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Goodbye... (P)

Started by Salzem, January 16, 2017, 06:20:16 PM

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Salzem

After that hellish nightmare Lanister and Nevayah had gone through... It was the best thing in the world to feel his wife's emotions again... to be with her again... The moment they had escaped the clutches of that terrible angel-thing, the two had set off immediately for home, specifically, for the house of Lanister's boss. He always sent the kids there when he and Nevayah went out for one purpose or another and Boss was always more than willing. After all, Emia and Izayah had grown to be good friends with her own kid... Perhaps even best-friends... Lanister smiled lightly as a pleasant memory washed over behind his eyes. Lanister and Nevayah often walked in on the three of them playing in the living room of Boss's massive house, chatting, telling stories, sometimes play-wrestling with each-other... it was so cute... He couldn't believe he allowed himself to not care about them... to not care about his family for even a second... They were his life, they were what drove him to be the man he was today... They were only a few minutes or two from Boss's house, already in town and just now making their way through the seemingly endless crowd of pedestrians as always and every so often... he couldn't stop looking back at his beautiful wife... his Nevayah... He felt he had hurt her the most... by dying... by allowing himself to fall under the heel of that creature of the abyss... for allowing himself be convinced to go on that vacation... It was all his fault, wasn't it...? In truth, the whole thing was something he'd like to forget, to push aside as if it never even happened... He wanted to resume his with his wonderful family... Unfortunately, Lanister was smart enough to know that it was never that easy... This was one story that would have to be told at some point, one that would need to be worked out... Some day, but that day was not today... Today, they were going to reunite with their children...

Emia was a nervous wreck the whole time she was at Boss' house... Even among the air of comradary, love and acceptance that floated about the home, she felt more off, more alone thane ever before... Sure, her brother was there and she loved him with all her heart, but she was alone somehow... she couldn't feel her parents... The blood-bond she was born with connected her to both her mom and her dad and when they had both gone on their little vacation, it wasn't long before their presence just... *blinked* out of existence... Whenever Boss' son, Brandy, tried to pull her into a game, to be her friend, Emia shrugged him off and inched away into the deepest darkest corner she could find, wrapping herself up in her mother's scarf... She hardly ate, she never talked... it was as if her mommy and daddy had died... Oh gods... please don't let that be the case...

A firm knocking could be heard from within the inside of the house and instantly, Boss' face flooded with relief. She had to put up with the tainted kid for several days and it was like raising 3 children... Difficult and taxing, but somehow incredibly worth it... Their behavior, however, had fallen drastically... violently... as if... something had happened to their parents... The large woman opened the door to be met with the exasperated smile of Lanister with Nevayah right beside, eager to find their children.

"Hey.... How-it-do, boss...?" He greeted, reaching out a fist for her to bump. Instead, she took a step outside and wrapped her massive arms around them both, pulling them into a hug.

"I've been so worried about you two..." She murmured to her close friends before pulling away "Especially your kids... they haven't been the same since you left them here..." Lanister looked over at Nevayah, sharing a knowing glance before walking into the foyer as per Boss' allowance.

"Izayah! Emia! Come here please!" Boss called throughout the house. Emia didn't feel like moving... she was comfortable, curled up into a ball on the floor, ignoring everything but her on volatile fears and anguishes of her mom and dad... But Boss was a kind of person that treated other people's children as if they were her own... and getting disciplined by her was not something Emia ever wanted to experience... Hesitantly, shakily, the little girl got to her feet, stumbling to the foyer, her sanguine eyes downcast. Immediately, Lanister's expression bloomed into a smile upon seeing his little daughter and hopefully Izayah right behind.

"Come here and give us a hug..." Lanister called, beckoning with his hands. Immediately, Emia's eyes shot up, her eyes widening, then welling up with tears as she saw the smiling, exhausted faces of her mommy and daddy once more. Without skipping a beat, she ran into their welcoming arms, held to their chests as she cried and cried her little heart out, letting all her fears pour out in her tears and voice...

"Mommy... Daddy..." She moaned.

"It's okay, baby..." Lanister whispered, holding her gently. "It's okay..."

Blink

So much for a fun vacation... instead it was just another scar left on her heart. The tortures the two tainted were submitted to was something she would remember forever. To die over and over again, or even worse watch as the other half of heart died so brutally. Things like this mess up a person. Nevayah would be lying if she didn't say that it didn't in some way it didn't ruin her a bit. The entire time on their way home all Nevayah could think about was how she would have to lie to them... all of them. Her decision was only confirmed by what had happened. She was so sure that what she planned to do was the right thing now, nothing could change her mind.

Izayah had been just like his sister, miserable over the last few days. Something had happened in the middle of their stay with Emria, something horrible. He could feel it in every bone of his body, how his parents had just dissapeared. He was convinced he would never see them again, never hear his mothers laugh or his fathers stories. It was all something he took advantage of for so long and now that he felt he had lost it, he only wished he could go back and do it all over again. His sister was all he had left now and obviously she was just as broken as he was about it. Just like her he had found a quiet place to hide away in, some days it was a corner, others just outside staring at the sky. But today he was in a room upstairs, just sitting on the edge of a bed staring at the wall wondering what will happen next with his pathetic little life.

And then he heard knocking on the door, most likely someone for Emria or her son. But after her voice rang out summoning the two tainted children to her Izayah felt his heart drop even furth in his stomach. This was it, the moment they would find out that their parents were dead and that they were now orphans. He wasn't ready.. not yet. Standing at the top of the stairwell he refused to go down, tears building in his eyes as he thought of how horrible life would be from this moment on. His fear though was completely shattered to peices though as he heard his fathers voice.

Immediately Izayah shot down the stairs running for his parents just as he did when he was a mere four years old and had gotten hurt or something. In this moment he did not care how tough he seemed or how calm he would be... all he wanted was his parents. In a matter of seconds Izayah was standing right in front of them, tears now dripping down his cheeks as he stood their staring at them. Izayah was broken, his heart shattered to peices and then put together in a matter of seconds. He couldn't bring himself to hug them, he was afraid the moment he touched them they would simply fade away and that all of this was an illusion. He knew what he had felt, he knew something was broken while they were away and it was still broken.

Nevayah was overtaken with tears of her own as Emia embraced her. They were tears of joy and also pain as she thought of how much it would rip them all apart when she left them. It was even worse when she looked at Izayah. He had always resembled her physically, but the pain in his eyes was like staring into a mirror at her own when she watched Lanister die and come back over and over again. Stepping away from the hugging going on between Lanister and Emia, Nevayah walked towards Izayah who barely even budged as she neared him. He was just standing there with his fists in a ball at his sides and tears streaming down his cheeks.

Slowly she lifted her hand and placed it on his shoulder. It was then that poor Izayah simply broke down completely. The moment his mother's hand touched his shoulder she had confirmed that she was very much alive and there to him. None of this way a dream, these really were his parents standing before him. After a few seconds Nevayah then pulled Izayah into a hug as he continued to bawl. Looking over his mothers shoulder he then locked his eyes on his father wanting nothing more than an embrace from him as well. Sensing so Nevayah pulled back to go and hug Emia while Izayah walked towards Lannister.

Salzem

Lanister very nearly lost it himself as his little daughter came barreling into the arms of her parents, hugging her from one side as Nevayah did the other... They didn't even see Izayah until his wife spotted him first, breaking away from their group hug to go be with him. Left alone with his daughter, Lanister held her little form as tightly to him as he could while she did the same, tears running down his cheeks steadily. He had been so afraid... afraid that demon thing had harmed them.... killed them.... It scared him so horribly... He didn't know what he'd do without his little babies... He softly kissed Emia on the forehead before pulling away just a bit, just enough to see her face all flushed.

"Hey, my little flower..." Lanister smiled through his tears, gently brushing Emia's off with his thumb. "You've been so brave... I'm proud of you... I really am..." Emia's saguine eyes widened, then filled up with tears again as she lost it once more in her daddy's loving embrace... "Hey... Go say 'hi' to mommy...? Okay...?" Lanister asked, pulling away after a minute or two. He gently brushed a few stray hairs out of his daughter's face before smiling sweetly at his daughter. "I love you Emia... Don't ever forget that..." And with those words, the little girl broke away from her daddy, running up to Nevayah and wrapping her arms around her mommy's torso, bawling her eyes out just as she had done with her father.

Meanwhile, Izayah had done the same, breaking away from Nevayah and VERY effectively tackling Lanister to the ground with enough force, he actually fell backwards onto the floor, laughing somewhat. Immediately, he pulled his little soldier into a tight embrace, kissing the top of his head and running his fingers through his dark hair... Poor Izayah... Poor Emia... They've all suffered so horribly... He wished he could've turned back the clock and prevented every bit of that experience from ever happening, to prevent that Angel from ever meeting them... Lanister just wanted his family to be happy... He wanted to see his little boy smile...

"Hey, my little soldier..." Lanister whispered, gently taking his son's head in his hands, wiping away his tears with his thumbs. "Izayah... you've been so brave and cool... I'm jealous... I really am... I wish I had your nerves of steel..." Lanister smiled softly before kissing the little boy's forehead softly. For as long as he could, the older tainted held his son, hugging and kissing the boy's cheeks...

"Hey." Boss spoke over their little moment, clapping her hands together to get the tainted family's attention. "It's getting dark and far be-it from me to let you all walk out into the darkness. You'll all be staying here tonight. Now don't argue! I don't want any of it!" Lanister smiled softly at his Boss, his closest friend outside of his family... Without ever wanting to let go of his kid, Lanister scooped up little Izayah in his arms, almost like he were cradling the young boy. With one arm, he held his son, and with the other, he poked his belly repeatedly in VERY effective ways to tickle him.

"Thank you..." Lanister declared to his Boss before walking back over to Nevayah, his son in tow.

"Hey... Nevayah..." Lanister asked, gesturing over to the living-room with his head. "Let's sit down, huh? It's..... been a long day..." Walking in that direction, the living-room held several different couches, some large, some small, some soft chairs sitting around as well. Flopping down on one of the larger couches, Lanister took his little Izayah and hugged him softly once more.

Meanwhile, Emia stood by her mother, clinging to her with every ounce of strength she had... She never wanted to let go...

Blink

When Emria clapped her hands together it caused Nevayah to jump a bit, her nerves still not completely settled from everything. Emria's suggestion of them staying at her home for the night kind of saddened Nevayah. Nothing sounded better than just being home so that she could soak it all in for as long as she could. Who knew how many more nights she would get to stay there before she departed? She wanted to see the coat rack where Izayah and Emia's smaller coats still hung, because she never wanted to forget how small they once were. In the kitchen, on the shelves were bottles laced and labled ready to distribute all of them Emia had helped organize. And then there was her bedroom where still the lantern set beside their bed, the one they had since the day they mate. These were all the things she wanted to engrave into her mind, to never forget. She wanted to be able to leave and still remember when she returned as if she had never left at all. But still she did not protest, she knew Emria had their best intentions at heart.

Izayah on the otherhand was almost embarassed when his father scooped him up. He wasn't a three year old toddler anymore, he was 14 years old... practically an adult in his own mind. Still though it was nice having his father hold him like this, like the man he always thought would protect him. Being carried over to the couch Izayah then sat beside his father, leaning his head on his shoulder not ever wanting to leave his side again. This man was the man he had always strived to be and maybe, just maybe, sitting this close to him would cause some of his heroic personality to rub off on him.

Nevayah would nod as Izayah suggest they move to the living room. Grabbing one of Emia's hands she led her to a different couch before plopping down on it across from Lanister and Izayah. Pulling Emia towards her she positioned her daughters head on her lap and from there ran her fingers through her beautiful hair. At least she could try to remember this, the feeling of her daughters silken hair in her hands. "So did the two of you behave while we were away? Any fighting or bickering?"

Salzem

Lanister smiled knowingly at his son, catching his uncomfortable expression as he held him like a child. Of course, the older tainted blood was aware of and respected Izayah's age! It wasn't as if he was going to start spoon-feeding and coddling to his every whim like he did when he was but a little baby! But, the reason he held his son the way he did, in such a protective way, was because they had come this close to never seeing him again... That damned angel had tossed them into the pools of oblivion countless times, each and every one seeming to leave a small piece of their soul with the reaper... now, staring into the deep blue eyes of his boy, he was glad to see that his humanity had remained whole... Izayah and Emia was just holding it for him... Lanister watched as Nevayah walked Emia over to one of the chairs adjacent to his, smiling warmly as his little girl curled up beside his wife, resting her head on her lap. They were so cute together... Little Nevayah and big Nevayah all curled up together... It almost made Lanister's heart ache with the seeping sweetness! Sure, Emia had his eyes, hair and personality, but in all other ways, she looked just like her mother. After a little while longer of letting Izayah squirm in his cradle-of-arms, Lanister would laugh and set him down beside him, one arm wrapping behind his back and his hand resting on his shoulder.

Emia, meanwhile, sighed, content in the feeling of her mother's fingers running through her brown hair... It was just recently washed earlier that day, as smooth and soft as it was ever going to get. She missed her mom... she missed her dad... Heck, she even missed her brother, even though he was sitting there in the house with her the whole time... He was so happy, so relieved, so safe... She didn't want to leave Nevayah's motherly protection... Emia giggled lightly as she asked if they had gotten into any fights, bickered or anything.

"Nope!" Emia exclaimed, raising her head just a bit so she could look clearly into her mother's deep blue orbs. "We were just waiting for you!" She smiled softly, but what she said made Lanister wince just a bit. He had an idea of what his little-ones were feeling while he and Nevayah were out dying... It must've been the most horrible thing in the world for his children to suffer... It certainly was for him and that only made it worse. The scariest part, though, was that Death was... attractive... it was peaceful, like waking up in the womb before one was born... There was no warmth or cold, no light or dark, no substance or emptiness... It was... comfortable and peaceful to float around in the ether... Everything seemed to so far way there.

But none of that mattered anymore right? He was back at it with his beautiful wife, his wonderful children, and nothing was EVER going to take them away from him... until something like that did... again... The thought made Lanister wince again, but Emia didn't seem to notice. She simply laid her head back down on her mommy's lap, enjoying beyond words the comfort of her mother's warmth.

Blink

The fact that Nevayah could pick up what Lanister was feeling again comforted her. She could feel how happy he was in this moment, how complete he felt. She also knew that meant he could feel what she was dreading as well. Although it was mid autumn she knew that after the first snow she would have to say goodbye. It was obvious that Lanister and her children would be hurt by this, she knew that. She also knew that it would kill her on the inside to walk away. But she just had to remember why she was doing this, it was for their freedom. She was tired of running, tired of worrying. Of course what happened with the angel was something that could never be avoided, but at least no more hiding their true identities from non-fae. No more having to worry about someone collecting a bounty on them or enslaving them again... they would simply all be free.

She had already planned on how she would do it, she would tell Emria everything when the day finally came. She would also write a note and then sneak away with the caravan that traveled through time. By the time Lanister knew what was happening she would already be too far gone. Thinking about it now caused an unknowing tear to fall from her eye and stream down her cheek. When she did realize she was tearing up she simply wiped it away and played them off as tears of joy, after all she was just reunited with her children. The only hard thing she had to worry about before then was Lanister breaking her, he would know something was up. And knowing him he would stop at nothing to figure out what that was.

Izayah looked at his mother as she ran her fingers through Emia's hair. He could feel something was lost within her on their vacation but was too afraid to ask. He so badly wanted to know the feeling he had in his chest and how it simply just faded away. First it was his father and then minutes later his mother. He could remember exactly what he was doing when it happened, as well as the look he shared with Emia when she felt it as well. They were both sitting in this very room, staring out the window and chatting with Emria about how much they missed their parents already. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks, a feeling of great fear followed by nothing. Of course he had felt uneasy for a few hours before that as if something may be wrong, but then it was all confirmed when they disappeared from what felt like his heart. He had been told when he was younger about the blood bond they all shared, maybe that was what this was. But now he couldn't feel it... he still had that missing bit in his heart.

He saw the tear fall from his mothers eye and how she played it off as missing them, he knew that was a lie. Even without the bond he knew it, he had known his mother all of his life (obviously) and she had always been so bad at hiding everything. So instead he countered with a question to both of his parents that would ask everything he wanted to know but more subtly. "So what did you guys do on your vacation?"

Nevayah immediately shifted her eyes to Lanister not really knowing how best to say it. "Well..." panicking a bit she shifted on the couch but still keeping Emia's head in her lap. "... your father and I...." She shifted her eyes again as if signalling to Lanister to save her from the question.

Salzem

"Uh, You're mother and I talked... A lot..." Lanister spoke quickly, picking up where his wife left off. It was the excuse he gave them whenever his children asked what they were doing some late nights when he and her decided to... uh... experience one-another. Of course, at this age, both Emia and Izayah were old enough to know that wasn't exactly where the story ended. There was more and everyone knew it. He could see it in their eyes as they stared at him, particularly his wife who looked at him pleadingly for help in this matter. At such a tender age, they need not know their parents, their hauberk against the cruel claws of the world were killed over and over again... They need not comprehend the agony, the worry, the weakness and helplessness... And so, Lanister did what he did best besides... you know.... being his son's hero: He was going to tell a story.

"Well you see, there's this nice little town down the way..." Lanister began, smiling as he constructed the ideal fantasy of what their vacation COULD have been... What it SHOULD have been... He went on for several minutes, just outlying a series of mundane, but interesting adventures both he and Nevayah had on their little trip, sometimes even surprising himself with the ideas he came up with. In the end, his kiddies would likely be so enraptured by the long, wondrous story he told, they would possibly forget the heavy air that seemed to hang over them all. Emia certainly did. Her eyes sparkled in amazement as she listened to her dad's tale.

Sure, some of it was likely exaggerated and some parts blatantly untrue, but it was the WAY he told it... that was what mattered... Emia remembered those days when he used to tuck both Izayah and she into bed together, grabbing a story-book off the shelves before tossing it away and making up his own right there... She always admired her father for his ability to think on his feet, to create a world as he walked rather than standing in one place...

"Ah, but truthfully..." Lanister sighed, ruffling Izayah's hair with the widest grin on his face. "None of that was as wonderful as coming back to you two..." Again, Lanister's eyes flicked back to his wife's and the shock, the pain... it was all so obvious on her face... It worried him badly, deep on the inside. He was afraid that creepy angel had harmed her deeper than he... That re-visit to non-emotioness was probably what did it, but he couldn't be sure... besides her raw emotion, her look told him nothing. All he wanted to do right now as grab Nevayah, push her up against a wall and kiss her until they both fainted from lack of air and, even in the house of his friend, he might've done just that if their children weren't awake and with them...

Blink

Just as she had hoped Lanister picked up where she cut off. He went into detail of a fabricated story and even it caused a smile to breakthrough on her face for the first time in a few minutes. This was why she loved this man so much, he was always the light in the darkest of situations.

Izayah giggled when his father ruffled his hair, snapping him out of the trance of listening to his story. But then again that was what it was... a story. He recognized it the moment his eyes lit up the way they did, just as when they were children. He supposed he would never really know what happened on their vacation and maybe it was what was best. Sitting up a bit so that he was no longer leaning on his father Izayah looked to his sister to see if she had picked up on the same thing. Of course this was all fun but there was still one thing that he NEEDED to know the answer to. "So then why do I feel different?" He was not quite sure how to explain what he meant but he did his best anyways. "While you guys were away at one point the feeling I always had with you two suddenly vanished." His eyes darted to Emia hoping she would jump in to confirm what he was saying. ".... both of us felt it."

Nevayah who had finally started to feel relieved that her children would not ask anymore questions was quickly thrown back into that dark place. Just as before she looked to Lanister hoping he could conjure something to explain why their blood bond was broken with their children. They would have to explain it, and at some point re-create the bond. But with that came the visions of what they went through. The moment Nevayah would share her blood she knew they would see what had really happened. At least she assumed they would. Thankfully when she restored her bond with Lanister she was just barely able to keep the visions of her conversation with the fat man a secret. She would have to try and keep it out of her mind the best she could so that it did not even resurface in her dreams, this being the only drawback of sharing such a bond. If Lanister found out what she was planning, he would end it before she could even explain. There was no way he would ever allow her to leave them, even if in the end it was what was best for them.

Salzem

Lanister only smiled at his son's question, his gaze shifting from Izayah, to his sweet daughter Emia, to his beautiful, sweet Nevayah, practically crumbling under the weight of such a question. He only smiled wider, hoping to lift her spirits, offering her a wink to let her know that everything was going to be okay.

"Well son..." The older tainted responded, poking him in the stomach. "You won't believe it if we told you... but i'mma tell you anyway. See... we went and we got to see an angel..." Lanister's Sanguine eyes immediately shot over to Nevayah's blues, giving her a certain look that told her not to worry. He knew she thought he was going to tell them about the horror-show-of-a-vacation they had, that he was going to shatter what remained of his children's innocence with the truth and crush those shards into a paste with gruesome detail. He knew that's what his wonderful Nevayah feared, and so he only smiled sweetly at her, letting her know this simply wasn't the case.

"An angel! It's true! She looked just like you or me, but with long flowing dark hair, a sweet, knowing smile, and large, radiant white wings that seemed to shine with their own light. Well! See, she saw us out on the road on our way out of town, and she asked us if we wanted to see heaven!" Lanister leaned in close to Izayah, staring at him intensely before shifting his gaze over to Emila, giving her the same look. She only smiled and nodded for him to continue. "Keep in mind... we didn't simply 'pass on' or anything, my wonderful people. No, we actually got to walk up the shimmering diamond steps up to the front gate and gaze upon it's shining glory! It was a wonderful place, Emia, Izayah, believe me!" He paused for a moment, smiling widely at both his little-ones his gaze showing nothing but love for everyone in this room, even for his friend Emria who listened at the top of the spiral stares that lead upstairs.

"Now, the reason you felt all weird was that while here, on this planet, we'll always know where to find each-other! That's a special power all families have, my son. But your mother and I... we went somewhere so far beyond, so different, you couldn't detect us anymore... But we found a way to come back to you... We'll always find a way... Isn't that right, honey?" Lanister smiled suggestively at his wife as he spoke, always using the word 'honey' whenever he had something in mind later. Lucky for him, the children weren't old enough to know what that meant.

Blink

Izayah could not help but giggle when his father poked him in the stomach. It was something his dad had always done to him, poking that is. Immediately though he was pulled back into the fantasy land his father had begun to layout before them. His stories were always so captivating and enchanting. Hanging on every word Izayah listened as his idol told them the story of an angel. His jaw nearly dropped when Lanister mentioned he was able to meet such a being, one so divine and holy. And then as if adding a cherry on top Lanister mentioned seeing heaven. This story had Izayah hooked unlike the last one, he believed every single word that dribbled from his fathers mouth. Of course he would, why would his father ever lie to him?

Nevayah once again was calmed by Lanister's most adorable trait, his story telling. Somehow he had managed to twist their experience into an almost bed time story for their children. The smile that now rested upon her face was one of complete awe as she stared at the man she loved more than anything on this plane or the next. The picture made even more perfect by the way he spoke to their son, the way he held him in such a happy place with nothing but a story. But then she blushed as Lanister's smile said more than just joy, but something more suggestive. Yet another reason she wished they were home, able to do whatever they pleased as soon as the children were in bed.

"Emia..." the mother's voice breaking the silent awe both of her children were exchanging. "Why don't you do your mother a favor and go ask Emria what is for dinner, I am starving. And do be a good girl and offer to help. Emria has already done so much for us." she allowed her eyes to widen a bit as if to show how excited she was at the thought of food. Of course Nevayah had other more important things to worry about, but a meal would be rather nice. After hours of travel and of course the horrific things that took place while they were away a nice home cooked meal seemed pleasant enough.

Patting Emia on the back she allowed her hand to run through her daughters hair once more, an attempt to lock that memory forever in her mind. Just as Lanister and Izayah shared something special so did Emia and Neveyah. She was never the best at showing how much she truly adored her daughter but she did do her best. Emia was her little ray of sunshine, the daughter she had always wished one day she had. "... I love you" her words meaning more than just a simple three letter phrase. Her attention then shifted to Izayah who was still practically drooling over Lanister's story. "Izayah why don't you go help to. Your dad and I would like to take a nap. We walked so long and-" Theatrically Nevayah lifted a hand to her forehead to signify how tired she was, or at least was pretending to be.

Izayah quickly stood up and took his mothers hand like the little gentleman they had raised him to be. "Then please go rest mom..." he turned his gaze over his shoulder to his father next. "... dad. Don't worry about a thing! Emia and I will help prepare the best meal you have ever tasted!" A mission subconsciously accepted from the moment his mother suggested it. And with that Izayah walked off towards the kitchen to help with whatever they needed him for.

Nevayah then looked to Lanister winking before standing up herself and walking out of the living room. She ascended the stairs past Emria and nodded at her before making her way to one of the many guest rooms she new about. Nevayah and Lanister had been in this house so many times and for so long when she was pregnant with their children she knew it almost as well as her own. She knew where every bedroom, washroom and side room was located. Finally picking a room she opened the door and left it ajar for Lanister to follow if he should choose to do so.

Salzem

Emia was completely entranced by her father's story like none he had ever told before... and she completely believed it. Every word he spoke about heaven, the gates, event he angel herself... it all must've been true! Daddy was so honest and caring and... him, that why shouldn't she believe him...? Before she could ask for more, to pry at her father for another story, Nevayah ran her hand through her hair once more and requested she help their host Emria make dinner... Immediately, the little girl's face bloomed into a smile. She'd do anything to help her mommy... especially now that she looked so exhausted. Wrapping her arms around her mother's neck, she pulled Nevayah into a hug as she stated her love, the little red-eyed girl letting out a sigh of endearment herself.

"I love you too, mommy..." Emia whispered before letting out a soft giggle. Getting up from her seat on the couch, Emia then walked up to her father and wrapped her arms around him as well. Lanister chuckled and wrapped his free arm around his sweet little daughter, his other one around his son. "I love you too dad..." Emia declared. Lanister only smiled and hugged her softly. The moment Lanister let her go, Emia raced into the kitchen, eager to make something that would impress.

Alone on the couch, Izayah remarked as well that his mother needed some rest before turning to his father, stating that he would make best meal ever. Lanister let out a quick laugh before hugging his son close and giving him a small kiss on his forehead.

"I know you will." Lanister said before following Nevayah off the couch. "I'm gonna tuck your mother in. We'll come down when dinner is ready!" With all that being said, both he and his wife ascended the stairs, following Nevayah's example and nodding at his close friend, Emria. She nodded back, a knowing look in her eyes, before making her way DOWN stairs, no doubt to help their children cook up something special.

And so, after looking at many of the doors, his wonderful Nevayah opened one and walked right in as if it were there own, leaving it open should he want to enter. Of course, why wouldn't he? Every moment alone with her was more of a heaven than the one he described to his children. Slipping inside, Lanister would close the door behind him, locking it with the little nob on the face of the handle, leaving the two along once more. If one could listen, they could hear the sizzling of hot water or the *clanging* of pots and pans, but now, none of that seemed to matter... it was just them, alone... A moment Lanister had been looking forward to for a long time.

"Hello there..." He laughed before taking a step closer to her, wrapping one arm around her back the other placing his hand right on her cheek softly. "Fancy meeting you here..." And with that, Lanister would place a soft kiss on Nevayah's lips, holding her as close as he could as if she'd suddenly fade away... He wasn't oblivious to the secret she kept, but he simply lacked a name for it... The signs were still there that something was still heavily bothering her, from frayed nerves, to looks of worry... And so he worried... He loved his Nevayah and wanted to make her  the happiest woman in all the world... and so he'd try right there in that bed chamber.

Blink

It would have been all too easy for Nevayah to fall into Lanister's hope for more than just kissing. With his lips against hers he planted an oh so delicate kiss upon her lips as he held her oh so close. Maybe at first this was what she had intended to happen, but the moment she realized the two were alone she knew this warranted for something completely different. Pulling away from the kiss she took a step back, her hand though still intertwined with his. "How are we going to do it? How are we going to restore the bond with our children without them knowing what really happened? They will see it, if not at the time of the bond then in their dreams just as when they were younger."

Her statement warranted concerns beyond that of a normal parents. With each passing day Nevayah began to feel more and more like she had back when Lanister first suggested children. She knew one day it would come to this, that they would truly have to face the horrors of the world simply based upon their blood. "So what do you suggest?" Even with her attempts at having a serious conversation she wanted nothing more than to be entwined with Lanister at this very moment. This was one thing that never faded with time, the hunger she bore for him in the depths of her soul. Without him their simply was no her, no meaning to life.. no reason to live. The incident with the angel only confirmed this as she remembered how that emptiness felt deep down.

These feelings along with many others were tainting her soul with each passing moment. How could she feel like her world would end without him in it and still be so willingly to leave. Maybe it was because she knew one day she would return and her efforts to keep her family safe would at least partially work. But then again, it would kill Lanister. Would he ever trust her again? What if her leaving caused her children and her beloved to resent her instead of love and miss? These questions and many more lingered within her mind and it was taking every bit of strength she had not to just tell them all to Lanister. In truth she was afraid to sleep or share a single heartfelt moment with him due to the blood bond they once again shared. If she let it slip, even for a second he would see everything. Then she would never be able to leave, he would stop her before she could.

Salzem

Lanister sighed happily in their kiss, fully ready and willing for Nevayah to push back, to make this whole thing escalate into something that would remain in their minds forever... However, she did not push it past the point of their kiss... In fact, she hardly kissed him back, if at all, pulling away from their kiss and taking a step back, but still holding onto his hand tightly, yet gently. Needless to say, the male tainted was confused... Wasn't this what she wanted...? The reason they put on that big show to get somewhere alone and secure...? He stared at her blankly as she asked how they were going to do 'it', like sex was some kind of elaborate, fancy procedure that required each and every move planned out to the greatest extent and crescendo. Needless to say, Nevayah had never asked for specifics on what they were going to be doing... It kinda just happened and there was a sort of mystery that went along with that... A certain magic... Lanister was, no doubt, heavily confused by her question, caught completely off guard, but noticeably calmed down and even laughed, relieved, as she explained further, how they would bind with their children once again without them knowing everything they had gone through... that hell... Lanister's face hardened somewhat quickly, bringing his free hand up, holding his chin with his fingers as he pondered Nevayah's question... what COULD they do...

"Uh... Well, we have a few options I think..." He began, gently squeezing his wife's hand as he smiled soothingly at her. She was his sunshine, his only sunshine. She made him happy when times were grey. She would never know how much he loved her and nothing will take his sunshine away... Seeing her suffer like this, worried and fearful... He wished he could hold her close and just hug it all away, kiss all her troubles away to dust but sadly... she wanted solutions, not distractions...

"Nevayah... I know you've been holding back something from me... Your fears, anxiety... it all... uh... made it kind of obvious..." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, looking off to the side with an uncomfortable look on his face. "Now, I won't ask you what that is... I respect your privacy... but you can tell me anything, you know? I love you... I always will... That being said... if you'd teach me how you do that with your memories, we could just blood them like we did to each-other..."

"We could also use your tonics, Nevayah... They contain your blood, right? Though it may take a lot, they should have the same effect. Finally... we could just not blood them... Let them live out their lives without the presence of our emotions... They would be more normal then us and more like Emria or her son, Brandy."

"We could do any one of those things... But if you want my opinion... I think we should blood them normally..."

Blink

The mother listened whole heartedly as Lanister explained their options. Each of them was a great idea, and ones she would seriously consider. But her serious demeanor quickly evaporated when he mentioned knowing that she had been holding something back from him. Had she really been the obvious? Of course she was... she had always been terrible at hiding her fears from him.

"I would never teach you how to do that, because I don't want you to ever hide anything from me." Looking down tears started to just barely well in her eyes. How could she say that knowing that she was doing that very thing to him? Had they not promised that they would always tell each other everything? It was in this moment Nevayah felt more torn than ever before. She knew that since he knew something was up that it was probably tearing at him at the very core. "Lanister...." Her eyes then met his as she decided to show him everything that really happened on that day she met with the fat man.

"I need to show you something." With that Nevayah bit her lip until she could taste the metal in her mouth. Then without warning she planted a passionate kiss on her husband so that she could show him the scene she had been surpressing for weeks now.

It would start with a flash of La'Marri's soil covered in snow as it fell heavily from the sky. Then the fat man's voice would echo with their agreement as if a voice carried in the wind. "Nevayah I have a proposition for you. I will sign yours and Lanister's property papers over to you if you agree to be in my direct service until I see fit to end our contract." Nevayah's voice could be heard now flooding through the landscape. "How could you ever ask such a thing of me? I would never leave my children or Lanister... forget it."

Once again the fat man's voice would carry as he continued. "But you will be free, your children will be free... Lanister will be free. I promise I will treat you with respect and dignitiy." You could hear a breath as Nevayah paused on the thought. "I will give you until the first snowfall in La'Marri. If you agree then meet me at the border of Connloath with the caravan you sell your goods to." then Lanister's voice could be heard as this was when he arrived at the scene.

Stepping back she looked at Lanister as she licked a bit of blood from her lips. How he would react she would not know until he did. "I'm sorry... But I am going to go. For you and the children. I will sacrafice myself to keep you guys safe."

Salzem

"Nevayah..." Lanister whispered as she relayed her own fears, fears that he would start to hide things from her if she taught him how to block these memories out. Her eyes diverted from his, tears seeming to well up from within... She looked so scared, so tired and regretful... There was nothing more he wanted to do than to wrap her up in his arms and hold her close forever... He wanted to protect his beautiful wife, his sweet and caring wife, his other half that he couldn't ever live without... But it seemed he'd gotten more than he'd bargained for. Lanister had just enough time to bite the inside of his lip before Nevayah's were pressed against his in a deep, passionate kiss that one, that made Lanister's legs feel weak with all the love and power behind the gesture and two, threw him back into his wife's memories, memories before he had shown up with that meeting of the fat man.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing... Nevayah was actually bargaining with this man... What... so they could be more free than they already were? Officially free? They lived in a place that protected people like them! Wasn't that enough? She was throwing her family away just to give them a piece of meaningless paper... Perhaps Nevayah trusted that when people saw the deed to their house, they'll leave them alone, but he didn't. They were simply too valuable, too important for the law to stop whoever was looking for their blood. On one side, Lanister felt betrayed, hurt that she could come to this decision without talking to her other-half, the one who (besides their CHILDREN) would probably be most effected by this. On another, he understood why she had to make this decision alone... It was hers to make after all, even if Lanister would LOVE to believe it wasn't... She wanted to save him for once, to be the hero and protect them all... They may have been equals in every way from the bed to day-to-day life, but... did she ever feel inferior or... helpless...? Did she feel like... she was failing her duty as a parent and wife...?

Nevayah pulled away slowly, their lips only separated by a centimeter or two before she took a step back once more, their hands still intertwined with one-another. Even before Nevayah could get through her sentence, stating how she was going to go and how it was best for all of them, Lanister stepped up to her once more and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss that made the last one look... stale.

This time, when their blood was shared, Nevayah would see all the memories between him and her, in sequence all the way up to when they got up to where they were now, the good and the bad, the winning and the losing... but one thing remained consistent through all of that, and that was the intense, unending love, the welcome tension between the two whenever they locked eyes... They were paradise together... for eachother in way more than one way... When Lanister pulled away this time, he pulled Nevayah into a hug, his own sanguine eyes pouring now with tears.

"A life without you..." Lanister quoted. "Isn't a life worth living, even now...  I love you, Nevayah... Our children, they love you... I don't think I can do this without you...." Lanister would pull away just so he could get at her lips again, giving her a long, heartfelt kiss, the strength of which would perhaps be enough to push his wife against the side of the bed behind her. "Stay with me..." He mumbled before kissing her again, this time pushing her down so that she was now laying with her back on the bed with Lanister on top, his hands wandering across her body, under her clothes, threatening to rip them off her. "Please... you don't have to go..."

Blink

Her sentence cut off by Lanister's lips she had no choice but to let it happen as the rush of memories flooded her as mind as well. Everything from the  moment they very first met until now. All the good, the bad... everything. Then the kiss was stopped and Nevayah was pulled further into the arms of a crying Lanister. This was what she was afraid of, that if he found out he would beg her to stay just as he was doing now. As he confessed his love and their children's love for her he pushed her into the bed and started snaking his hands along her body.

So this was how it was going to be.. he was going to use the one weakness she held for him against her. Every time he touched her no matter how long they had been together it was always as consuming as the very first moment they shared like this. Part of her wanted to say she was still going to go only so that this could escalate further, but also because part of her really did feel she had to go. But then there was the other part of her that wanted to stay, to never leave his side or her children. Staying though would be a selfish act in its own, as that would mean the contract she struck with the fat man was null and void.

As Lanister lay above her Nevayah stared as deeply into his eyes as if she were searching for a form of her own reflection, but was finding nothing. "I can make us safer." The only argument she really had left to give him.

Meanwhile Izayah was still downstairs helping prepare dinner for his parents, all too willing to do anything to make them happy. He was determined to make this the best dinner they would ever have.

Salzem

"That doesn't matter..." Lanister whispered, his breath heavy before kissing her again, long, and intimate, perhaps the most interactive kiss he had ever bestowed upon his loving Nevayah. He somehow pressed himself ever tighter against her wondrous, heavenly form, pulling away from their kiss with a long trail of saliva connecting them both as their lips separated. He stared into her azure eyes with the most sincere look on his face, so full of meaning and intent, love and lust, care and lack of... "I would never give you up..." He kissed her again. "....even if it made our family a little safer, I'd always chose you..." Softly, the brown-haired tainted would smile before gently pressing his lips to hers once more, their blood mixing yet again, this time flashing back specifically to when they first met, how awkward and seemingly impossible-a-match the two of them were, but as they hours passed, that difference VERY QUICKLY bloomed into a love that would never be broken.

"Nevayah... We'll protect our children together..." He smiled sweetly, his hand slowly creeping up her belly, taking her shirt with it. In his sanguine eyes gleamed only a twinge of mischievousness, but the reset was all seriousness... well... perhaps with a MASSIVE amount of arousal mixed in for good measure. He lowered his face once more, kissing her cheek with his lips barely even grazing her pale flesh, knowing full well how it felt, almost reenacting that one little event at the bath-house, but this time, with him doing the kissing. "You'll..." He kissed her breast-bone. "Protect me..." He kissed her lips softly. "I'll protect you..." His hands rose right up under her chest as he pecked her other cheek, her breath tickling his ears and sending waves of electricity shooting down through his body.

"We'll be safe..." He murmured, staring into the eyes that had enraptured him from moment one. "Our children will be safe... I promise... so please... don't go... I couldn't bare it if you left..."

Meanwhile, the two tainted children were still downstairs, helping Emria prepare dinner as enthusiastically as they were able. Being made with so much love, surely this would be their best meal ever!

Blink


From the moment his hands brushed across her chest Nevayah had completely admitted defeat. This was no longer a plea to go or stay but now another one of their games, another time in which they would each fullfill the desires they held for one another deep deep down. As his hand crept up her stomach Nevayah's own hand laced its way under his shirt now touching his bare back underneath of it. The things he was whispering to her were almost non existant as she was pulled further and further into the moment being shared between the two of them. Lanister was on point today and Nevayah knew it.. he was winning this neverending battle they always seemed to be taking part in.

Countering his moves Nayeyah took the hand that was not on his back and slipped it behind his neck as she pulled at his loose strands of hair. Biting her lip she stared as deeply as she could into his beautiful crimson eyes, locked on them never wanting to look away. She didn't have anything to say, nothing would change his mind at this point and surprisingly she was content with that. Perhaps leaving was not the best solution for them, it was selfish of her to think that she had to handle their problems on her own. But had she not always been that way? Nevayah had always felt that Lanister was the one saving them from anything and everything that crossed their paths, but she was just now realizing the only reason he had the strength to do it was because of her. She knew now that she was his life force, and without her he would surely perish into a world so dark and consumed by loneliness that he would no longer be the man she loved today.

The same could be said for herself, as without him she would simply revert back to the shell of a girl that he found years ago. Seeing the image of when the two of them first met reminded her of this. How sad she looked, lifeless, nothing but a girl who had lost her way a long time ago. But look at her now, look at what they have built for themselves. They were no longer someones property, but instead parents. They had a home, they had jobs, friends... everything they wanted. Nevayah leaving would simply fracture this life that they had built.. it would cause more harm than good. The saddest part being she could not see any of this until now.

Finally, as if it had been years since she spoke Nevayah whispered to her love, her voice broken and almost inaudible. "I love you." The only three words she needed for him to hear. This proclamation alone would confirm the question he had been asking. She was not leaving him, she couldn't.. not after all of this. It was funny how something as simple as him kissing her and whispering sweet nothings had so much more meaning laced with it. This was how it was between The Tainted, feelings that could not be comprehended by any other but one of their kind. A people bound by their blood to ancestors sinister or holy, each and every single one of them linked in some sort of way. And when two found one another and shared the passion that Lanister and Nevayah did all of that was amplified.

And so Nevayah would continue the battle with Lanister once more, each of them pushing the other to their limits, thinking that when they had nothing more to give something more would happen. Afterwards, Nevayah lay on the bed, still under Lanister and her eyes still locked onto him just as before. Except now the smell of chicken and other ingredients were seeping under the door and filling the very large house. Despite how much Nevayah wanted to remain here, just as they were her stomach had other plans. Letting out a gurgle she began to giggle as she took her hands and placed them over her bare stomach. Whatever it was their children had been preparing it smelt far better than anything she could have conjured at home. Perhaps staying the night at Emia's wasn't going to be such a bad thing after all.

Then the moment was completely broken as Izayah's voice could be heard all the way from down the stairwell. "The food is ready!"

Salzem

Lanister smiled as Nevayah whispered her love to him, a simple three words spoken as if they hadn't been uttered in a thousand years... Slowly, he slipped one hand out from under her shirt and back behind her head, running his fingers through her hair as she did with him, the other one though still making it's way up-town towards her beautiful chest. He couldn't help himself after all... One couldn't get as close as he was to such a wonderful being of creation such as Nevayah and NOT want to get this way with her... Such an act to the contrary would be complete and utter madness, at leas to him... Every time he looked upon her, she was the most gorgeous thing in the room, the most attractive, the most sweet, the most powerful and sometimes scary thing in the room... She was a goddess in human form, one that he loved and loved him, one he could hold and kiss and... love some more...

"And I love you, my beautiful Nevayah............ Forever..." And, as if that were the spark that started a great flame, those words were the spark that started perhaps the most viscous clash between the two yet by far, the sheer love and strength displayed between the pain in their struggle for dominance was such that they were truly lucky they weren't heard from downstairs or outside for that matter. In an instant, the two were completely stripped of their ever-so restrictive clothing, the only covering being the other's body and perhaps the occasional sheet if they accidentally rolled one on top of them. Together, the two tainteds would hug and kiss, fondle and feel, push and pull so equally, their love so completely balanced, that one couldn't even detect the most minor difference in strength between the two... Yin never conquered Yang and fire never water...

By the end of it all, Lanister had come out on top litterally, but the battle, like all of them, had remained a solid tie, their eyes still locked onto one another, the bond within stronger than ANYTHING on the material plane... Not a word needed to be said as his body rested softly on hers, one hand still resting among her smooth, soft black hair and the other resting gently on her chest... He couldn't stop smiling... At this rate, with how much love they had between them, he was certain that most of their muscle mass came from that and not from the various taxing tasks they carried out from day to day. In fact, he was CONVINCED that this was so... It would surely explain his wife's powerful abdomin, one he found rubbing up against his own not often enough... but then... what IS often enough...

Somehow, through Nevayah's intoxicating scent, Lanister managed to pick up on the smell of freshly cooked chicken, the smell of which causing both Lanister's and Nevayah's bellies to errupt in a chorus of growls that only made the male tainted smile wider... Oh how he loved her... if he was an immortal, never needing to eat, sleep or anything, he'd wrap her up in his arms and kiss her forever, love to her forever... Still, they WERE mortals and they DID have to eat, even over their heavy breathing could he hear his son's voice echo out through the house, calling for them to come down. Lanister grinned at his wife suggestively, pressing his lips to hers and stealing a quick kiss before raising up from the bed, wrapping a hand around her back and pulling her up with him, slowly so that it was not uncomfortable.

"Will I ever beat you, my love...?" Lanister asked, laughing softly before pressing his forehead to hers. "Will I ever be able to best you...?"

Blink


With help from Lanister she was now standing up beside the bed, face to face with her beloved. Tilting her head she bit her lip at his question wondering the question herself. She did not answer with words, but instead wrapped herself around him once more in an embrace, but instead let her fingers dig into his bare back a bit as they clawed their way down his spine. Stopping her hands just above his bottom she let her fingertips glide across his skin as she pulled them to his sides before finally letting them fall off of him. Leaning in she gave him a quick peck and a smile before brushing past him and searching for her clothes.

First she slipped on her skirt and boots, then her shirt and sweater over that. Running her fingers through her hair to straighten it up as best she could she made a last attempt at looking like nothing had just happened. It was perfect timing as at this moment their was a knock on the door. Izayah on the other side, as if by some miracle they did not hear his first yell.

Pressing his face against the door he knocked a few more times "Mom... Dad... are you up? Dinner is done. We worked really hard on it." His voice was soft, most likely just now realizing that he had probably woken them up.. his parents did take a lot of naps.

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