Private Tales Paying the fiddler...

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

Gwendolyn Vollmund had been a hard nut to crack. Sebastian had used everything he could think of in the past to woo her to his side.

Her information was always accurate and invaluable, as well as her gifts asa fighter, a spy, and being the general thorn in the side of anyone unlucky enough to find themselves a target of her wrath. Yet she had remained resistant...until now. Sebastian was a powerful man.

His only rival at the harbor had been a young upstart that had done nothing but pull territory out from under the aging crime boss.

He always knew his every move! It was infuriating. At first he simply explained it away with luck. But as it continued he had become more and more suspicious. The boy was just starting. There’s no way his information network had become so lethal in only a couple of years..

Then Gwendolyn came to him. Finally the upper hand! Isak had found himself bogged down with delays, bribes, and guards loyal to him turning up in the ocean and being replaced with guards he couldn’t get on his side.

It was glorious. Now he was inviting Isak to gloat, and reveal his alliance to Gwen. The boy would undoubtedly know her reputation and it would only strengthen his respect and fear for the older boss. Gwendolyn had voulenteered to plan it. That demon woman. He was content to be surprised and left her to it.

He now understood how valuable an ally Gwendolyn was. He simply asked and the deed was done to his taste. It was like having an extra arm to do exactly what you needed exactly how you would have, and where it differed was only in ways she found the deed done better. He entered the dragons fire after passing through the tavern.

It was a neutral location so Isak would be at ease. Undoubtedly Gwen had planned this little extra jab. Evil as ever. Sebastian passed through the door guards and entered a back room after passing a hall of private rooms and expansive stages.

A strange mix of mercenaries, assassins, crooked nobles, and crime lords. Because it turns out when your a valuable corpse to some there aren’t many places to relax.

He entered the back room where Gwen sat behind a simple desk. Papers stacked neatly. She glanced up as he entered.

“Sit.” She instructed gesturing to the chair in front of her desk in the left. He did so without much thought.

He almost spoke out at her attitude and nerve to take the head of the table. Something about her eyes warned him his life depended on not bringing up those very issues.

“He’s arrived.” Cleo would say slipping out of the shadows. Sebastian jumped clutching his chest as Gwen rolled her eyes.

“I would think you would get used to seeing her by this time. Startled easily lately?” Gwen asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. “She doesn’t blink. It’s..creepy..” The older man said. “.....Rrright...” Gwen said after a moment pausing from her work to give him yet another raised eyebrow before resuming once more.

“Send him in.” She would say with a dismissive wave. As Cleo would nod and glide from the room.

“Politely. Cleo.” Cleos grin would vanish to a pouty frown. Her eyes remaining glassy and emotionless as ever.

“Yes ma’am.” She grumbled tossing her raven hair to the side and adjusting her glasses. A fake smile spreading across her face as she would return to Isak.

“Master Isak. I have been instructed to politely show you in. Have you been well? I notice your heart rate is healthy and your organs are all still inside you. That is a good thing.” She blurted like she was reciting a script. To anyone who didn’t know Cleo this would be a nasty display of sarcasm.

This was not the case.

Cleo was genuinely trying to be polite.

Or at least to simulate it.

It was her weakest emotion to imitate and Gwen knew that. She had done the equivalent of asking Cleo to mentally run laps in quicksand.

“Did you believe that?” She asked relaxing slightly.

Her glasses sliding down her nose forcing her to push them back up. Her forced smile slipping to her neutral expression which was as close to a relaxed grin as Cleo got.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Weeks of frustration, bogged down by incompentence as it surrounded his every step. That's how Isak would describe his current state of life, papers thrown all around his desk as he decided to take care of the accounts of his business all by himself.

Of course, his business was only ever expanding, reaching new heights that were barely enough for him to control by himself. Eilerias, when not burdened by her work at the church, trying to mend relations with the clergy after her life was turned upside down by their relationship, helped him whenever she could. Ogden, his always faithful and good-for-everything dwarf also pitched in, taking care of the books when he wasn't pouring drinks at the bar.

In truth, there were lots of variables. Isak had begun taking control of the docks, which had started to turn a few heads around the 'crime socialite' of Alliria, with every crime lord wanting a piece of his business for themselves. There were also the control of the streets, more specifically the districts that surrounded the Raven Club, as Isak sought to gain more and more territory throughout the Outer City.

Take control of the edges, and the center will be revealed to you. That was his main strategy, as he built a path of greed, blood and a rather twisted justice towards the Inner City, to the merchants and nobles that wanted only to drain the people of their livelihood, for their own gain.

Tonight though, there was a breakthrough. A letter of invitation, to meet with Sebastian, an old rival, someone he had thought to have surpassed already, but it seemed the man was relishing in the opportunity to laugh at his face, due to the complications involving Isak's business now.

But fair enough... If the man wanted to spite Isak, he would deal with the consequences.

"I'm going alone, Eilerias. It's night, and that is no place for you." He spoke hastily, tidying up the rest of his papers on the desk while avoiding to look at the priestess, though he already suspected her eyes were almost burning with fury, after she begged him not to go alone to this meeting. They had been arguing ever since he brought up the meeting, but Isak couldn't risk her safety and the safety of their child, even though her powers only grew stronger by the day.

He grabbed his dark leathered fedora and swiftly put it atop his head, before giving Eile a confident look, a silent request for her to trust him, walking past her and leaving her with a short kiss on her forehead. "This will only take a moment, my darling." A few encouraging words and a charming smile were given to the white haired priestess, before Isak left the Raven Club, a fierce look on his eyes as he walked past the patrons drinking and gambling downstairs, with Ogden raising a glass to him after spotting him.

Finally, he arrived at the meeting place, a inn well known to him, but its true value lied just underneath - The Dragons Fire, a neutral ground that he had used many times as a meeting place of his own. The irony almost made him uncomfortable at the moment, but he was too ill tempered to even care for that at the moment, and he certainly wasn't in the mood of Faust's poor jokes that night.

As he made his way inside, Lavelle was surprisingly greeted by Cleo, a face he wasn't used to seeing much, as the demoness always kept to her business as Gwendolyn's helper. After the ill fated reunion of the Cherry Rose, Gwendolyn had disappeared and sought no contact with him, which had also greatly frustrated him, as the crime lord was left without one of his greatest assets, his information broker. Though if her outburst at the Raven Club that day had been any indication, he wouldn't be seeing her for a while...

"Your concern is truly touching, Cleo." Having already read her sarcasm from the moment he laid eyes on her, Isak answered in a rather displeased tone, which was almost too common for him, if his clear frustration hadn't been evident on his eyes that night. But since she appeared to be polite enough to care, Isak would indulge in her little theatrics for the time being, motioning for the woman to move ahead, as the crime lord looked eager to get to the meeting. "Lead the way then."

Eilerias
Gwendolyn Vollmund

 

[Eilerias]

"No." Eilerias crossed her arms, watching him in the mirror as Isak made some declaration of going alone to a strange location at night. "I won't allow it. That is not normal." She stuck a golden earring in each ear as she prepared to join him at this 'meeting'. "What do you have to hide from me? You used to allow me to join you, but suddenly that is no longer? I find that rather odd, do you not?"

She spun around in her chair to look him in the eyes, hers still stained a deep purple from all the shadow work she had been doing. "I don't care if it takes you a minute or a millennia. I'm coming with." She demanded, only to be met with a kiss and a few meaningless words asking for trust. If there was anything Gwendolyn ever taught her, it was that those words meant nothing. Everyone lied.

She allowed him a head start, letting him believe she would accept being left behind while he went off doing who knows what with who knows who. She watched the out the window of their bedroom, and just before he left her sight, she vanished, reappearing only to be concealed within his own shadow.

Where the hell is he going? She wondered, staying close behind, out of the light. Faust's inn?

If Faust was there, surely she would be able to see right through her shadows. Carefully, Eilerias began manipulating the light around her- another method of camouflaging herself. It wouldn't cast any light, but rather refract it, allowing her to remain undetected.

It embarrassed her to say, but in recent weeks Eilerias had been unable to sleep, finding more comfort in hiding in either the shadows or light as she made her way around Alliria's merchants. Someone in her more criminal line of work might abuse the masking technique to gain power, but Eilerias was more concerned with what the rich were doing with their money. She knew who was scamming who, who was secretly donating to the poor, who was cheating on their significant others.

She had dirt on everyone, but she had no plans to use it unless she found out someone was planning to hurt her or anyone in the Cherry Rose.

Cleo? Oh dear. What is going on here?

She followed closely behind Isak as the assistant greeted him, escorting him to a strange room in the back where Gwen and an unfamiliar man sat. She scurried around the room, careful not to touch anything as she stood quietly behind Gwen, where she planned to remain for the meeting.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

“Ah. Isak. We have been awaiting your arrival.” Sebastian said with a smug smirk. “I introduce to you..my secret weapon. Mrs. Vollmund here is the finest information broker in our business. Only crime lords like myself can afford her service. She-.”

“Shut up.”
Gwen snapped. Unable to bear the man’s haughty tone for longer than a few moments. “Excuse me?” He asked incredulously. “I said shut up.” Gwendolyn snipped once more. Lookin go him dead in his eyes.

“Or are you hard of hearing as well you shriveled husk of dirt and spit.” She spat venomously. “Your time for talking is over. Cleo will show you out.” Gwen said with a snap of her fingers.

“You bitch!” Sebastian slammed his fists into the desk. Gwen raised an eyebrow.

“You think you could just use someone of my status and cast me a side with out repercussions!”
Gwen silently ponder for a moment tapping her finger to her chin. “Hhmmm..” She finally stopped.

“Yes.” Snapping her fingers as Cleo simply drug him out kicking.

“I’ll kill you for this you bitch!” He continued before Cleo halted at the door.

Glancing at Gwen.

“No need to politely show him out. Start by showing out his legs. Then show out whatever falls off after.” Gwen said her eyes never leaving the paper she was finishing. “W-what..” The old man shakily asked asCleos blue eyes shifted to red.

A smile creeping up her lips that didn’t reach her cold eyes. The door opened. The door closed. And the scream was cut short with a growl and the sounds of chewing. Blood pooled and crawled from under the door.

“Cleo. I said clean up. This isn’t your den.” Gwen said as there was a sigh. The sound of wet meat hitting the ground and a younger sled under the door scooping up the blood like a rag leaving the stone cleaner than it had been before the chewing resumed once more and began to fade as Cleo walked further away down the hall.

“So.” Gwen would say tenting her fingers and glaring holes into Isaks head. “Enjoying business?” She asked with poisoned sweetness.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Of course she was there.

Isak looked every bit as unsurprised upon being led to the meeting room, only to find Gwendolyn sitting in wait, right next to smug Sebastian. Cleo's presence there only made more sense now, and the crime lord already suspected that a few unpleasant surprises awaited for him, ever since he received Sebastian's letter of invitation.

Shrugging unimpressed, Isak's fingers twitched slightly beneath his dark leathered gloves as the man took a couple steps forward, his eyes firstly glancing at the fabled information broker, before he glared at Sebastian, who looked every bit as excited to rub the spoils of victory in Isak's face.

"Hello, Sebastian. Gwendolyn." He addressed them, his rasp voice carrying both displeasure and bits of frustration. He looked over to Gwendolyn now, ignoring the other man's failed provokations and attempts at scorning him. But before he could say anything further, Sebastian grew too big for his own boots, and the broker swiftly had him removed, with Cleo dragging the man outside without any trouble.

Isak spared only a short look towards the door, hearing Sebastian's screams of agony, the sound of torn flesh and then noticing the blood sneaking in underneath the door.

Practicality had always been one of the things that Isak admired the most in Gwendolyn, and how their partnership had turned him into one of the most feared men in all of Alliria, while also keeping the broker well guarded from any nuisances.

And yet, the look she gave to him now spoke volumes about a deep fury that she seemed to have garnered for a time. Ever since the reunion, the secrets uncovered that night, concerning Isak and Eilerias' relationship.

But she had called him over to talk, or so Isak presumed, and talking was something he greatly enjoyed, especially in a place such as that. A neutral ground, he hoped. "You haven't sent word for a while now, Gwendolyn." He ignored her previous words, having already felt the spite in them.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

“And why should I?” Gwen said cocking her right brow. Her hazy grey eyes clouding with darkness hugging the edges for a moment.

“Your a practical man Isak. What would you do up to your ankles in blank pages?” She questioned rhetorically.

“No. I am a woman that speaks with actions. Why put breath into words when that breath can be applied to the action that gets the results you want.”

Her papers seemed to grow a life of their own as they suddenly rose in the air and gently straightened themselves. Tapping them twice on the desk to straighten them and placing them aside.

“You’ve grown despite me. And because your so damn clever and with Gilgamesh’s helping hand you will always find a way to continue to.” Gwen relented with some annoyance.

“But make no mistake I will make it a crawl. Gilgamesh’s will be damned.” She growled.

“I trusted you with her. And under your guidance she has done nothing but endanger herself more!” Gwen clutched her head in her hands.

“And the child Isak!” She continued. Head still bowed.

“What of the child that will know nothing but living the life of a target. A successor. I have seen what a life like that does to a child. I have raised countless daughters into lives of thievery and murder.” She looked up. One of her her was pitch black.

“But I only raised one into that kind of life. You met the result. She trashed your dump after she stabbed me in my liver.” Gwen slammed her fists into the desk.

Both eyes black now.

Her voice almost distorted as the darkness of the room pulled around her. “I only invited you here to give you the opportunity to kill me now. Because after you leave. This only becomes worse.” She hissed as Cleo appeared beside her.

“Mistress..” She pleaded only to be knocked aside. “Know your place hellspawn.” Gwen snarled.

“Or I will send you back to the abyss.” Cleo simply nodded and obediently sat with perfect posture. No demon wanted to go back to the abyss.

No demon.

“So make your choice.” She growled turning her fury back on Isak.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Gwendolyn's words felt more like dragon's fire, breathing down on him, trying to burn down Isak, trying to bury him into a flood of fiery shame. Her words of compliment to the cleverness that kept his business afloat even in the time that she was gone had fallen to dull ears, as Isak could clearly see her distaste, the fury in her eyes.

And she also seemed to know that Isak and Gilgamesh had started cooperating more. Of course, their interests in business were very much aligned, but more than that, Isak had taken particular interest in helping the man assure that Eilerias' reputation would be remain untainted and unharmed in the eyes of her Church of Light.

And yet, even with Gilgamesh's ever reaching influence, the broker didn't seem at all impressed or intimidated. She never would be, as Isak knew her well, and he knew that nothing fazed her.

Though he looked very much the same since he had entered that room, it were Gwendolyn's next words that seemed to stun Isak, his eyes widening as she made mention of Eilerias, and how Isak had failed in his promise to keep her safe from the rigors of the dark world in which they lived. His gloved hand quickly went towards the necklace he wore, and for a moment, he could no longer face Gwendolyn's gaze.

It was not often that Isak found himself without a response in such moments, but what was there to contest? He had indeed failed to protect Eilerias, and she had suffered greatly by being with him. Isak had admitted to being selfish, to loving her so much that he could no longer bear the thoughts of living without her, and he knew that it only made matters worse.

But not the child. He wouldn't make the same mistake with that innocent kid. "You are wrong." He raised his voice as Gwendolyn paused for a moment to look at him, one of her eyes already blackened, evidence of the manifestation of her powers around them, but Isak remained the same. "My work dies with me."

He would never put that child at risk, painting a target on its back by making it his heir. Isak built his ever expanding empire of crime, brick by brick, and it was his to bury himself under. Eile and the kid would be safe, away from all that.

And of course, Isak remembered, though not fondly, how Gwendolyn's daughter had enginereed an attack on the Raven Club, though he did not know that she had also been a recipient of that strange vendetta. He almost took pity on Cleo as the demoness was abruptly shushed by Gwendolyn, both of her eyes now eclipsed with darkness, as Isak remained still, not an ounce of fear in his own eyes.

He was very familiar with darkness, after all.

But her threat wasn't well received. Isak would never kill one of his greatest allies, especially since he knew how much Eilerias cared for Gwendolyn. They were family now, and she had always been a motherly figure to her, ever since the broker brought the priestess to Alliria.

"No." He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply before looking towards Gwendolyn, resolute. "I won't do this to you, to your daughter. I know I've brought nothing but pain to her, but do not ask me to inflict even more."

How could she even think of something of that nature? Had she gone completely insane? "Do you not care for your own daughter, Gwendolyn? That you would suggest that I, of all people, should kill you? Where were you when she disappeared for an entire month, frightened and confused?" His words came out as poison, with the crime lord clearly frustrated with the woman.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias was careful to remain still as she felt the man, Sebastian, get ripped to shreds. Cleo worked quickly, for which Eilerias was grateful, but the potion Khet had created to numb the pain she felt from others was wearing off the longer she held herself in both the shadows and light. It appears he hadn't worked out the kinks yet.

What could Gwen possibly be leading Isak here for? She has always been more than welcome in the Raven Club. Eilerias had more questions than answers as Gwen explained something about Isak growing despite her. Had she really made the decision not to come back after the reunion as a coworker? She never mentioned that to me...did she? Perhaps it was a decision she came to after I left Alliria.

Eilerias sighed silently, shamefully hanging her head as though they knew they were discussing her child in front of her. A few tears fell from her eyes as she rested one of her hands over her stomach. Gwen was right as always; they were in danger.

Many nights Eilerias prayed her child would be a girl. She had already planned the child's life if that were the case. It would be easy and safe. If it were a boy, however, she wasn't sure what she would do. It would be Isak's heir. Certainly the child would be integrated into whatever plans Isak had for the Raven Club or even the Cherry Rose. It would be nothing but a target for it's entire helpless life, something rivals would surely seek to use in order to destroy Isak or her.

"I only invited you here to give you the opportunity to kill me now."

Eilerias' head shot up at Gwen's request. Why would she want that? What becomes worse? She wanted to ask, but couldn't risk making her presence known to the woman.

Cleo's sudden appearance caused Eilerias to flinch, nearly releasing her light camouflage, as Cleo appeared a little too close for comfort. She took a step back and looked past Gwen to Isak, nervously waiting for his response.

She went pale, shaking her head as Isak brought up her untimely disappearance. She hadn't had the opportunity to reach out to Gwen or Charity yet to let them know she was okay. She felt guilty for leaving them all behind without a word. For all she knew, they never noticed. If they did, she wasn't sure she wanted to know their thoughts. She did not wish to share the details of what she had done with anyone of them. She would prefer to take it all to the grave.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

"You are wrong." He raised his voice as Gwendolyn paused for a moment to look at him, one of her eyes already blackened, evidence of the manifestation of her powers around them, but Isak remained the same. "My work dies with me."

Gwen was stunned into silence at that. She had lived for almost 150 years and she had heard that sentence 4 times. “Y-you.” She began before allowing him to finish. Her eyes narrowed once more. “You won’t be able to control what work they do. You’ll be their father. They will idolize you, and follow you to hell before they even know what the words mean..” She growled.

"No." He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply before looking towards Gwendolyn, resolute. "I won't do this to you, to your daughter. I know I've brought nothing but pain to her, but do not ask me to inflict even more."

“You couldn’t even if you wanted to child.” She snarled.

“I’ve eaten pups like you and fed the bones to my demon.” She stood and got almost nose to nose with the man. Her powers causing Cleo to leave with a slight squeak proofing into shadows.

“So if you won’t then I will just..” Darkness began to gather in her hands. Shadows claws forming around her hands.

This fight was about to hits its ignition point to physical violence.

"Do you not care for your own daughter, Gwendolyn? That you would suggest that I, of all people, should kill you? Where were you when she disappeared for an entire month, frightened and confused?" His words came out as poison, with the crime lord clearly frustrated with the woman.

“What..?” Her voice broke from a snarl to a slightly shocked whimper. “She..” Her powers faded. Shadows falling away. Her eyes clearing.

“She has been hiding herself from me..” Gwendolyn said with a tone of vulnerability only those who had the curse to call her mother or the luck to get a chance alone with her defenses down had ever heard and lived.

“Why..” She sat back down in her office chair dejected. Her right ear twitched.

“Even now? Hiding from me?” She would ask suddenly the shadows would embrace Eli and push her from her hiding spot and Gwen waved her hand lazily and her disguise was ripped from her like a table cloth being pulled from a hiding child.

Looking at them both Gwens anger would leave her like a balloon deflating. Leaving the look only a tired mother could display.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

His eyes narrowed as Gwendolyn was suddenly quietened, the shuddering silence filling the room as Isak gazed at her with curiosity. Had she been surprised by his words? Did she think that Isak would raise his child as a pawn in Alliria's crime underworld? No... Isak had suffered in that way before, and he would do anything to keep such fate from befalling his child, and also Eilerias.

"An empire does not last forever, Gwendolyn. I'm sure that even you and Gilgamesh would agree." He collected his thoughts after the broker's words, speaking in a rather plain tone. Isak was no fool - he imagined that his children could perhaps seek to follow in his footsteps, even if he opposed them, but he was not one without plans. "When the time comes, Eile and the child will be safe, and there will be no paths to follow."

Not long after, the woman seemingly jumped from her seat, her words as sharp as knives as she walked to his face, seeking to intimidate him, but to no avail. Isak remained the same, his brown eyes as cold as a winter's storm, and his gloved fingers only twitching slightly as he straightened himself. He didn't know Gwendolyn's every secret, nor did he care for that, but Isak knew that she was not one to be trifled with, and that her powers were great, even beyond his own understanding.

Her statement could be true, but nonetheless, he wouldn't dare to raise a finger to hurt someone dear to him, someone dear to the woman he loved above everything else.

Suddenly, her shadows seemed to gather forward, and the broker prepared herself for an attack, but the antecipation was halted once Isak spewed words that had been strong enough to stop her advance, as Gwendolyn paused, looking lost and hurt. He could tell that she had sensed something nearby, and before long, a veil of shadows faded beneath her touch, revealing...

"Eilerias?!" He asked, visibly shocked. If Gwendolyn and Cleo hadn't made him flinch before, it was the sight of the priestess standing right next to the broker that now caused him to stutter, as she was forced to step out of her shadowy hideout.

Was she part of Gwendolyn's plans as well? But he had seen her, when he left the Raven Club... Unless... "You followed me here?"

He looked from Eilerias, to Gwendolyn, and then back to his fiancée, confused.

 

[Eilerias]

“Y-you.” She began before allowing him to finish. Her eyes narrowed once more. “You won’t be able to control what work they do. You’ll be their father. They will idolize you, and follow you to hell before they even know what the words mean..” She growled.

They? Did Gwendolyn think this child was planned? Did she think Eilerias wanted more? She didn't want any in the first place!

Eilerias shut her eyes tightly, wishing the two of them would stop arguing. She wanted to speak up, but she was a coward hiding in the shadows. She couldn't let her child live this life. It was innocent. It didn't deserve to be in danger, to be targeted. Eilerias was only here because of a series of what she thought to be good deeds going sour. She was only a healer. It was what she loved. It made her god happy.

When people started showing up in the middle of the night requesting her services, she thought she was doing good. Helping people was good, right? Apparently not when they are criminals.

She didn't regret it. It led her to Gwendolyn, the first person to ever care for her.

“So if you won’t then I will just..” Darkness began to gather in her hands. Shadows claws forming around her hands.

This fight was about to hits its ignition point to physical violence.

Her eyes opened as Gwendolyn looked like she was about to lunge at Isak, but she stopped as he spoke and collapsed back into her chair.

“Why..” She sat back down in her office chair dejected. Her right ear twitched.

“Even now? Hiding from me?” She would ask suddenly the shadows would embrace Eli and push her from her hiding spot and Gwen waved her hand lazily and her disguise was ripped from her like a table cloth being pulled from a hiding child.

Isak, you fool.

"No." She whispered, immediately covering her mouth and releasing the light from around her. It was too late, Gwen had ripped her from the shadows. They dissipated around her, leaving exposed. "I..." She stuttered.

Gwendolyn looked...tired or maybe disappointed. A look that made Eilerias want to confess, but she wasn't sure what to say. She could tell her everything she did over the past month, or she could hide it. Either way, Gwendolyn would be displeased. "I..wasn't hiding...from you." Her voice was shaky as she spoke.

"Eilerias?!" He asked, visibly shocked. If Gwendolyn and Cleo hadn't made him flinch before, it was the sight of the priestess standing right next to the broker that now caused him to stutter, as she was forced to step out of her shadowy hideout.

Was she part of Gwendolyn's plans as well? But he had seen her, when he left the Raven Club... Unless... "You followed me here?"

She looked from Gwen's hazy eyes to Isak's and then to the floor. "Yes." She admitted, her voice full of guilt. "Why are you hiding things from me?" She asked, wiping her eyes. "You could have told me you were meeting Gwen, but you didn't. Why?" Her sadness turned into an uncontrolled anger as she stood beside Gwen. "Honestly what the hell would you think is going on in my head when you are running off in the middle of the night to meet some strange person, while your pregnant fiancée is home alone? I thought you trusted me. I thought you enjoyed me being involved in your business. Do you not trust me? Is that why you are hiding things?" She pulled her engagement ring off and slammed it down on Gwen's desk before flicking it towards Isak. Unfortunately, her aim was a little off and it shot off under a bookshelf rather than towards Isak.

"I should have stayed in Fal'Addas. It would have been better for everyone and my child wouldn't have to live their entire life as some sort of weak spot for all of you." Her last words came out with more venom than she had intended, aimed at both of them, before she turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.