Private Tales Long Days of Rest

[Cassidy Ackerson]

Two months after the conclusion of 'The Far Fallen'

A modest home, sitting amongst the fields just a day's travel north of Dornoch.

​

"Come on, Mar. She's already gonna kill us for being so late."

The sound of a purring cat was drowned out by the thud of heavy bags hitting the grass outside of the house tucked in neatly amongst the trees in a hilly expanse of land just off the beaten path to the massive city of Dornoch.

In contrast to the busy hustle and bustle of The Erdeniin Capital, or the once-floating city of magic that the home's owner had just come from months prior, this patch of land was a slice of heaven baked by sunlight and surrounded by nothing but blue skies and fertile soil.

Cassidy Ackerson had come from money, privilege, and nobility. The red-haired and bearded man who now stood dirty and shirtless underneath the sweltering sun of a looming summer had been raised on powdered faces and tailor-made suits.

The greatest seer in all of Arethil couldn't have predicted the path his life would take, the betrayal he'd face, the trials that would push him to his limits, or the light that would save him in the end. Likewise, if you'd told Ackerson he'd end up settling down with a slave girl from Elbion, stealing a boatful of money and buying a plot of land for the two of them to live out their days together?

He'd probably think you a couple warts short of a witch.

And yet, here he was, standing outside of the home he'd used a part of their haul to buy for himself, and the woman that had turned his entire life upside-down in only a couple days' time. Beside him, the bags of fruit and fresh caught fish from the nearby shore sat leaning against the stone brick doorframe. Mar clawed at the door impatiently, no doubt eager to return to Neith's side and curl up as she was so often want to do.

Neith.

The now ex-mercenary felt his chest fill up with warmth at just the thought of her, a smile that he couldn't hold back even if he wanted to split his face as he brought his hand to his forehead, attempting to wipe some of the grime from it as if it was going to make him any more presentable.

Wrapping a hand around the mouth of the bags of food beside the door again, he pushes it open and enters the quaint home, the warmth of the sitting room just behind the front door putting him at ease almost instantly.

Setting the food beside the dimly glowing sword leaning beside the fireplace, Cassidy stretches his arms over his head with a yawn as Mar skitters off to find her favorite person. The glowing cat wasn't nearly as bright as she'd been a few months earlier, he'd noticed. Made sense... The fight with Cyrus had used up a lot of Damascus' magic...

But nobody had followed them here. There hadn't been hide or hair of Elbion drug-runners or his mother's bounty hunters since they'd moved in.

Cassidy prayed that it stayed that way. The last battle had already cost too much. Neith was managing, but the loss of her father had wounded her in a way that Cass wasn't sure would ever truly heal.

Speaking of...

"Nee! We're home!"

Spoiler

 

[Neith]

It was so quiet here that it almost didn't feel real. It had taken her some time to get used to, and even then, being alone in the house still brought her brief flutters of panic. The sound of the churning water helped, as did the little music box that now sat open and tinkling its tune on her dresser as she washed and dressed.
Neith had never been particularly pretty as far as fashion was concerned, but now she had an armoire full of soft summer dresses and shirts and tunics actually tailored to fit her. Had her family remained in Oban, she'd have been dressed in luxury her entire life, but instead she'd lived in the streets and wore anything dark in which she could best blend into the shadows of whatever alleyway she'd been told to lurk in.

The streets haunted her. They had done since the moment she'd set foot on that ship. She had lived through the worst of things, had several too may brushes with death and that life had left its marks on her skin and deeper. Whenever she found herself alone, it was difficult not to let it consume her. Cassidy made her happier than she thought possible, but this life was a dream that she feared so much that she'd one day wake up from. Another thing to slip through her fingers and that she did not deserve.

She'd poured herself a hot bath and allowed it to go cold as she had done several times now, opting instead to bath by the basin. Bathing with Cassidy was enjoyable, but on her own? That was another fear she'd hopefully learn to conquer. Another day.

The sound of the door caused her to jolt, her muscles acting on reflex and coiling, tightly bound to fight or flee, but the voice that greeted was quick to mollify her anxieties. She brushed her fingers through the dark waves of hair that sat about her shoulders and skimmed her hands over the soft fabric of the sage green dress that she wore, her cheeks and lips subtly stained with rose and her eyes with the faintest hint of charcoal.

Mar found her at their bedroom door and Neith collected the purring feline quickly into her arms, pressing a kiss into the fur of her cheek, keeping her coddled to her chest as she rushed downstairs.

"You're back!" she beamed at him, eager as always to be in his arms, as though it hadn't only been a few short hours since she'd last been there. "And you're late.." she murmured against his cheek as she kissed at it.

The house smelled of spices, which she'd put her knowledge of to good use and found she had quite the talent for cooking and baking. She wondered if it would ever not be strange and new to her, this domesticated life she'd found with a man who treated her like nothing else mattered, but she knew she'd never take a moment of it for granted.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

The smile that split Cassidy's face at being greeted by her couldn't have been matched by anybody, and he'd bet the rest of the money he had on that. Through all the hell he'd been through, all the sleepless nights and near-brushes with death, the last few months had him convinced he would do it all over again if it meant keeping what he had now. Neith, despite the irregular way in which they'd come together, brought a sense of normalcy to his life that he hadn't been gifted with since he'd been run out of Oban.

He felt like a man living a regular life with the woman he'd fallen in love with.

Still, as the sage-robed woman fell into his arms and pressed her lips to his cheek, he knew that the life they were sharing was not infallible. The stability they both sought so desperately wasn't truly theirs yet. Neith had scars; not only physical, but mental from a life that had treated her so wrong. Cassidy had looming demons, a family of nobles that still yearned for his head on a pike just on the other side of the Allirian Strait, and a violent lust for revenge against them that he sometimes struggled to keep in check.

So far, though, the feelings they'd found for one another in Elbion had been unyielding enough to get them through any trials they'd faced. Already this new home was filled with love, and after the peck on his cheek, Cass turned his head to press one firmly to her lips, squeezing her snugly as he murmured back to her. "I know, I know... Lost track of time out there, but I got us a good haul." Cassidy paused, sniffing the air. "Gods, love. Dunno what smells better, you or dinner. Guess I missed the bath then."

Neith seemed to have an aversion to bathing alone. Cassidy hadn't pressed her on it, but then it usually wasn't a problem. Keeping her company usually made for a good excuse to 'bond' anyways, not that they ever needed one. Shaking his head, he places one last kiss on the bridge of her nose before pulling away. "I'll have to make that up to you later, but while you're looking incredible, I probably smell like a barn right now, and I doubt I look much better."

Wiping the sweat once more from his brow, he looked towards direction of the bath as Mar pawed playfully at Neith's chin from her spot in her arms.

"Lemme go scrub up while you finish grub. Something interesting happened today I think you should hear about, but I wanna talk over dinner."

 

[Neith]

The house was immediately more home the moment he walked back through its door. The silence would still be silence with him upstairs, but it was no longer hollow and empty. If any one moment in time had anchored her soul, creating a tether to this plane of reality, it was the moment she fell in love with Cassidy. She realised that she had a protector born of pure love, and how could she not love that? How could she not love all that he was? For so long she had been so lost, and now he had bound her, safe in mooring. For that, she would ever be his.

She accepted each kiss and let every second linger whilst his arms were around her. She beamed at him, though there was a fleeting falter in her smile as he mentioned the bath.. "It might be a cold one by now.." she cleared her throat with a smirk. She lifted her hand to his face, her brown eyes studying his face with no small amount of affection.

"You look as handsome as ever.." she assured him. He could never not be beautiful to her. Mar's playful pawing drew her attention from Cass and down to the feline purring loudly against her chest. Neith took the paw gently and pressed a kiss to it. "I missed you too." she smiled and stroked at her face as she gave a quick nod at Cassidy and wandered back into the kitchen.

"Interesting, hm?" she asked the feline with a quirk of her brow. "I hope you were both steering clear of any trouble.." she murmured, swaying in a gentle dance around the kitchen with Mar cradled like a child in her arms.

By the time Cassidy returned downstairs, two plates of food (and a small plate of fish) sat waiting for them on the table. Roasted potatoes and vegetables accompanied the fish he'd brought home, a sauce of butter, lemon and spices poured over the meat.

"So... What was this interesting thing that happened?.." Neith smirked as she sat and poured some wine for them both.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

If it were practical, Cass would have stood there in the hallway with her in his arms for the rest of time. There really wasn't anything better than having her close, having her lips against his, her hands on his skin. All things he was quickly becoming addicted to with every passing day they were given to him.

His condemnation to a chilly bath wasn't too much of a deal breaker, and he gave her a little smirk. "Never stopped me before, has it? Or you, for that matter." He winked and pulled away from her. "I'll be quick about it, don't think my stomach can wait too long." The smell of what was already cooking was driving him absolutely nutty, and he'd be double timing his clean-up for certain.

Cass stripped himself down once he was in the bathroom, leaning over the water basin for a moment to look over his reflection. He needed a shave, but he'd bulked up since Elbion. Who would have thought housework and hunting food was better for building muscle than killing for money?

A little chuckle came to him as he thought of the wanted posters he still saw posted around every now and then, showing a thin, powder-faced noble boy wearing a frilly blue coat. His own witch of a mother wouldn't recognize him now.

Stepping into the tub and sinking into the bath, Cass washed himself up in short enough order. The water was chilly, but far from frigid. It would have been nice if he'd have been on time to join Nee in the water-- they never had to worry about warmth when they were together-- but then he supposed they'd likely have to put dinner off for a short while too, knowing them.

Mar stayed with Neith as she finished, meowing happily in her arms as their meal was prepared, As of late it seemed that the two of them had bonded in a way not too dissimilar to Mar's bond with Cassidy. Which, strangely, was causing some odd changes in the blade the cat was attached to as well.

Cassidy hadn't spoken much on the changes in Mar; he didn't want to worry Nee, and he was fairly certain it was nothing to worry. Still, as he scrubbed himself in the waters a smile came to his face at the thought that what was left of his previous lover approved of the fact that he was making his best effort to move on and be happy with his life.

It was a struggle, but most things in life were.

When he was finished cleaning, he threw on an older pair of trousers and left the bathroom with the towel draped over his neck to hang down his chest. Sure enough, Neith had their food ready, and he wasted no time sliding into the seat across from her as she poured some...

"Wine, huh? Didn't know you were planning on that kind of night." He smirked, winking at his lover as he took a grateful sip of the drink, waiting for her to sit before he touched the food itself. "Mmh. That stuff was worth every coin... Oh, right." Cass licked his upper lip and set the glass down. To business, then...

"One of my old contacts managed to find where we are, sent along a message." Thankfully, said contact wasn't nearly as sketchy as Jimo, who Cass heard had been arrested since they'd left him snoozing. "Apparently, my mother just gave birth. I have a little brother, and the whole family is throwing a parade or some nonsense to celebrate the new heir. Imagine that, huh?"

Cass looked down at his food, taking a bite and making a happy little sound at just how damned it good it was. Still, the muttered addition was unavoidable.

"I'm getting reckless ideas, Nee. Now would be the right time to talk me out of 'em..."

 

[Neith]

Dark eyes dragged over his torso with a smirk of her own and a quirk of her brow that said something like 'as though we need wine..'

She sat, and had been in the process of lifting her own cup to her lips when he got to 'business' and the smile she wore fell apart, replaced by a look of panic. Her heart stumbled, and she listened as he went on but her head shook..

"I.. Sorry just, can we go back for a moment and discuss the part about someone knowing where we are?" she asked with urgency. "How? Who are they?.. You know there are still people who want us both dead and that information is pretty darn valuable.." she frowned. They couldn't trust anyone as far as she was concerned, and tongues were easily loosened by prospect of payment or pain.

She set her cup down and rubbed at her face. "I just want us to be safe, Cass. I just want peace with you.. But I won't be the one to hold you back from doing what you believe you have to do." He'd only resent her, like she'd resented her father..

"What.. Are those reckless ideas, exactly?.." she grimaced.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

Cass tensed a bit as Nee rightfully called him out for glossing over some rather important details of the story, and suddenly he seemed fascinated with the bite of food stuck to his fork. Ackerson was very much used to not having to explain himself when he held conversations, but Neith always held him accountable. Cassidy being the sucker for her that he was, he usually ended up spilling whatever beans he was holding on to.

It only took that little frown of hers to break him, and a sigh found his food before his lips did.

"Now... I didn't want you to freak out..."

The famous last words of many men.

"...A little while before we met, I got kidnapped up in the mountains by a gang of thieves. They were able to take me by surprise, got Damascus and Mar away from me and tied me up in some dank cave."

It had been a tight spot, and it hadn't looked good for Cass in terms of longevity. His rescue had come in a very unlikely form, and after a bite of his dinner, Cass leaned back in his seat and continues.

"Then I hear fighting outside the cave. Turns out these idiots were camped in gnoll territory." He figured Nee would have heard of the tribal, vaguely wolf-like creatures, famed for their ferocity and feared for their viciousness. "So the gnolls wipe all these guys out and start hauling them home for dinner, and then they find me. For whatever reason, their leader decides to let me come back to their camp to heal up and get a meal. Something other than bandit meat, thankfully."

He goes on, explaining how he'd helped in stopping a hostile invasion by a rival tribe during his brief stay, and had kept in contact with the tribe ever since, each sending correspondence when they came across something they thought the other should know about.

"I don't know how she found me, but Gahesznem is a crafty lady. I trust her."

Cassidy lifts up his wine and takes a long drink, his eyes never leaving Neith for long. It was strange... the topic of his family was always a little taboo to him, but Nee already knew so much, and she'd told Cassidy anything he'd asked of her own past. As long as it was in her presence, the weight of his memory felt... lighter.

Still, Mar seemed to shiver as Cass's thoughts turned back to his mother. The wine glass met the table again as he looked down at his half-empty plate.

"It's not like that, Nee. I would never give up what we have here for some petty revenge. It's just... I don't know. I shouldn't be shocked after what she already did, but..."

He shakes his head.

"They're really about to write me out of existence. Out of ever being an Ackerson. They're even having a parade to celebrate it. It hurts, Nee. A lot more than I thought it would."

 

[Neith]

Neith listened to his explanation without interruption, the swell of fear in her chest slowly contracted and she nodded with a tumbled sigh. If he trusted the gnoll, then she could only trust his judgement.

"No.. I'm sorry, I know you wouldn't.." she frowned with a grimace of guilt for questioning him. Neith reached across the table to take his hands in hers, offering a firm squeeze.

"You are the most important thing in my world, Cass.. If this is something that you need to do, then I won't stand in your way. I'll go with you." she smiled. "Besides. I would very much like to meet your mother.." she shrugged a shoulder.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

The pain that twisted Cassidy's face abated slightly as he heard her voice soften, and felt her delicate hand slide effortlessly over his own. He looked up from the table, offering a smile, far less forced than it would have been moments earlier. Neith knew the pain of familial matters more than anybody. Some part of him wondered if he was cruel for loathing his mother at the same time his lover mourned her father...

"Nee, the last few months have been heavenly. All I really want is to spend the rest of my days just like this, with you..."

A thought came to him. Suddenly, as though it had been there all along and only now revealed itself. His brows raised, and he slowly brought Nee's hands to his lips, placing soft kisses along the back of them before lowering them back to the surface of the table.

"My mother organized the killing of the last woman I felt this way about. I gotta admit, I'm scared of the idea that you could be in her anywhere near her. If she were to take you from me..."

A small shudder ran down his spine. No, he didn't want to imagine history repeating itself.

"If they want to erase me, I'll let them. Hell, it isn't like I've been a part of the family for years anyways. But there's something I left in that city that I want to go back for. Something really important."

 

[Neith]

Neith's smile warmed. He really had no idea what his words meant to her, to someone who's future had never be promised and was always bleak and shadowed. Now it shone clearly in his face, no matter what paths they took in this life, her future was him, and she belonged to someone. With someone.

It just so happened that the pain his mother had caused him was more than enough to have her loathe the woman as much as he did. His pain was her pain, and Neith understood his needs, and his fears. Her brow furrowed and her head shook gently.

"Cassidy Ackerson. Nobody can erase you.." she assured, but it pained her to think that he might hold that thought in his mind for even a moment longer. "I can look after myself. We look after each other. We're a team now... I'm with you, whatever you have to do. You'll never truly have peace in your mind if you don't face her, and i'll be at your side when you do."

Neith gave a firm nod. "So. When are we leaving?" she smirked.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

Gods be damned if she didn't know just what to say. The weak little smile grew into a full grin as he saw that little spark behind her eyes, the same one she'd gotten when they'd been up to no good back in Elbion. Sure, they'd settled down a little bit as of late, but at her core, Neith was a free-flying soul, just like him. He hadn't seen her turn down a spot of adventure and trouble yet.

"Fuckin' hell, like I couldn't love you more than I already do." He chuckled. It wasn't the most eloquent reply, but then he never claimed to be sophisticated. Not anymore anyways. One look of that fire in her eyes and he felt his own flame coming back to life just as effortlessly.

Even Mar began to glow with a brightness she hadn't had in quite some time.

Sitting back and finishing off the drink she'd poured him, he damn near purred as the warmth settled in his belly. Oban wasn't far, maybe a few days if they hooved it. He closed his eyes and mulled over the trip for a minute, before opening his eyes and taking another look at that absolute beauty sitting in front of him.

A devilish smirk crossed his lips.

"Mm... First thing in the morning. I have some making up to do tonight, and it'll be a lot easier with a warm bed."

 

[Neith]

Hm.. Neith smiled. She always thought she couldn't possibly love him any more than she already did, either, but then he'd often go and find ways to prove her wrong. Like right now, when he said that.

The smile she wore spread and cracked into a bright grin, and she laughed quietly at how he planned to make things up to her.. She sat back in her chair with a sigh and raised her cup of wine to him before she took a long sip, her smiling brown eyes still on his face as she drank. "Well.. That sounds like a good plan to me." her brow quirked.

--

And make it up to her he did. So well in fact that waking to the warmth of first light on her face was met with a disdainful groan, and she turned away from it to wrap her limbs around him, in case he had any thoughts of leaving their bed..

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

Cassidy too had been woken by the morning sun breaking through the window of their bedroom, but he hadn't seen fit to open his eyes until he felt the limbs of the naked woman beside him wrap around his body as though it was going to delay their departure.

Well... turning his head to look down at the beauty that had kept him warm all night, she certainly could convince him to stay a while longer without much of a fight. A smile came to his face as he brought one of his arms up behind her head, pulling her closer into his chest with a soft chuckle.

"Good morning, my love." He muttered to her softly, tilting his head down to pepper her temple, cheek and jaw with soft, feather-light kisses. His hand slid down her shoulder and arm, coming to rest on the bare flesh of her hip. If it were anything else, anything less important, staying here with her would be a no brainer. Who could say they had a creature as beautiful as this pleading for their company?

"You know..." he murmured, the fingers trailing across her hip sliding slowly back to rest on the swell of her backside before pressing into that soft flesh teasingly. "We stay in bed past noon and our productivity goes down the drain. We'll be late..."

 

[Neith]

She laughed quietly against his neck before rolling atop him, a sleepy smile on her lips as she pressed them to his. "We won't be late.." she promised in a whisper.. "That's plenty of time. We even have time for a bath and breakfast before then.." she grinned mischievously.

The next challenge was getting out of the bath, but as promised, there was still an hour left of the morning before a breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast was set out on the table with a pot of fresh tea. "How long do you anticipate this trip to take?" she asked as she lifted Mar from the table and hugged the feline to her chest.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

Any reservations Cassidy had about delaying further flew out the window rather quickly as she rolled over on top of him. Something about where her abdomen was pressing against his made a very convincing argument, and the hands he'd laid on her rear slid up the naked flesh of her back teasingly, his hips raising off of the mat to join her as a smirk grew on his lips. "Bold of you to talk about going to the bath before you finish what you just started..."

It took a bit longer than Cass had expected, but after a nice long bout of quality time and an admittedly lengthy soak, Cassidy was finally pulling on his clothes and headed to the kitchen to grab a bite before the trip. Mar padded after him, seemingly glowing a bit brighter than the night before.

"Mmh. Guess it's a good thing I've been growing this thing out." He spoke as he sat at the table, a hand running through the beginnings of a beard on his face. "This will be easier if they can't recognize me. I won't be the powder-faced well-groomed frill-sleeve they're used to." He smirked, wasting no time in shoveling one of the eggs into his mouth. She knew just how he liked them.

Her question gave him a little bit of pause, and he thought it over as he chewed. "Mmphwell..."

Swallowing, he finished, "That depends on where what I'm looking for is. There's a few places they could be keeping it, and some possibilities would be a lot tougher than others." While the temptation for vengeance on his Mother was very strong, he knew damned well that making a move against his ex-family would only put the life he'd started with Neith in jeopardy. It wasn't worth it.

But something there was.

"I'll need to poke around. Attend the parade for my little brother. Maybe snoop around my old digs. It's not gonna be the safest work, but I know I won't be alone."

Neith

 

[Neith]

Neith sat to eat (a little more delicately than Cassidy), and shared a few shreds of bacon with Mar as she listened to Cass explain. Her stomach twisted with anxiety and she sighed.. "No, of course you won't be alone. I just.. I have more to lose now. Promise me you won't be reckless...?" she asked carefully, sipping her tea.

"We go and find the thing then we get back home...Yes? What is the thing anyway?" she asked and crunched into a corner of toast.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

Cass knew he shouldn't smile at the request she made. Of course she was worried about him-- he'd be more worried if she wasn't. She also knew damned well that neither of them had a reputation for being cautious and careful. It was borderline blind luck either of them had gotten out of Elbion alive, and he didn't see this job going off without at least a bit of a fight.

At the same time... he wanted to put her at ease. Watching her worry over him was enough to make his heart sore.

"I promise to try. I'll do what I can to keep us as safe as possible. But it is Oban... If people find out about what you can do while you're in there, they'll be on top of us for it. Not to mention if they realize who I am..."

Honestly he couldn't say which would be worse... Hopefully they didn't have to worry about either. Surprisingly enough, it was her second question that seemed to be harder for him to respond to. He stiffened up a bit, taking another large bite of his eggs to stall a bit as his gaze flittered to Mar in her arms.

"It's... I can't really say. Not right now anyways." He said it like that wasn't going to make her even more curious. "But I promise you'll know when you need to."

 

[Neith]

Neith gave a gentle nod at his promise. She would never allow her fear to hold him back from doing something he deemed necessary, and a promise to try not to be reckless was all that she could ask of him. "Well.." she answered with a sigh and a shrug. "I suppose we'll just have to try and blend in then." she gave a small smile that faded when he claimed he couldn't tell her what he was looking for in the first place.

"Oh.." she frowned. Of course it made her more curious, but she didn't want to press the matter. She trusted him, and whatever he needed to retrieve from his family home clearly mattered to him enough to endanger himself over.

"Alright then." she nodded, taking the final bite of her breakfast. "Lets get going then." she smirked.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

Cass hated keeping secrets from her, but if he told her what it was he was looking for, she'd probably discourage him, or try to come up with some alternative. This was something he needed to do, though. Even with all the improvements he'd made to his life in the last few months... there was no closure to what had happened in Oban. There wouldn't be until he finished what he'd started.

Setting down his fork and stretching out in the chair a bit, he rolled his neck from side to side before standing to grab his coat. from the back of the seat it hung from. "The blending in part should be easy enough for you. It's been a lot longer since you've been around, I doubt anybody would recognize you now." He offered. The same could probably be said of the ex-noble himself, far gone from the prim and proper look he'd sported back then. Still, it'd only been a few years, and one of his close family members could still probably pick him out.

He needed to be careful about this.

Mar mewled and hopped from her spot to saunter after Cassidy as he took Damascus from it's place beside the fireplace and strapped it to his back. Despite their extra 'activities' this morning, they were making good time. The sun didn't give any indication it was even mid-day yet, it's rays still beaming through the east-facing windows of the house.

"Oh, by the way Nee. I had a question for you about your powers..." Cassidy was packing up the wagon with all the amenities they would need on their relatively short trip. It was a sturdy piece of work, well worth the money he'd shelled for it. The iron running along the side made it a lot less tempting for bandits to target-- they knew it would take a licking and they'd have to commit. Not that they would survive long against the duo on board anyways. "You siphon magic energy up, I've seen that firsthand...."

Whatever Cass was getting at, he spoke nonchalantly, as though the ability that Neith had been exploited over and used for constanstly was a total afterthought to him. Really, Cass didn't find it all that bizzare. He'd met a man once who could mutilate himself to make himself stronger. Another who ate human flesh to heal his own body. Neith wasn't nearly as aberrant as everyone else in the world seemed determined to make her feel. At least, he felt so.

"...But when you take in energy from a source, can you tell where it came from? Or does it all kind of 'taste' the same?" Cassidy climbed up onto the padded front seat of the wagon, before extending his hand down to help her climb up beside him.

 

[Neith]

Neith's brow quirked. "Oh?" she asked hesitantly.. "Go on.."

What gifts she had and what she could do with them were not something she often spoke of, and more recently, she'd barely thought about it. She hadn't had to, and life had been peaceful. Now that it had been so unexpectedly brought up, she couldn't help but feel a rush of anxiety, but there was little reason to hide from him..

She took the offered hand and settled into the seat next to him, her brow furrowing as she thought about the question and how she might answer it.. "I.. Suppose, the sensation is different depending on the magic I take in. Most of it was the same, but sometimes it feels.. good. And, sometimes it hurts. When I have it, it's just energy but.." her cheeks burned as she flashed him a look.

"I once met a man who knew a lot more about magic than I do. He's the reason I had that stash.. Anyway, he showed me that I can not only carry the magic, but I can use it too. It was what my parents feared and why we left Oban. My mother said it would consume me, and she wanted me to learn how to wield and control it in Elbion, but my father was always afraid that if I learned, I'd be either feared or too valuable, and either way I wouldn't be safe.." she shrugged, turning to glance back at their home before it disappeared behind a thick copse of trees.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

Cass listened closely to Neith's explanation, fully aware she wasn't totally comfortable with discussing it. The color on her face told him that much, not that he didn't already know she was self-conscious over her abilities. It was one of the few things he had trouble relating to, being that he'd always been lacking in terms of magical powers.

Still, he replied gently as the wagon got on the way, horses trudging down the dirt road and leaving their new home in the horizon behind them as they headed towards a place they'd both once known as their own at one time or another. "I understand leaving Oban over it. They don't take kindly to women using magic there, and if anybody happened to see you doing it, even on accident..." It would have meant major trouble. Leaving for Elbion had been smart, but obviously, her and her family had fallen into something far worse there...

Cassidy still kicked himself over not being able to save Nee's dad, though he knew inside it wasn't his fault. If anything, he'd stopped her from sharing that fate. Even so...

"Whoever it was who showed you those things... I disagree with his methods, I think." Cassidy's thumb rubbed slowly over the back of her hand before moving both hands to the reins, looking forward. "It's one thing to make somebody aware of their potential but to then leave them without any sort of further guidance on its usage or implications, good or bad, is irresponsible."

Cassidy shook his head, seeming to dismiss the topic as the trees on the path swallowed them on both ends, the sun above now in splotches as it struggled through the leaves over their heads.

"The reason I asked is... What I'm looking for is made up of the same magic that's inside Damascus and Mar. If we had a way to track it down based on that, this little trip would probably go a lot quicker and easier."

 

[Neith]

"Oh. Then I can find it." she answered confidently, a smirk curling at the corner of her lips as she leaned into Cassidy's shoulder. "They didn't call me Cyrus' hound for nothing.." she snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Magic has a scent, it has a sound, it has an aura.. I can see it and feel it, and i can taste it. I can't explain it any other way, but aside the Lyrum it's why Cyrus kept me around. If the people who owed him were using the Lyrum, I could track them down in the city within the hour.. If they left the city, I could follow them for miles before I'd lose the trail." she explained, her head propped against his shoulder as she stared up at the canopy.

Towering trees formed a natural archway, casting dappled shadows over their path. Sunbeams filtered through the leaves, creating a gentle interplay of light and shade that danced across their faces. The air was scented with the earthy fragrance of moss and ferns, and Neith sighed as she soaked in the serenity of it.

They journeyed on, ascending and descending the rolling hills that stretched out before them. The vibrant greenery of the landscape seemed to extend endlessly, with each rise and fall revealing a new vista to behold. Neith marveled at the patchwork of wildflowers that adorned the meadows, their colours blending harmoniously like a painting come to life.

As the sun began its descent, casting a warm golden hue over the landscape, they found a suitable spot to set up camp for the night, nestled beneath a towering oak tree, its branches providing a natural canopy that sheltered them from the cool night breeze. They kindled a gentle fire, its flickering flames casting a warm glow that illuminated their faces and dispelled the encroaching darkness, the fading light painted the sky in hues of oranges and pinks, a breathtaking backdrop to their peaceful evening. Mar curled up nearby, content and watchful, as they exchanged stories and whispered dreams beneath the starlit canopy.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

The smile Cass gave at the revelation of the extent of her talents was bittersweet, though he turned his head to hide that edge to his grin when she leaned her head into the crook of his neck.

It was good that she would be able to shorten the length of their trip and make it considerably safer. Neither of them wanted to stay in that cursed city any longer than they absolutely needed to; one of them had seen enough of its ugliness to last a lifetime, and the other would be actively hunted just for being herself.

Cassidy had to admit, though, to the nagging voice in his head that told him he wasn't much better than her previous employer. Not even a few months together and he was dragging her out to some dangerous city to sniff something out, and he wouldn't even tell her what it was.

"You just keep making my life easier, Nee." Cassidy reached over, placing his hand over hers as the shady embrace of the forest overhead shielded them from the rays of the midday sun. The journey to their destination was so beautiful, so deceptively peaceful... You'd almost think the people they were headed to meet didn't want them dead. "I promise... this is the last tracking job you'll ever have to go on."

He meant it too.

After this, he'd be content to finally leave his past behind him.

The campsite underneath the tree felt like it had been put there for them, the halo of shade on the grass silently inviting them to stop, to spend the evening not worrying about their future, but resting in one another's arms. Cass had learned a long time ago not to turn down nature's invitations. He'd spent the waning hours of sunlight resting amongst the colorful mural of flowers that painted the ground beneath them like a masterpiece of the god's themselves, holding her close, whispering delicious nothings, and leaving affection on her flesh with every press of his lips to her skin. Her warmth was all that he needed, the sensations she left on his body when she loved him more powerful than any drug.

When night came, they counted stars. They talked of the past, they dreamed of the future.

---

Dawn came quickly, pulling the lovers from sleep. It was never long enough, the times he had to lay with her. It was with a soft kiss to her lips and ever-so-gently wandering hands that he roused her from slumber. Today would, with luck, be the day he claimed back what was taken from him so long ago. If not today, then the day after. If not then, the day after that.

Neith's love had eased his storming soul, but it was not a panacea. The fire within him to finally lay rest to his demons burned as hot as it ever had, and as Cassidy threw his jacket back over his shoulders and readied the wagon for the remainder of the journey, he felt that end near closer.

He sought not absolution, but an ending that he could one day tell his own children with a smile.

Pausing as he climbed up onto his sweet, Cass withheld a snigger at the thought that'd come to his head. Better run that one by Nee before he got any funny ideas.

---

"Okay... we're almost there now. I can see the walls up ahead."

Cass nudged his love as they came closer to Oban's gaping maw. Mar sat on her lap, and he'd placed Damascus in between the two seats so that the notorious 'hound' could have the scent well and ready to follow. So long as they didn't raise any eyebrows, Cassidy didn't see any reason why they wouldn't be allowed to move about the city streets with a reasonable level of freedom.

Just to be safe, he gave Mar a nod, signaling the apparition cat to vanish from sight. So too did he take Damascus and quickly work it back into its long sleeve-like case.

"No reason to take any risks, right?" He turned his head to her as they neared the guards posted on either side of the gate. "Once we're in, just do your best to tell me where to drive us. I just need to know the general area the trace leads to. There are only a few possibilities as to the specific spot it's in, so I should be able to narrow it down from there."

Cassidy brought the horse to a crawl, and the Guards stepped forward. The bigger of the two took to searching the back, full of nothing but the basic supplies one would expect of a traveler. The smaller, stouter guard pointedly began to ask Cass the reason for their visit.

"The wife and I are thinking of moving into town, we came to look for homes we might be interested in."

It seemed a normal enough excuse, and finding no contraband on board, they were allowed to pass into the city via the wide road leading to the heart of town.

The easy part was over.

 

[Neith]

The moment the city came into view, Neith felt her stomach twist. Her memories of the place were vague, but it was the last place she had ever lived with her mother and father, and the reason she had lost them. She despised it, and she hadn't realised just how much until right now.

She was rigid as they approached the guards, but managed to force a silent smile to the one who looked her over. They preferred their women silent here anyway. They preferred women like her locked up or burned after they'd gifted their man a son who could be better trusted to wield such gifts. Women were stronger here, and those bastards knew it.

Neith swallowed down the bile rising in her throat as they carried on through the gates, her dark eyes scanning the outer city, searching for memories. But, memories were not what she was here to find, and so she let a steadying breath tumble free and closed her eyes.

There were so many scents and sounds, that all familiar metallic tang and dull thrum of magic that seemed to radiate from every corner of the city and assault her senses. Her brow furrowed as she searched for the one they'd come here to find, and she reached forward to settle her hand atop Cassidy's, and gently pull the reins toward the inner city, and all the way to it's heart, where the roads were no longer narrow and dimpled with pot holes, where the buildings were far more grand, and where the crowds were thick.

 

[Cassidy Ackerson]

Cassidy didn't need to look over at Neith to know she was struggling with the weight of her memories. The bond the two of them shared had grown deep enough that he could practically feel her aura change beside him the further they traveled into the city where they'd both been born. He shifted his weight, to slightly lean against her as he again cracked the reins; a silent display of comfort.

"It's been years." He muttered under his breath to her. "Nobody is going to recognize you, and if they think they do, I'll take care of it." The words were meant to ease her worries, but he knew there was far more to it than being recognized. The scars that Oban could leave on a person ran deep. Cassidy knew that just as well as Neith did.

So far nobody had paid them a second look-- The bustling population was far too busy with everyday life to even acknowledge the random couple on one of the likely hundred wagons inside the city walls. There were jobs to do, people to see, a parade to prepare for. Cass focused his eyes forward and followed Neith's silent directions, turning off of the side road back onto the wide street that led towards the center of town.

His stomach sank a bit; That she led him in this direction meant it was quite likely that their objective was somewhere within the Ackerson Estate.

Home. Or, what had once been.

Neith would feel his hand tighten under hers as the realization settled in, his jaw set and teeth clenching. "I think I know where you're leading us..." He grumbled, "Just a bit further to confirm... If we pass a small graveyard and our heading doesn't change, you can stop..."

Gods, he'd never wished to be led to a graveyard so badly in all his life.

Neith