubt was stiff in more ways than one. To be able to relax with Charity again filled her with anticipation.
She opened her eyes as Charity apologized and gently shook her head.
"No, Charity. Your family is important, and I don't want to cut you off from them. If you're going to make me a promise, simply promise that you won't keep me or Lucy in the dark again... Can you do that for me?"

Charity pulled Dianna in for a kiss once more, this time with smoldering passion. Her lips lingered on Dianna's for a few fleeting moments before slowly traveling over to her cheek, down her neck, and ever so slowly back up towards her ear. "Hmm... Let me make it up to you?" Charity suggested, her voice soft and breathy in Dianna's ear. "Soon as Lucy's asleep tonight, I'm all yours, so do with me what you will!" She knew that her offer was nowhere near enough to compensate Dianna for all the time they had missed together, or for the trouble she had caused her, but it was the best she could do for tonight.

Dianna met her impassioned kiss with a low, aching groan that betrayed her deeply felt need for Charity, her hands slid around Charity's waist and gripped the fabric of her shirt briefly before she smoothed it down again.
She let out a gasp and tilted her head back when Charity moved to her neck... And when she came up and made her offer Dianna grinned.
"I am satisfied with that arrangement. It will be a good first step in making it up to me!"

Charity moved to lean against Dianna's shoulder. "'Sides from that, I'm open to any other suggestions you may have as well. Whatever you think will make up for the lost time and trouble, I'll do it! Even if it takes years, I will atone for my selfishness!"

Dianna rested her head on top of Charity's and ran her hand up and down Charity's arm.
She didn't want to be too demanding, using Charity's guilt against her, but she was feeling selfish after the extended neglect and felt entitled to a little bit of pampering as atonement.
"Just having you back has already made up for much... But I won't let you off that easily. I suspect that after tonight we'll have a lot to talk about, but we'll take things one at a time."

She snuggled against Dianna as they went on to talk about various other things. Lucy and her misadventures, a bard doing a children's show that Dianna had taken Lucy to see, workplace drama and the like, scandals, the rise and fall of political figures... As they spoke, it dawned on Charity just how isolated from the world she had really been in the archives. She couldn't wait to reconnect with her sisters and hear their stories as well!

Before too long, a carriage built out of dark wood and pulled by a soot black horse pulled up in front of them. Charity immediately recognized it and the rose motif that decorated the bottom edge. The personal carriage of one Amadeus Greywood. No! It was too soon! Charity didn't want to go to dinner yet! She needed more time with Dianna!

The carriage door swung open silently and a pale woman with short black hair stepped out, and folding her hands in front of herself. "Miss Briarthorne," the demon's speech was as polite and formal as always, "I have come to bring you to dinner at your parents' behest." Charity groaned and detached herself from Dianna, before standing, grumbling to herself the entire time. She sighed before turning to offer her hand to Dianna with a loving smile. "Lady Calcutte, if you would be so kind as to let me escort you?"

The carriage arrived and Charity was immediately alert, Dianna followed suit, once again putting her war face on.
This was it.
One way or another she was going to get answers tonight... She had to be ready for whatever came her way. She highly doubted this was a simple social event meeting her girlfriend's parents, not when it came to people like the Briarthornes.

Dianna wore a serious expression when the beautiful woman stepped out of the carriage and announced her orders to collect them.
She took a deep breath and stood with Charity as they released each other. She gave the dark-haired woman a polite bow as befitted a lady dressed in military uniform instead of a formal dress and was about to turn to Charity when Charity offered her hand first with an adoring smile and her offer to escort her.
Dianna's serious expression cracked, and she smiled back to her.
"Thank you, Lady Briarthorne."
She accepted Charity's hand and let herself be helped into the carriage where she saw two dresses situated for them to change into.

Dianna remained silent during the carriage ride, except to help Charity into her dress. She changed into the extravagant and complex dress she was provided without complaint or difficulty and then went back to her serious thoughts.
Lich or not, she had to hold her ground with her mother.
Criminal or not, she had to prove herself to her father.

If she failed, while she might not lose Charity, she might lose her life or lose something else she's not willing to give up. She had many things to lose in this battle and nothing she could take... What would constitute a victory for her?
Gaining the trust of Charity's parents would be a good victory condition.
If she could show them that she was loyal to their daughter, if not them, perhaps they might look more favorably on her...
Dianna had a distant look on her face again as she contemplated her options.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

She opened her eyes as Charity apologized and gently shook her head.
"No, Charity. Your family is important, and I don't want to cut you off from them. If you're going to make me a promise, simply promise that you won't keep me or Lucy in the dark again... Can you do that for me?"

"You have my word Dianna!" Charity squeezed her hand gently. "I promise that you and Lulu will always know what is going on!"

"Thank you, Lady Briarthorne."
She accepted Charity's hand and let herself be helped into the carriage where she saw two dresses situated for them to change into.

Charity snorted in laughter at Dianna's words. Lady Briarthorne? Anybody who thought she was a lady in any sense of the word was sorely mistaken. She led Dianna to the carriage, laying a hand on her back for support as she stepped up into the carriage.

Charity, unsurprisingly, was less than thrilled upon discovering what Cleo's idea of "ladylike attire" was. She had, of course, thrown a fit, initially refusing to even entertain the idea of putting on a dress. Charity argued back and forth with Cleo on the matter. What if she had to run away? What if a fight broke out and she had to fight along with her sisters? And what would the other sisters think? Their tomboyish baby sister forced to wear a dress? They would never stop teasing her about it!

And there was certainly no way she was wearing the shoes Cleo had picked out! Heels? Really? Was Cleo trying to make her night more difficult? Charity knew she would have no trouble walking in them, it was just the principle of the matter to her.

As their argument was reaching a crescendo, Dianna stepped in. Her words were simple but effective, instantly silencing any further complaints Charity might have had. She thinks I would look beautiful in the dress? Did Dianna really mean that? Charity's face flushed a deep red and she fell silent. After a moment, she loudly announced that she was only agreeing to wear the dress because Dianna thought it would look nice on her.

She took her time undressing hoping to delay the inevitable. The dress was simple and practical with no frills, the only decoration was a ribbon tied in a bow around the waist. It also made her chest appear a bit bigger, which Charity was all for. She fidgeted as Dianna laced the back and tied it. Charity breathed a sigh of relief.

Charity watched Dianna like a hawk as she changed. She drank in her beautiful form, everything from her fantastic curves, to the steely muscles rippling underneath. Her eyes widened in amazement as Dianna deftly fastened the hidden buttons and hooks of the dress wondering how she knew where they all were.

They sat in silence afterwards, Charity sitting with crossed arms and wearing a scowl, still upset about the dress. Dianna on the other hand, appeared to be deep in thought. Was she worried about what might happen at dinner? Charity glanced over at her and frowned. She already knew the outcome of the night's battle, but didn't have the heart to tell Dianna. Charity took Dianna's hand and squeezed it reassuringly, though she doubted it actually did much good.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

Jexa approached as Gwen watched Amadeus take his place at the table. Across from her for the time being, to gauge her face while they spoke alone no doubt, but when the guests arrived he would undoubtedly sit next to her. Jexa whispered Charity and her significant other would be arriving soon.

She sighed.

That was good. After so long apart, any time with Charity not directly in her line of sight was agitating.

Gwen suspected that this irking would persist for some time, but had no doubt it would eventually subside.

Charity had mentioned children in her life after all.

Gwen was sure the couple wouldn’t mind a babysitter when she could manage… She took a sip of her wine and gave a grateful sigh. She had missed this.

“You look nice..” She said reassuringly. A genuine compliment said in a tone of voice she would use when speaking to him before a big business move was to be made.

A wave of her hand magically tidying his attire in small ways only the elves eyes could see.

Just how she used to. “I appreciate this night. I know it’s rushed, but until I know the woman who my daughter is so smitten..I will not rest and truly recuperate..” She explained to him bluntly.

A petty reason to be sure, but the truth. An understandable truth at that.

She took another sip of wine and snapped her fingers.

The server seemed to appear from the shadows and presented her a pipe and a few selections. She made her choice with an appreciative nod.

Filling the pipe before stretching her thumb and pointer finger over it with her free hand. An arc of electricity jumped between her finger tips igniting her pipe.

After a long inhale she exhaled a fragrant plume of deep blue smoke. She sighed. Taking another toke, before handing it back to the server and dismissing them.

“So who is she?” She asked with a smirk. Knowing he would know everything she would want to. Everything she needed to exert her dominance.

This woman was to love her daughter? She would need to prove her mettle to her mother.

The information broker would listen quietly to Amadeus’s response.

Making mental notes here and there.

And they would make pleasant conversation until the carriage arrived. Gwen would ensure she was sat regally.

Her cloudy grey eyes relaxed as ever giving off the usual appearance of her being almost blissfully naive, even warm and kind of not a bit airheaded.

Though for most her sharp wit and imposing mind usually dashed any such illusion mere moments after it was formed. This was something that normally only really worked on nobles with no knowledge of violence.

Many warriors felt off around Gwen. Her appearance and demeanor not matching the feeling they got off of her. Like they were in the shadow of a reaper every time she entered a room.

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

Jexa approached as Gwen watched Amadeus take his place at the table. Across from her for the time being, to gauge her face while they spoke alone no doubt, but when the guests arrived he would undoubtedly sit next to her. Jexa whispered Charity and her significant other would be arriving soon.

She sighed.

That was good. After so long apart, any time with Charity not directly in her line of sight was agitating.

Gwen suspected that this irking would persist for some time, but had no doubt it would eventually subside.

Charity had mentioned children in her life after all.

Gwen was sure the couple wouldn’t mind a babysitter when she could manage… She took a sip of her wine and gave a grateful sigh. She had missed this.

“You look nice..” She said reassuringly. A genuine compliment said in a tone of voice she would use when speaking to him before a big business move was to be made.

A wave of her hand magically tidying his attire in small ways only the elves eyes could see.

The second a word passed her lips Gilgamesh was already thinking at a million TPS (Thoughts Per Second) dedicated wholly to overanalyzing the simple compliment.
He caught himself tensing when her magic reached out to adjust his clothes, as if prepared to ward off an attack.

"You look nice..." A trail off sentence, a compliment to his taste, a style that he's only changed in subtle ways to give his disguise an organic and believable depth. She's seen him in this exact suit on a thousand occasions over the centuries.
And the trail off, an incomplete thought that could go a thousand different and unexpected ways... If he simply operated on what he knew about her before then he could surmise that if she completed that thought it would probably lead into a second compliment or a constructive observation.

But he didn't believe he could rely on that knowledge any longer... Too much has changed, especially between the moment he betrayed her an now.
Did she forget?
... Or...
Did she finally forgive?

Just how she used to. “I appreciate this night. I know it’s rushed, but until I know the woman with whom my daughter is so smitten..I will not rest and truly recuperate..” She explained to him bluntly.

He nodded to her.
"I understand. I've not met her myself, but I know everything about her that is documented and publicly observed."

A petty reason to be sure, but the truth. An understandable truth at that.

She took another sip of wine and snapped her fingers.

The server seemed to appear from the shadows and presented her a pipe and a few selections. She made her choice with an appreciative nod.

Filling the pipe before stretching her thumb and pointer finger over it with her free hand. An arc of electricity jumped between her finger tips igniting her pipe.

After a long inhale she exhaled a fragrant plume of deep blue smoke. She sighed. Taking another toke, before handing it back to the server and dismissing them.

“So who is she?” She asked with a smirk. Knowing he would know everything she would want to. Everything she needed to exert her dominance.

This woman was to love her daughter? She would need to prove her mettle to her mother.

The information broker would listen quietly to Amadeus’s response.

Making mental notes here and there.

Gilgamesh visibly relaxed. His overanalysis turned up nothing that would warrant his concern. The best case scenario seemed to be playing out in front of him, at some point he had to swallow his paranoia and accept the facts before him.

Deep in the deceptive webs of his soul, hidden from even himself, his heart leapt for joy!
"Her name is Dianna Calcutte. The daughter of a noble house in the foreign nation of Mardania. She's here in the service of her sovereign to protect an ambassador. She belongs to an elite order of knights that call themselves the Knight Paladins of Mardus, which is the name of their capital city and a nod to their patriotic sensibilities..."

He punctuated that initial report by taking a sip of the drink that had gone unnoticed till now.
The subject of the Calcutte girl was often on his mind when he wasn't hunting for Gwen's killer or tracking down his armory.
Normally such a person would have escaped his notice as irrelevant... He never imagined that Charity, of all of their daughters, would have fallen for someone like her.

Charity's depravity was something he nurtured, and even Gwendolyn saw no issue with the callous way they used others for carnal pleasure. Her lack of attachment was an asset, and he used her unwavering devotion efficiently... But now her heart was divided, and it was due to that insufferable girl corrupting Charity to a moral way of life.
At this point he couldn't rely on Charity the way he did in the past, but he was unwilling to cut her loose and turn his attention to her other sisters that were still fully devoted to him.

Charity was strong in ways the others weren't, she was special in that way so he was unwilling to let her current power and future potential go to waste.
She would still obey, but it was clear that her heart wasn't in it and every time she kicked in someone's kneecaps for not paying on time it was clear that she was conflicted.
He could imagine her thoughts lingered on that golden haired paladin and what she might think if she saw Charity in that moment.

He set his cup down and continued.
"... Her family disapproves of her enlistment with the Paladins, but she's served her country loyally for several years now. She works days and nights at the Mardanian embassy but still finds time to spend with Charity and their adopted dependent, Lucy daughter of Eilerias.
They live in a small apartment in the middle residential district.
Lady Calcutte working at the embassy and Charity working to provide in her own way.
Lady Calcutte is a decorated soldier, a captain and leader of a number of other knights, but also trained in the ways of nobility as a knight who serves in an official capacity for her sovereign."

Gilgamesh sighed as he concluded the summary report, indicating for Gwen that he was clearly displeased about Dianna.
He sat a little straighter in his chair and set his jaw in determination.
"You should know foremost that I disapprove of their relationship. I know we've rarely seen eye to eye on how to raise the children, but this relationship has driven a wedge between us and Charity and divided her loyalties.
Lady Calcutte has been a clear and dangerous influence on Charity that is slowly turning her heart against us, particularly, her sisters and myself."

He let his piercing gaze linger on Gwendolyn's eyes, watching her reaction.
"Because of this, our daughters have sensed my irritation and sought to kill this girl, but Charity has protected her thus far and in order to focus on smoking out our enemies, and then to focus on saving you, I have deferred to her decision until now and allowed her to defy me."

Regardless of how Gwendolyn reacted he let himself relax in his seat again, and his eyes which held a hard edge a moment ago, now were getting lost in the ocean of her eyes.
"If you do not agree with my assessment on this matter, I will not ask you to take my side. I've been bereft of your council until now, if anyone has a chance to sway me to support this relationship, I imagine it would be you. But the way I see it now, the longer their relationship goes on, the more pain there will be when it ends."

And they would make pleasant conversation until the carriage arrived. Gwen would ensure she was sat regally.

Her cloudy grey eyes relaxed as ever giving off the usual appearance of her being almost blissfully naive, even warm and kind of not a bit airheaded.

Though for most her sharp wit and imposing mind usually dashed any such illusion mere moments after it was formed. This was something that normally only really worked on nobles with no knowledge of violence.

Many warriors felt off around Gwen. Her appearance and demeanor not matching the feeling they got off of her. Like they were in the shadow of a reaper every time she entered a room.

After business was done they simply had each other's company to enjoy, and Gilgamesh intended to absorb every instant of it.
He avoided the topic of Angelica and instead told Gwen about her other daughters and how they were doing while she was gone, and how all of them are eager to see her again.

With each passing minute he became more at ease around her, less guarded and willing to accept that this was how Gwendolyn chose to return, as the matriarch of their little family... But there was a question that plainly lingered at the forefront of his mind, and that was whether or not she wanted to become more than that to him.