Private Tales Read between the lines

[Zana]

Not even exhaustion could dampen a mothers instincts. As the object flew through the window Talus and Zana were passing her magic leapt to catch it. Shards of glass and fractured bits of... whatever it had once been froze in mid air. She pursed her lips to examine if there was anything that could be saved, and very carefully reached into that deeper, vast well of magic that had given her her Archon status.

Very slowly time around the window frame rewound by five ominous seconds. It was all she had dared to do recently upon feeling her gifts return. It was no great feat like what she had attempted with Sloan but it had at least saved her window.

She gave an exhausted sigh once she released the magic.

 

[Talus]

"Oh. They're home." The words echoed out just as Talus pulled open the door, his head turned back over his shoulder to give Zana a slight look of disapproval. One that lasted only long enough for her not to catch.

After what had happened with Sloan he was still more than a little weary of Zana delving back into magics which allowed her to do such a thing. There was a chance that it if were to happen again she would not survive, and such a fate was something he would not allow.

He'd not said a word of course, and even through the bond his disapproval had been silent.

Talus knew the last thing Zana needed was him not being supportive, but he could not help the worry which swelled inside of him. His beloved's magic was powerful, strong enough to have been answered once by the universe itself.

There was no need for a second answer. "Have you not been listening to Aunt Birgitte?"

He demanded as Lyra and Alec let out screeches of joy. Both of his children flinging up their arms and charging their father. The latter moving far faster than any human being had a right to. Alec darting across the room within the span of half-a-second, slamming into Talus' legs and sending the former Dreadlord flying back down onto the porch with a crashing thud.

"Ow." Talus echoed as Alec came crashing down on top of him.

 

[Zana]

Lyra was far more gentle with her mother, mindful of the growing little brother of sister she carried.

"Uppies!" she demanded and wriggled her fingers in her mothers direction. Despite her exhaustion Zana couldn't help but smile and bent to scoop her daughter into her arms. The girl laughed as she peppered her with kisses. Was it her imagining or had she and Alec grown in the week they had been away? Her blonde locks certainly seemed longer and tickled her nose as the girl tucked her head beneath Zana's chin.

Carefully she stepped over her prone husband and their son to greet Brigette who...

Well, she looked as though two hellions had drawn all over her.

"Oh Brigette... your fa--"

The smith laughed and raised a hand to her face, having seemingly forgotten the drawings the children had inflicted on her.

"Oh I don't mind. It kept them quiet for two whole hours," she grinned and Zana smiled back, some of the guilt lessening a little.

"Do you want to stay the night?"

 

[Talus]

"You little monsters really did a number on your aunt Birgitte, huh?" Talus said as he stepped inside behind Zana, clutching Alec upside down and at arms length. The rabid dog of a child actually biting at his father, though only comically so.

His head shook the smith let out a laugh.

"No." She answered with a shake of her head. "I'd like to get back to Owen, he takes all the trips in the world, but it's weird to be away from home."

The Dreadlord said with a shake of her head, shifting and wiping at some of the markings that had been drawn upon her face. She then quickly went over towards the window that had earlier been smashed, scooping up a small object as she walked over towards Zana. "It's a bit dented now."

Birgitte shot a look of mock anger at Alec.

"But it'll still work fine." The Smith told Zana with a smile. "I made this for you, it's a reverb stone."

She said it as though they should already know what it was. Though Talus' expression at least told Birgitte of his own ignorance, and she quickly smiled at the former Dreadlord before offering an answer. "It's a way to grow ones magical strength. They're difficult to create, but it's sort of like...lifting weights, just for your magic."

Birgitte explained.

"I thought it might..." She trailed off for a moment. "Accelerate things a little more."

 

[Zana]

Zana's smile froze in place as she took the small orb.

Weak, weak, weak, it seemed to scream at her as she twirled it this way and that to inspect the craftsmanship. Of course she didn't need to. Brigitte always made exemplar work. She slid it into her pocket before Lyra could grab it.

"Thank you," she managed to squeeze out without too much of an edge to her voice. That she was not as strong as she needed to be was a near constant weight on her shoulders. She knew her friend had made it out of love and kindness but Zana couldn't help but feel the twist of a dagger in her gut.

"You should go before it gets too late if you want to leave tonight," Zana forced another light smile and nodded to the fading light outside. "And we should get these two off to bed..."

 

[Talus]

Still holding Alec, Talus gently rubbed the small of Zana's back. His touch soothing as she felt the flicker of emotions running through the course of their bond. A long breath dragging into his chest as he looked to Birgitte. "Thank you."

He added to his beloveds own words as the Dreadlord nodded her head and made her goodbyes. Quickly setting about gathering her things and packing. As Talus and Zana put their children to bed, Birgitte slipped out the front door.

Four pairs of hugs and a quick goodbye offered as the mountain home was once again calmed of chaos.

A few hours later, with the sun now gone from the sky and the night speckled with stars, the two former Dreadlords sat upon their porch. A soft breeze rushed over the tall mountain grass, the chill of night offering the looming breath of winter soon to come.

The mug in Talus' hand was warm from the tea within it and Zana lay against his side as he spoke.

"There's something we're missing." He said softly as he took a sip of his tea.

"Something we're not seeing." Talus mused, looking off into the distant mountains. "I think...we may need to start looking at all of this from a different angle."

 

[Zana]

Zana was just glad to finally have had a shower. The heat of the Iuk-'u Delta had clung to her for the whole flight back along with what felt like half the mosquito population. Showered and dressed in a silk nightdress she draped her legs over Talus' lap and stroked the curve of her belly absentmindedly, whilst playing with Brigitte's creation in the other.

"Maybe if you hold me upside down by the ankles," she muttered. None of it made any sense and she had been turning it every which way for the entire ride home. "I don't understand why they are focusing on dragons and draconic magic. Neither of them have had a connection to them before."

 

[Talus]

His fingers gently stroked back and forth over Zana's legs, considering her words and letting out a slight chuckle at her joke. "No."

Talus agreed.

"They didn't." Not that any of their files stated anyway. None had even been sent on any missions that regarded dragons. "But, what I meant was we've been looking at this whole thing like Dreadlords."

Though that was stating the obvious. Both of them had been brought up at the Academy, both of them had been in the Anirian system for years. Everyone they worked with had been. "Maybe we need to ask...someone else."

He shrugged.

"Poke around Elbion, Althhaven, fuck it, maybe even pop into Adro and ask some of their scientists." Dragons were inherently magical beings, but regular scholars had studied them for centuries. Perhaps they could find some insight in that.

 

[Zana]

Zana gave a sigh and rubbed her temples as though the very thought gave her a headache. Once upon a time out of the pair of them, she would have probably called herself the academic, but since the revolution Talus seemed to have found an odd love with research and learning. Perhaps because he finally had the time to.

"But we are Dreadlords. So are they," she couldn't understand why then they acted so... unlike Dreadlords. Zana gave another sigh and then let the small puzzle in her hand float with a bit of her magic. Little and often Brigitte had said.

"Maybe we attack it from both fronts then. You could scout at some of the Academies... I can focus on the Taskforce. Maybe hunting some of the other Archon's will give us a clue."

 

[Talus]

"They are." He agreed with a nod of his head, gently slipping his hand onto her thigh to stroke his thumb across her skin. "But they've had decades of experience to look elsewhere in the world."

Though Zana and Talus were perhaps two of the most Infamous Dreadlords in the world because of what they had done, both of them were still young. They were skilled with their sorcery, knowledgeable in other magics, but neither of them had had twenty years to look beyond that.

Adelaide and Nassau were both not only incredibly powerful, but learned.

Time was their greatest advantage. "Thats..."

Talus said, though it was clear that he did not like the idea. Separating would let them go quickly, find what they needed, but it would also leave them alone. Both Nassau and Adelaide now knew they were coming, and if the Archon's decided to strike while they were alone?

His stomach churned, but at least Zana would have the taskforce and he could just run. "A good idea."

The former Dreadlord found himself forced to concede.

 

[Zana]

Zana awkwardly sat up, a hand on her stomach. With her other she gently brushed her knuckles over her husbands cheek and then let her fingers tangle in his hair.

"I'll be safe," she promised. She had no other option. There were two precious souls asleep upstairs who needed her to be safe. One still growing who needed her even more. Leaning forward Zana pressed a kiss to his lips. "Didn't you hear? I have a fidget cube to help me with my magic now," she pulled a face of disgust.

 

[Talus]

Talus offered his beloved a rueful smile. "She was trying to help..."

He said in unneeded defense of Birgitte.

The former Dreadlord could well understand why his why was frustrated. No one liked to admit they weren't on their best, especially Dreadlords. They had been raised to be at the very razors edge, not standing there was...strange somehow.

Even he felt it, and the life was something he'd gladly left behind. Those habits were hard to shake though, and he saw them in the both of them even now.

"You may not like it.' He said with something between a smile and a grimace. "But we both know it'll help."

Even if using the damned thing was a bit aggravating.

 

[Zana]

Zana sighed and flopped back against the pile of cushions she had accumulated to help her with her sore lower back. She made the little cube float with just a whisp of her magic, letting the telekinesis probe it and pull the little mechanisms in and out in a perfect little pattern. It hovered in mid air trembling for a moment then dropped back down into her lap, slowing slightly just before it impacted with her hand.

"It doesn't mean I have to like it," she said sullenly and gave a small pout. She had summoned a God with her magic, a being of the very fabric of the universe, and now she was doing the types of exercises she was certain Lyra and Alec would soon be needing to do.

"Where will you start looking first? Elbion?"

 

[Talus]

He smiled softly. Reaching out to gently squeeze her skin."No, you don't have to."

Talus confirmed.

In truth, he probably wouldn't have handled it much better than Zana if the roles were reversed. His magic was as core to who he was as her own was to her. His head shook, and he continued to gently roll the backs of his fingers up and down her leg.

"Althhaven first." It was closer, meaning he could circle back and check on the twins before he set off west. "Then Adro, then Elbion last I think."

That way he would be able to head down to Vel Anir in case he was needed there. It would be a very large circle, taking up nearly the whole of the continent, but...maybe it would bring them something worthwhile. "Suppose I could check in with Father too."

He said, remembering that they had not seen the dwarven King himself for quite some time.

Vorak had come recently, but a ruler did not leave his city so easily. Perhaps the dwarves would know something about all this too, Dragons had been their foes for many centuries after all.

 

[Zana]

Zana nodded along with his plan and in agreement to visiting the Dwarves under the mountain. Though Talus' adopted family visited often, they always seemed to prefer when the family visited them beneath the mountain. Every time they tried to convince the pair to stay. Zana hadn't dared take the twins in case they accidentally brought the whole mountain down upon them but now they were getting older...

"Perhaps you should take the twins with you," she mused softly. "The schools aren't so dangerous and maybe... maybe it would be good for them to see some of the world. And their magic whilst we don't understand it I think... I think they do for the most part. They might be too entertained by travel to play pranks."

 

[Talus]

A frown touched Talus' face for a brief moment.

Briefly his fingers stopped stroking up and down Zana's legs, his head cocking to the side as he gestured out towards the fence which had been quite literally taken apart. Not destroyed, mind, but disassembled into it's various pieces and carefully laid out in the grass.

Nails and all. "You want me to take two children capable of doing that to not one, but three schools of magic?"

Technically Adro was not a city of magic, but science. Though the point still stood, there would be quite a lot of explosive things around.

"I can hardly watch them here, Love." Not when he was alone. "I would need a na-"

Oh no. He'd said the words. He knew that Zana was right. Knew that this was a good opportunity, and if they had a nanny, someone who could accompany him, then the negative side effect he'd just established so much woe over was suddenly gone. "err..."

He begged off with a smile.

 

[Zana]

Zana's laugh bubbled out of her, reaching a crescendo when Talus seemed to notice his slip and threw her one of those smiles he often did when she caught him licking the bottom of the tiramasu pan.

"If anywhere can handle two children gifted in the art of magic it is magic schools," she pointed out too, as though the nanny thought had not already won her the argument. "Perhaps we might even discover what type of magic it is they have... if we know we might be able to save our house before their fifth birthdays," she ran a hand through her hair.

"Would one of the dwarves go with you?"

 

[Talus]

Talus grimaced, though through the bond Zana would know it was all in good fun. His head shaking as he let out a desperate sigh. "I suppose so."

The former Dreadlord said, rather dramatically.

"Though I think I'll take two, maybe even Birgitte if she hasn't made it too far yet..." He mused for a second, and then realized the former Dreadlord would likely be rushing as far away from his terrible twin monsters as fast as she could. His head shook and he finally cracked a smile. "I'll send for Vorak."

He said, finally continuing to stroke up and down Zana's legs. "Ask him to bring Fivrun. The three of us should be able to handle it, and they'll both enjoy visiting Adro."

If not Althhaven and Elbion.

The Dwarves tended not to like most wizards. Finding them, ironically, rather ponderous in their ways. It didn't help that Dwarven magics were still a tightly held secret, rarely escaping from the intricate clan networks arrayed throughout the mountains.

Still, if he asked they would tag along. Even if it meant traversing two continents.

 

[Zana]

"You need two to help with your own children?" Zana teased for she knew it took quite literally a village to raise their twin terrors. She fiddled with the odd magic stress ball again.

"I should go back to Aniria in the next few days to let them know what we have found," she was always loathe to send mail because it could be tracked. Helping the Republic did not mean she trusted it. Certainly not near her son and daughter.

"Perhaps it is time the Task force did its first mission."

 

[Talus]

"We need twenty." Talus gently chided his beloved, the grin on his lips never slipping away as he gently pressed his ring and middle finger together, nipping at Zana's leg with his thumb as pinky and pointer stuck out like two large ears. "Those little tykes will burn down all of Alliria if they're not watched carefully."

He said, shaking his head but admitting the small fear that lingered within the back of his mind.

Their children were undoubtedly powerful, exceptionally so, and their magics still seemed mostly random. Day by day both of the twins gained more control, but chance always took it's moments. There was little doubt in Talus' mind that if things went wrong...it could be very wrong.

At least with Vorak and Fivrun he would be able to contain the situation if anything happened. Dwarven Runestones were rather good at that.

His thoughts however turned away from the potential disaster of his children, and towards the one that might be caused by the bastards they were hunting. A tightness formed in his chest as Zana mentioned the task forces first mission, his lips pressing thin. "Yeah."

Talus admitted quietly, knowing there was no steering this ship any other way.

"Adelaide had several Keeps." He said softly, reminding Zana of a sliver of information they had found a few weeks ago. "It might be worth investigating them to see if she left anything behind. What she did at the Pyramid was..."

His mood turned sour. "She's...not quite human anymore, I think."

 

[Zana]

"No... that magic was..." Zana pressed her lips together. The last time she had felt something so other was when the Herald himself had touched her. The very thought that Adelaide could have somehow mastered any magic akin to that truly terrified her. Of course, from what the dragons had spoken of on their journey and Talus' account too they suspected it was the ancient draconic magic which - if some historians were to be believed - predated the Herald himself. She shuddered.

"Maybe it would be safer to ask for the dragons to move here. At least we could offer them protection. They are isolated in the mountains." Despite their apparent willingness to deal with Zana and Talus, the dragons still snubbed the dwarves they shared the mountain with.

 

[Talus]

Talus looked towards Zana, lips pressing to a thin line.

It was not that he didn't want to protect the Dragons, but moving them here would...well, quite simply draw the eye of anyone who was looking for them. Not to mention the creatures were as stubborn as any Dreadlord could be. "Do you really think they'd agree to that?"

He said with a shake of his head.

"They may stand apart, but they're as stubborn as dwarves." Attempting to convince a Dragon to do anything it didn't want to was like...well, was like throwing spaghetti at a man in full plate and thinking it would do anything at all. "If we tell them everything, they might just try to lash out."

His head shook. "If the two of them would just open their doors."

A long sigh dragged from Talus' lips as he rubbed his face with a palm.

"The Dwarves could protect them." He explained his thoughts. "They could protect each other."

Better than Talus and Zana could. "Even if they were willing to come here, we can't be around all the time."

Not when they were the ones actively following the trail.

 

[Zana]

Zana worried at her bottom lip, a habit she had not been able to shake despite the Proctors meticulous efforts.

"I don't know. I think they trust the dwarves less, and if they are already being hunted in the area they search for prey it might be their nest has been discovered already. It might be best if they and the dwarves move here," or another mountain. She was fairly certain the King would not move no matter what they said though. Generations of his family had fought and died for those hills, he would not be the one to fail their memory.

She rubbed at her temples.

"Let me see what this Taskforce can find in one of her lairs. If we can understand her plans better then we might know what to do. I wouldn't put it past them to be doing this just to divert us from their real plans. Nassau was suspiciously absent. From what she said it sounded like he was off hunting something of his own."

 

[Talus]

"That'd be asking for a nearly five thousand dwarves to move, sweetheart." He said softly, not disagreeing with Zana's point.

They would all be far more safe if they chose to move, but making the argument was almost as ridiculous as putting it to the dragons. Neither of them would, or could realistically move. The very idea was something of an imaginative game.

"They'd rather die than abandon their home." Which was of course the same logic the dragons would give. "I think the Taskforce may be our only home."

He admitted quietly. "Adelaide has changed herself, but Nassau is leading the charge I think."

Talus continued softly.

"Doubtless she has her own plots, but he was never one to follow someone else's plan." Though what that was, he still feared.

 

[Zana]

Zana gave a deep sigh and then heaved her legs off her husbands lap with all the grace she could muster at seven months pregnant.

"On that depressing note, I am heading to bed. My back has missed feather mattresses and silk sheets," she sighed. Even as a Dreadlord, her unique skillset had meant that Zana was well paid. She had enjoyed such luxuries almost from the moment of her graduation and had never truly liked roughing it on missions after that. Being a mother and a pregnant one at that only made her love for comforts 10x worse.

She gave her love a kiss then stood. Grey gave a deep yawn from where he had been lying at their feet and stood too, tail wagging for his mistress. Zana gave him an affectionate pet.

"Are you coming?"