The ride back from the gravesite empty handed had not been fun. Especially after Joseph had decided to make off with all of the alcohol they had and blaze a trail back without them. Surprisingly a good thing though. It had allowed the warlock to think without having to worry about sharing his ideas of how to give Mal a heart.
Aside from that, Ellis had been a wonderful companion for keeping warm on cold nights and had been a welcome comfort with rewrapping his bandaging. They had bantered by camp fire, and rode at a varying pace to keep the horses from breaking.
Once they had come within a day or two of the house though,
Trahaearn had begun to try and reach out across that mental link that Mal had finally stumbled upon. When he reached out to her though, it was like yelling into the void. Not even his own voice seemed to echo back as he began to frantically think on all the bad possibles that could have happened.
She couldn't be dead or else he would be. She had used magick, enough to age him quite a bit which worried him greatly. Just what had she done that had needed so much magick?
He didn't try to think about it as the drew upon the house, his ire rising as he remembered that Volker had made himself known just shortly before they had left. If that shitbag had done anything to her and was waiting for them all to come back, the house would likely not be standing by the time Trahaearn was through with the other pact bound.
"God of Storms, here my plea as I pray to the that you would grant me the powers that you have so graciously given me these millennia to further protect those that I hold dear to my heart. That-" Trahaearn whispered as he pushed his mount into a hard gallop. He had to get there now. Had to see Mal and know Volker hadn't played some devious game to catch them all. Had to know how Mal was.
The world slipped away as he prayed quietly, finishing his prayer as he rode straight up to the porch and dismounted smoothly from the side. Lightning formed a crown above his head as his whole body churned with raw power. It fed him energy as he stormed quite literally into the house, his long white hair dancing as electricity arked from one strand of hair to the next. One of the brothers, Gerard he guessed moved to stop him, making the sad mistake of grabbing his arm as lightning danced into his body.
"
Move mortal." Trahaearn's voice bellowed with rage as the man dropped. The surge of energy enough to drop even any fae that he had ever tangled with. It had been one of the reason his close quarters fights had left him unscathed. Most never dared touch the warlock after he had cooked an attacker that had managed to take hold of him.
He took to the room that he had guessed they would put her in, Elda, the woman who had cared for him was with Mal. He stated at her for a long moment, his eyes not human as the blue energy within him began to
fade away with the sight of Mal on the bed.
"
What happened?" his voice was calm with her, as much as it could be with the rage still riding him.
Elda wasn't able to tell him everything that he had wanted to hear, and it wasn't shortly after he had come in that Joseph had found his way in also. Likely hearing the thundering hooves as he and Ellis had rode in. He had calmed, and the energy had dissipated after finding no other outlet than him. His nerves sang as the last few crackles tingled along his spine. It always came with a cost using his magic like that, he wouldn't be able to feel anything for the next few hours, but he had been prepared for a fight.
Always cautious, rather than dead had payed off in the past. Old men tended to be old for a reason after all. Especially in a business like he was in. Once the ill feelings were spent, grief took over as he learned just how bad Mal was.
The question of why he looked as he did came up, and he gave as much an explanation as he cared to give. About how his life was tied to hers, and that his aging was a terrible sign. He shook his head, unable to will away the tears that began to well up at the thought of her dying now. At how much effort had been wasted on the venture to Selmi's grave.
Once those emotions were spent, he left the room, finding Gerard to apologize and explain himself. Thinking that Volker was playing some game had thrown him into a fit, and until he had known it was her own doing, no one was going to stop him. With that settled, he set off to find Mal's belongings silently.
He hadn't seen her bury the item he was after, and he very much doubted she would idly toss it aside as a mortal would. So the damned thing was likely still-AHA! As he had thought, the oak leaf was delicately set into her bag. Pocketing the bundle, he thought about his next course of action and avoided Volker as best he could.
His preparations nearly complete, he bid Ellis good night and informed him that he would be resting later. Telling the man he felt restless and wanted to stay up a bit longer, he waited for everyone to leave the kitchen as he nursed a finger of human whiskey. The burn felt good, but it was no where near potent enough to inhibit the task before him.
Leaving the house, he found a chicken and ended it's life quickly. A small knife working it's way quickly into the body and separating the heart from it as he wrapped it in a bundle of cloth before pocketing it as well.
Volker kept a watch of him as he traveled the yard, entering the house once more and listening. Small movements, most denoting restless movements in bed or preparations for bed. Waiting a few more minutes, his steps were deathly quiet for someone as warmly dressed as he was. He listened intently for any sign that Joseph was still awake.
Hearing none, he stepped into the room he was in with Mal, and approached him first. Summoning the last magick that was available to him, he cast a heavy sleep spell over the man, hoping it would give him enough time for what was to come.
He gave the silver skinned woman he loved a once over. She looked peaceful to him, even with the belly she now had. He despaired for a moment to think that she was so close to death, and that he had so little time to act as he scooped her up and strode out of the room. He did his best to bundle her up to ward off the cold, but he needed to act quickly and did not have a lot of time to spare. Carefully ducking in and out, he was quickly upon the porch as Volker approached him.
He gave the man a stern look, feeling the bond that tied them to the woman he held, before looking down at the bundle he had in his arms. She had been an idiot for doing such a thing as making a pact with Volker, but it would benefit her later to have a man such as he in her service.
"I'm getting her a heart. I need you to make sure no one follows us from the house. Non lethal means of making sure they all stay put, and no permanently disabling injuries. We'll be back when it's done. Keep an eye to the north." He informed him before beginning his walk.
It was a cold journey, even with all the layers, and would have been a lot easier if he could have just drug her as a dog. As it was, he kept the majority of the layers to the outside, pressing her body close to him to try and keep her warm.
The thrumming he felt was at it's strongest as he laid her out in the snow. Pulling the bundles out of his pocket, he set the oak leaf on her chest before placing the heart on top of it. He was silently praying to any god that this would work as he took a steadying breath.
"
Alba, Alba, Alba." Trahaearn spoke almost like a chant, his knees against the cold ground as he sat back on his heels and waited. He didn't know just how close the spirit was, and didn't have any idea if it would even appear in time to help. His worry was eating at him as he waited, his focus almost entirely upon the woman before him.
