Private Tales Read between the lines

[Zana]

She folded her arms across his chest and rested her chin on top of them as he spoke, her eyes skimming across his features as he did so. It was an instinctive thing to analyse every little twitch of muscle or blink alongside the tone of his voice that she barely noticed she was doing it now. His words found their kindred spirit within her heart and her eyes softened with understanding.

"I know Dreadlords aren't the best company but I cannot imagine not having another in my life," she absentmindedly brushed a strand of hair from his face. They had been together since most of them were young children - it would feel like losing a part of her to go from having others like her in her life at all times to nothing.

"Do you miss it - them?"

 

[Talus]

It was a hard question to answer. "Some."

Sierra and Hal.

Both of them had taken different paths than he. One he had understood, and the other he had silently despaired about. Their little group had always been more isolated than others, always worked to be more insular.

Talus had thought it was so they could build trust, work together, but after graduation things had changed. He frowned after a few seconds, remembering what Fen had told him about other Dreadlords.

Trust between us is almost impossible. They did it that way on purpose. Trained us to be scared not just of them, but each other. Hard to stand next to a man you believe might stab you in the back.

Talus had trusted Hal, had Trusted Sierra, and they had never once betrayed that trust. He supposed it brought him some comfort to know that, though he hadn't seen either of his friends in what felt like years.

"I'm glad I found my way here last night." He told her, not sure if it answered he'd really answered her question. "I'm glad I found you."

He breathed. "Even if we'd only sat at that table and spoken."

It had been what he'd needed. Strengthened his resolved, told him that he was on the right path. He was sure of it now.

No more doubt. No more half measures.

 

[Zana]

Zana held her tongue as he worked through his thoughts; her question had clearly brought up quite a few things that warranted his attention. She wasn't surprised that it was a conflicted response given what she knew of him already - desperate for change and appalled with how the Dreadlords were used like pawns - yet at the same time he was one of them. Had been broken and remade in the same fashion as the rest of them. He had just happened to keep more of his soul intact that they had.

"Me too," she cupped his cheek and ran her thumb over the skin, her smile though small lit up her eyes. Just these simple touches, movements, marvelled her. She had read about them in her books of course but she hadn't imagined giving them to another herself but as she did... they felt right. Zana understood a little more what it was to be human.

"It doesn't feel quite so daunting trying to change things knowing it's not just me," her teeth sunk into her lower lip and chewed at the skin - a nervous tick. "And... It's nice to have someone who knows everything," she breathed out a deep sigh. She wasn't sure she would ever quite be able to explain just how freeing that was in itself. She would never have to watch what she said, worry about slipping up with her gifts or come up with an excuse to how she knew something was about to happen.

 

[Talus]

He nodded his head in agreement. "Fate is funny sometimes."

Talus wondered if she could have seen all of this coming. What she would have done if she'd seen herself laying in bed with a Dreadlord like himself.

If it had been him, he probably wouldn't have believed his own magic.

"What do you say..." He began quietly, nervous for a second before continuing. "Next time we try my place."

A pause, and then he added. "It's no Townhouse, but it has a really nice Kitchen table."

Plus, it wasn't in the middle of the city where eyes could be everywhere.

 

[Zana]

Something eased inside her chest and she realised with a start she had been worrying this was going to be a one time occurrence. Her smile creased her eyes this time and she leaned up to draw him into another kiss.

"A really nice kitchen table?" a husky laugh escaped her lips as she rested her forehead against his. "How could I say no to that? I hear it even has this... amazing... crest in it," she at least tried this time not to laugh though it was pretty clear she thought his ways of tempting her over were quite amusing. Grey would probably enjoy the run in a forest rather than being cooped up in the city anyway and she was curious to see where he lived in all honesty.

"Is it ok if I bring the food though? I said goodbye to rations a long time ago."

 

[Talus]

Talus smirked. He'd always known the kitchen table would be a draw. Though this would mean he'd have to work overtime to rebuild the two chairs the Assassin's had destroyed during their attack.

"I suppose that would be fine." He told her with a smile. "But the gruel has gotten a lot better over the last year or so I really gotta say."

That was a bold faced lie.

Compared to the Pasta Zana had cooked any ration the Guard could offer was barely above garbage. He was already struggling with the fact that he would have to go back to them after this.

Just another thing he would miss about this night. At least until the next.

 

[Zana]

Zana tried. She really tried to keep her face straight. But she couldn't hold it in and ended up burying her face in the crook of his neck whilst her whole body shook with her laugh.

"What did they do, discover there was a spice other than salt?" she wiped the tears from her eyes, her face flushed, but she had managed to calm herself down somewhat. Whenever she was on a mission and had to rely solely on what rations she was provided she missed her oven like a mother would miss her child.

"It actually pains me the most you're leaving to go back to those, so now I'm definitely cooking you breakfast before you go," she went to roll out of bed before he could argue with her.

 

[Talus]

He couldn't blame her for the laugh, just about the only good meal he'd ever had in the Guard had come from Donric. He wondered if the man and Zana could meet up to compare notes, though that would probably happen naturally if Zana joined in on more guard missions anyway.

"Well." Talus said as he glanced to a nearby window. "Another hour isn't really gonna matter at this point is it?"

They probably thought he was dead.

He should really start thinking about how he was going to explain all of this to Aldwaith. Spinning the story would be a must, and he would most definitely leave out the part about sleeping with Zanna, and her hidden magic.

That would be kept to himself until she decided to reveal it to them herself. "Ladies first."

Talus said as he motioned towards off the bed, knowing she would have to climb over him and then get dressed.

 

[Zana]

"If it's one more hour..." Zana sighed as she settled on top of him, her fingers trailing up from his stomach to his chest where she flattened her palms against his skin. Her hair was a wild mass of curls as it fell forward around her face and over her shoulders. "Why not two?"

In truth she wasn't entirely sure how much time passed before she finally managed to get off the bed and pull on her breeches and a clean shirt. The rain was slowing down further now to a light drizzle and she could even hear birds beginning to sing; the storm had definitely moved on.

"I guess you can blame the storm as to why it took you so long," she was busy doing up her buttons as she spoke and half turned towards him as she completed the last couple.

 

[Talus]

He smirked, his hands slowly running over her form as she slipped off of him and began to dress herself. For a few seconds he watched her, then slowly he managed to drag himself away and actually join her in the task of getting dressed.

A smile touched his lips as she thought up an excuse for him. "I doubt he'll buy that unfortunately. Rain doesn't exist in the other realm."

No weather did in fact.

It was one of the things he had always sort of wondered about, though it had saved him countless times. During his trip to the Tundra it had been the only think which had kept him alive before meeting Mikaela.

"Don't worry about it." He told her as he stepped forward. "I'll tell them there was an opportunity I would have been stupid to pass up."

 

[Zana]

She ran her fingers through her hair to ease the knots out of them before swiftly doing it up into a tight braid. If the weather was clearing perhaps the hunting group would turn to the training grounds instead. It would be dangerous underfoot for the horses to go out whilst the ground was so sodden but Dreadlords should fair well enough. When he stepped forwards and closer to her she sighed, a small frown marring her brow, and she gently ran her knuckles down his cheek.

"It appears worry is a side effect of the missing chunk of soul," she gave a half hearted smile. It did however seem from what he had told her already the Guard were a lot more forgiving than the Houses. She let her hand drop then turned and made her way back downstairs. Grey was waiting at the door but he didn't follow Zana downstairs and instead dropped his ball and stared expectantly at Talus.

 

[Talus]

Talus watched after her for a moment, considering something before he slowly began to follow after her.

When he found Grey waiting for him he smiled, leaning down to scoop up the ball and throwing it up into the air before catching it. "Let's bring this downstairs, don't want you tumbling down."

He told the dog as he quickly followed after Zana.

Once he reached the bottom step he waggled the ball in front of Grey, and then proceeded to toss it down the longest stretch of hallway.

As soon as that was done Talus moved into the Kitchen where he found Zana.

"This man you made the bargain with." He asked. "Where was he from?"

He had never known another to be able to see souls, much less take them.

 

[Zana]

As soon as the ball was tossed in the air the pup play bowed, tail thumping in excitement before giving a sharp bark at his words. He could barely contain his energy all the way down the stairs and once the ball was finally released he went steaming afterwards. The ball hit a wall and disappeared round another bend and there was a soft thud as the wolf hit said wall before barrelling after the ball once more.

Zana was busy frying up some bacon and sausages in a large cast iron pan. She half glanced up when she caught Talus appearing out the corner of her eye, smiled, then looked back down at what she was doing.

"I think he called them the Lost Isles, he said they were cousins to the Bears," Grey came panting back into the kitchen and dropped the ball, jumping back and bowing once more. "He was..." she shivered involuntarily. "I don't know, it felt like black magic."

 

[Talus]

Talus blinked. "The Tundra?"

Cousin to the bears? He really only knew of one people that were referred to as such, and that was the Nordenfiir. His lips thinned slightly as he thought about it. From what Mika had told him her people did not do much magic, and if he claimed to be cousins...

Perhaps another tribe that he did not meet during his journey.

"I've met the Nordenfiir...bears. They're magic is not dark." But then again none of them had ever mentioned their 'Cousins'. "But someone like that...sounds dangerous. I wonder if they know."

He frowned for a brief moment, but then shook his head. "Regardless. If we find him, I think I could restore your soul."

At least he was fairly sure.

 

[Zana]

Zana shot him a look when he admitted to meeting the Nordenfiir. She had only ever read of them and she wondered briefly what it must have been like to see a person transform into a hulking great bear. It was said their paws were as big as a mans head, if not bigger. She couldn't imagine holding such a creature within her herself. Sometimes it felt like her own magic pushed against her skin and was bigger than she could contain and that was more than enough for her.

As he spoke of her soul however an odd look crossed her face and her movements with the food slowed then stopped.

"I... I'm not sure I want it back," not least because she couldn't be sure what he had done to it, but more importantly...

She couldn't meet his eyes.

"Talus, what if he gives it back and I just go back to being a drone?"

 

[Talus]

Talus blinked. The words were not what he had expected.

For a few seconds Talus simply stared at her. The fear in the way she held herself was so obvious. Zana did not want to go back to the way she was, she did not want to become the loyal servant. She had woken up, seen what the world really was.

The missing piece might bring it all back. "Then I'll rip it out again."

He realized only after he said it that the words probably didnt sound half as sweet as he wanted them to. He'd simply wanted to assure it would be okay.

"No I meant..." He took a step forward, reaching out and gently cupping her chin to gently make her eyes meet his. "I won't let that happen. Ever."

 

[Zana]

The idea truly terrified her.

Before, she had thought that her new found thoughts were more down to the fact Kol had asked her things she had never been asked before. But she had felt different after that ritual in the forest. She hadn't known for sure what he had done obviously but now she did it seemed to make more sense. Like all the pieces had fallen into place and the picture was made whole. He had inadvertently done her a favour.

She felt his hand on her chin, the gentle urging to look at him, and she did indeed turn away from the stove towards him. Her eyes met his as he gave her his promise and she let out a shuddering breath.

"I can't go back to that," she would rather die.

 

[Talus]

"You won't." Talus repeated, his voice strong.

There was no real assurance that he could give her, nothing he could say that was fact, but his word would have to be enough. "I've seen you."

He said softly.

"Last night, this morning." Ice blue eyes stared into hers. "I won't ever let anyone make you a pawn again."

His other hand reached out and took hers, gently squeezing. "I promise you."

 

[Zana]

Zana swallowed the growing lump in her throat. She was nodding almost automatically at his words and assurances but his promise... his promise was what finally convinced her and helped her back from the brink of panic. She could see it in his eyes that he wouldn't let them erase the person she had discovered was actually her.

Pale green eyes so at odds with her darker complexion stared back at him and when she nodded this time the fear that had clouded them had ebbed away at least a little bit. In the very least, he would remember who she truly was if she was rehabilitated.

"Thank you," she squeezed his hand back and held it for a moment longer. "Does the soul thing really bother you?" she winced a little. If it did, she would let him at least try and put it back.

 

[Talus]

He chuckled. "No, I thought it bothered you."

Now he just felt stupid having brought it up.

Talus had no idea what the long-term effects were of her condition, he'd never seen anything like it before. There was no telling what the two souls would do once they melded, though he thought her personality had already won the battle.

Beyond that? All of it was just a theory, just a thought.

"I'm sorry for even mentioning it." He lifted her hand and gently kissed her knuckles.

 

[Zana]

"No," Zana smiled at the sweet gesture as his lips brushed over her skin. "I see it like any other scar. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make for my first ever choice," saying it out loud actually made her rather proud of it in a weird way. She could have just pointed him in the direction of the Academy or even brought him a child to take the soul of, but she'd sacrificed a pig and a bit of herself instead.

The food spat and she slowly untangled herself from him to take it off the heat of the fire and dished up the mix of eggs, bacon, sausages and mushrooms. She hadn't cleared the table from last night but she pushed them to the side to make room for their breakfast with a mind to deal with it later.

"Have you figured out what you're going to tell your... Commander?" she was rather embarrassed to admit she didn't exactly know how a Dreadlord fit into the structure of the Guard. Grey sat at the end of the table and she tossed him one of her sausages which he caught out of the air and hurried off with triumphantly.

 

[Talus]

"General." He told her. "Aldwaith."

Zana would know the name. General Aldwaith was the Commander of the Eastern Army, the part of the Guard who were stationed in and around Vel Anir directly. He had a reputation for being a hard man, usually not tolerating nonsense.

He was especially famed for his exploits twenty years ago, winning a series of border skirmishes with the free cities of Cortos. At the time his army had been undermanned, under supplied, and without a single Dreadlord. He'd still won somehow, and that had earned him the love of many Guardsmen.

Talus lingered behind her as he spoke. "I'll tell him the truth...part of it. That I had an opportunity to help the guard and I took it. If I make my case he'll understand, even without the details."

Aldwaith was a pragmatic man, and along with Ilyena had been his greatest advocate.

 

[Zana]

Zana paused as she set down both places and then turned back to where Talus still stood, her hands resting behind her on the chair. The name was indeed a famous one but it caused her to frown. She wouldn't have thought such a man would so easily accept only half a truth. She also very much doubted he wouldn't make the connection when she showed up in the next few weeks to help the Guard. But then... Talus knew them better than her, she had to trust him.

What an odd feeling, trusting a Dreadlord.

"C'mon your food is going to get cold," she pulled out her own chair and sat down. As they ate she mulled over her own half of the plan - she had been passionate yesterday about helping him find out the information about his attempted murder and of helping him in the Guard. The latter she was more content with, the former...

"Is there anything else you know about the attack on your life?"

 

[Talus]

Talus sat himself down and began to eat, finding once again that the food Zana made was a marked improvement over everything he had eaten in the last...twenty one years of his entire life.

A beaming smile crossed his face as he ate, like a child who'd had his first cookie.

He found himself with a mouth full of food once again when she asked her question, though this time he had the good sense to finishing chewing before he actually answered her. "The Assassin guild wasn't really the important part."

Talus told her.

"House Relek is the key." The now defunct minor House had suffered pirate raids, military defeats, and later arrest at the hands of the Guard. They had far overreached their authority, and the attempt on his life had been part of that. The other pieces had been unreported Gold Mines and running their own private armies of outside mercenaries. "Most of the House was imprisoned in The Obsidian Hold after they were found guilty."

It was the prison kept by the Guard in Vel Anir, a massive fortress that only they had authority over. "But not a single one of them has spoken. We only know they were serving a Great House because of a document found in their manor."

Talus explained. "Other than that it's a pretty dead end."

 

[Zana]

"House Relek..." Zana rubbed at the bridge of her nose. Why was that name familiar? She of course knew of the House but there had been something to do with them recently within the House that had caused a stir. Then it hit her.

Brackard. The Dungeon. The man sobbing and hanging from his broken wrists. That had been the House he had been a part of, the one that had tried to kill the Head of House Luana.

"We actually had an issue with them recently, in Luana," of course it had been kept secret. It was of upmost importance it was kept a secret because it made them look weak. Someone had come very close to killing Ashur's father and it had been a fluke a Dreadlord had walked by when they had. Well now this information would most certainly get her killed for sharing. "Actually, now I am thinking back over it it is very similar to your story. An assassin was caught in the Chambers of the Head of the House - a Dreadlord just happened to be coming to him with a report and caught him. It was traced back to Jerald Bruant, who was the Treasurer of House Relek," she popped a mushroom in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "He was with our interrogator for some days but I know they suspected one of the Seven being the real power behind the attack. I'll try to find the report."