Spirits of the Earth

Ba'ast had been in a relationship with Ghanon for a little over two years, though it was only a month after they had met by means of the baron that she spent time with Ghanon. He found himself needing to wander off in search of another shard. Since then, it had be a very interesting life for her. She had soon found herself pregnant with Ghanon's child. And even gave birth to a little girl, Devi. Because of this, she decided to get a house in La'marri where she could raise Devi with out taking her traveling when she was far too young for those harsh journeys.

Though she hadn't seen Ghanon at all to let him know. Regardless of talking into mirrors to tell him he should stop by, he needed to meet someone. But he never showed up. Ba'ast wasn't angry though, she knew this would happen. And though they were still officially together, she lived like a single mother with her daughter.

Now her daughter was almost a year old. She was also progressing as quickly as Ba'ast did. Already running, flying, even capable of simple sentences. Though, Ba'ast was anxious for Ghanon to stop by before she started wondering who her father was.

He'd found that piece of sand that had gotten on him not long before he'd left.  He couldn't have Ba'ast keeping an eye on him longer than necessary.  Sadly, the ring had also to have been discarded.  But he was glad that she kept the pendant, for though he couldn't have her knowing where he was, at least they could still communicate. In the few years that had passed since he met Ba'ast, Ghanon did little to forget her.  He never forgot a face that was worth remembering.  Though he could never bring himself to believe in fate or destiny, somehow someway the strands of time brought him from all over the world to this little town, a town he'd found the Baron.

Ghanon swooped in one evening from the edges of the woods and wandered quietly into the town.  Evening was just settling in and though it was dark, there was one section of it that was rather lively, as people laughed and drank.  "This seems familiar," he said to himself as he walked through the town.  As he strolled down he saw a face that was even more familiar.  "Hello, Ba'ast...  It is good to see you again."

Humming to herself, Devi slowly trotted her way through the fields in front of her cozy home, her eyes scanning across the scenery. She pouted to herself as she did so, watching the field intently – looking for something, for her cats. If anything, the child had turned out to be just like her mother, and had inherited a strong love for felines, but they were so hard to keep track of! Devi spent most of her time attempting to catch the strays that prowled through this area, but they never did stay for long. If she could just get them to stay put...!

Grinning, the child came across one – a fat orange tabby, leisurely licking its paws as it hid from the little demon. Growling, Devi tackled the poor creature, grabbing it while it least expected it, and held it tight to her chest, even though it squirmed and wriggled vehemently, trying to escape the girl's grip. "Gotcha!" she exclaimed, petting the cat's head too roughly. "Don't leave again, okay?" She smiled down at the cat, patting its head once, twice, making her way back home...

She was pretty sure she had caught all the cats now... Grinning proudly, she found her mother, ran up to her, and pulled on the hem of her dress, holding up the orange tabby for her to see. "Look, momma!" Devi exclaimed, petting the cat's head once more. "I found Bobbins!"

She grinned, snuggling the unwilling cat closer to her face, but then looked up, at the man who was standing at their door. She tilted her head, curious. "Who's that, momma?" she asked, toddling up to him, poking him in the leg once, twice. She flew up towards him, holding out the cat for him to see. "Do you wanna pet Bobbins, mister?"

Ba'ast had been standing outside waiting for Devi to come back to the house when Ghanon approached her. "Ghanon!" Her eyes widened a moment and she glanced down as Devi stepped up to her and showed her the tabby. "That's good Devi. Make sure Bobbins stays in the house." Man she had a lot of cats.. but that didn't matter to her, the more cats the better.

Ba'ast returned her gaze to Ghanon and smirked. Blinking when Devi had flew up in front of her face and she reached out to grab her daughter and held her close. "Devi. Let's not go flying around. Remember. The towns people don't like your wings." She eyed Ghanon and motioned for him to come in the house.

When in the safety of the house, Ba'ast set Devi down and walked over to the door to lock it. Just to make sure no one barged in. "It's been over two years. Did you find what you were looking for?" She asked, but hit her forehead. "Oh... um.. Ghanon. This is Devi. She's your daughter."

Ghanon didn't see that cat being nearly shoved into his face.  The child poked him in the leg and he snarled slightly at her at the fact.  Ba'ast introduced her as Devi and though he didn't quite understand what her purpose was entirely. Nor that of the cat.  But he recalled that Ba'ast liked cats, perhaps she had a collection.

He followed her into the house and stood off to the side while she preoccupied herself with the child and the door.  "No, I did not," he said and crossed his arms over his chest.  "Nothing of that nature can be found on this plane.  And who exactly is this Devi?"  he stared at the little girl until Ba'ast delivered the news.

He then eyed the mother of the child.  "You're kidding.  What kind of dirtbag have you been screwing around with that didn't want to stick around for this little one?  I don't think you really mean that I am the father."

[MAURY! MAURY! MAURY!]

[ xD -brings out the lie detector test!- ]

Devi pouted as her mother picked her up, tucking her wings away. "But momma...!" she whined, "I wanna fly~!" Just because the townspeople didn't have pretty wings like her didn't mean she should have to tuck them away! Still, the little demon decided to be good for now, and was set down in the house, still clinging onto that orange tabby.

She still wanted to know who the stranger was, but he wasn't really giving her any attention! He had made a funny sound when she had poked him earlier... but that was about it. Still humming innocently to herself, she plopped herself down on a nearby couch, picking up her mother's hairbrush in hand, brushing the orange tabby's thick fur with it.

The little demon watched the two adults intently, and didn't have a good idea what was going on really, but the stranger seemed to be irritated about something... She giggled, till brushing Bobbins, who continued to squirm around in protest. "Mister stranger is a grumpypants~" she hummed, only able to discern that much from their conversation of sorts. There was also something else - something about... fathers? She didn't really get it - but someone would tell her who he was eventually... right?

Ba'ast shook her head. "Are you going to head off to another plane to find it?" she wondered, playing with that necklace he had given her. She didn't know why she wore it, but it was probably so he could actually find her easier.

"What kind of dirtbag? Well, that 'dirtbag' would be you, Ghanon. I found out I was pregnant about a month after you left. You were the only person I slept with at that time that could've gotten me pregnant." Ba'ast pursed her lips a bit, pissed off. "She's your daughter. Now why don't you go introduce yourself?"


(Maury: Ghanon, you ARE the father. *crowd cheers*)

It wasn't the first time some otherworldly one told him he was a dirtbag.  But this time it was nice to not have fireballs and lightning orbs being thrown at his head.  He just ducked out then.  He idly watched the child squeeze the living hell out of that cat that continued to fight her affections.  A small chuckle and then returned his attention back to Ba'ast who continued to persist that he was the father of that little girl.

Ghanon furrowed his brows and frowned, still not believing a word she said.  "I don't believe you," he said.   "How can she be mine?  You and me, we'd write books with the names of all the lovers we've had combined.  Besides, she looks nothing like me."  Though of course he knew his own child would look nothing like him, but he never told that detail to Ba'ast.  She would know, however, who she slept with and when, but he never said she couldn't go philandering while he was away.  The certainty of his fathering the little demon child still hung in the balance.

Ghanon knelt down to the child that was nearly strangling the cat with love.  He looked her over with squinted eyes, felt along her small face and looked at her wings.  "You look like you're mother you know that?" he said.  "Can you shapeshift?  Open portals?"

Finally, the stranger was paying attention to her! It was about time – Devi didn't like being ignored! She grinned as the man told her that she looked like her mother, and squeezed the cat a little tighter to her chest. The little demon nodded, agreeing with him. "Momma is pretty~ That means Devi is pretty too!" she told him, nodding her head up and down vehemently.

He asked her something else – something about shapeshifting? Portals? She shook her head, confused. "No, no, no portals. What's a portal? I don't know what a portal is..." she sounded a little sad, that she wasn't able to do what he suggested. But, she brightened up just as quickly, and grinned easily. "But, but, I can fly, mister~!" she assured, flapping her wings a little too eagerly. "Can you fly, mister? Can you, can you?" He didn't look like he could... How sad! What would it be like, to not be able to fly?

Ba'ast balled up her fist as he spoke. "How, you ask? Well.. let me tell you how. I don't let humans finish in me, and how do you explain the fact that she bares no resemblance to anyone other than me?" She asked. "I know there's something strange about you-- something that doesn't pass on genes but still allows a pregnancy."

Though she turned as he knelled by Devi and asked her all those questions. So Ba'ast moved to his side and punched him in the back of the head. "Don't harass your daughter with questions about powers you know she wont have." Ba'ast was getting pissed.  She looked to Devi and watched her a moment, then knelt down and took Bobbins from her and set the cat on the floor and let him run off to hide. Then she fixed Devi's hair. "Devi. Say hi to your father." She pointed to Ghanon.

"Wha- OW!  Don't do that again!  Consider that a warning," he said daringly.  But he wasn't smiling this time.  He simply asked the child because perhaps some part of him hoped that she would have some of his abilities.  But that hope was trampled when the child said she had nothing of the kind.  Could only fly and looked really pretty.  He smiled faintly at her and brushed back her hair.  He knew it was futile to argue with Ba'ast further on the matter, but he would express his doubts at a later time.

"Is that your name, little one?  Devi?  I am Ghanon.  It's very nice to meet you.  That was very mean of your mommy to take away your cat like that.  You should make her give it back," Ghanon said, petting the child's head.

She just eyed him. "Don't deny your daughter." She had the same daring tone in her voice. Edging him on. There was no way he would get to leave without accepting Devi. She didn't care about herself, but at least his daughter..

She watched him tuck back Devi's hair and looked to the side, though she snapped her head to look at him when he said something about the cats and she glared. Simply snapping her fingers and at least thirty cats came running over and surrounded them. "Done." she said and smirked to him.

Father? Was that really who he was? Devi held a curious expression in her eyes as she assessed this man – who was apparently her father. She looked up at her mother, who told her to say hello to him, while at the same time, stole Bobbins away from her – and the cat, desperate for a reprieve, took off, probably never to be seen from again. Instead of greeting her father, Devi looked up at her mother, shocked. "Momma! You let Bobbins get away!" Argh, it took so long to find and catch him too! She pouted, crossing her arms, not amused by the loss of her cat.

But she was easily distracted, and the stranger stepped up to her again, asking about her name, patting her head. The pat made her temporaily forget about Bobbins... at least for that moment. "Yep, I'm Devi~!" she assured, nodding, grinning, remembering what her mother said. "Are you daddy?" she asked, tilting her head. "Are you going to stay here with momma?" That would be good if he did – so she could watch momma hit him in the head again!

He reminded her about Bobbins, which made her eyes light up. "Momma, daddy's right!" she said, turning around to her mother. "You let Bobbins get away! Bobbins –" But then her mother snapped her fingers, and Devi was instantly satisfied. Cats, cats everywhere! The child grinned, flying around the room, grabbing onto four cats at once, snuggling in their fur. "Cats! Cats!" She laughed, walking amongst them. "How am I going to name all of them..."

"Yes, Devi.  I'll think about sticking around."  Ghanon grinned at the child and kept searching her face.  For what, even he had a hard time figuring it out.  Then he looked back at Ba'ast just as Devi make a mark about the cats.  "Yeah! Momma!  What's wrong with you!?"  But he quickly looked shocked as a whole mess of cats started to rush in, meowing and screeching at each other.  A lot of fluff went up in one corner, while there were engines of purring going on in another.  Ghanon immediately looked up at Ba'ast and glared at her.  Showing him up huh?

He immediately stood and crossed his arms over his chest.  "Well, I don't have to show fancy tricks to make a kid happy," he said a little defensively.  But a smile became him anyway.  "How many kids have you had before her?" he asked Ba'ast, while he watched Devi strangle even more cats.

She gave Ghanon an evil smile and stood up as well. Watching Devi hug four cats. "Devi, remember, not too hard. You'll upset the kitties and they wont like you~" She was hoping Devi wouldn't accidentally kill any. Though her gaze moved back to Ghanon and she smirked. "How many?" Ba'ast looked back to Devi. "One other. Over three hundred years ago." She admitted after a pause.

Then she stretched out her arms. "He's gone though." She said. Bending down to pick up a pure black cat and straightened back up. Petting it. "So, you're going to stay?"

Right, right – she wasn't supposed to hug the kitties so hard. She nodded, loosening her grip a little – the kitties weren't as durable as she was, after all! She still had four of them in her clutches, and she noticed that one of them had a familiar fur color – orange. "...Bobbins!" Devi cried, although the cat might've just looked like him. The other ones needed names too, though, but she wasn't good at thinking up names...

She took the kitties in her arms, sitting back on the couch, swinging her legs innocently. "You can be Bonbon," she told one cat, a chocolate brown in color. "And you can be Bitsy, and you can be Buttons~" She pulled the names out of nowhere, snuggling each cat as she named them. At her mother's words, she looked up, and nodded. "You have to stay, daddy! You have to help me name all the cats!" She couldn't do this alone, after all! She jumped up and down on the couch, the kittens still in her hands. "Stay, daddy, stay~!"

"Don't listen to what she says," Ghanon remarked.  "Hug them as hard as you can!  Cats love that!"  Ha!  Two can play that game now couldn't they.  Ghanon looked back at Ba'ast as she answered and nodded his head.  No doubt at least one other.  As for himself, he didn't know exactly how many he might have.  He didn't bother to think about it, it just wasn't worth his time.

He slid away from her a little as she picked up a black cat which purred carelessly.  "Stay?  Maybe...Devi seems interesting enough.  But what about you?  Do you want me around?"

She shot him a glare. "I don't want any of the cats to die, Ghanon." Ba'ast warned. Watching Devi for a moment before she set the black cat down when Ghanon moved away from her. She turned and walked back up to him. "Do I want you to stay..?" She repeated and reached up to run her hand through his hair, though she pulled him in once her hand was on the back of his head and kissed his lips.

"Of course I want you to stay." He answered when she pulled her lips from his. "Plus, I'm sure Devi would like to spend more time with her dad."

Her eyes lit up at daddy's news – was it true, that kitties like to be squeezed? "Really?" she asked, grinning, and was about to squeeze them close to her chest, but the look momma gave daddy made Devi think that perhaps she should just listen to her mother on this one... She frowned a little, but was content that she was able to hug all of these cats at all! Normally, she had to catch them herself, but now, she had a whole house full of them~!

She looked up, grinning at her parents – at her newfound father, but then ... gah, momma and daddy were kissing! ...She was not sure if she was supposed to be watching this. Devi shut her eyes, covering the kitties' eyes as well, waiting until they were done to open her eyes again. Bah, didn't they know? They were going to get cooties, if they did stuff like that!

He didn't really know what to think about all the damn cats in the house.  He'd normally been so ambivalent about them, not sure what to make of them one way or another, but immediately they were starting to get on his nerves as they leapt onto the counters like they owned the place.  If he knew Ba'ast wouldn't pop him one again, he'd zap them with an energy blast and turn them into fried fur.  But they seemed to make Devi happy and there was something about the smiling child that wanted to make him smile too.

He was caught a little off guard by the kiss, but he sighed once it was over and looked at the little demon child.  "I guess I can stay.  Looking for the shard has me all worn out anyway."  He laughed and looked at Devi.  "Why are you making that face, Devi?  Do you want a kiss too?  C'mere!  Give daddy a kiss!"  And he lunged for the poor child.

Ba'ast smirked. "Good. That would be nice. Get to know your daughter." She said. Watching as Ghanon turned to Devi and she chuckled as he dove after Devi to give her a kiss. Calling himself 'daddy'. Well, that meant he was accepting her. Good.. Now Ba'ast didn't have to punch him again.

For today at least.

Why was she making a face? Because momma and daddy were gonna have cooties now, that's why! She stuck her tongue out at him in reply, but didn't expect daddy to jump on her, lunging for a kiss. She yelled in surprised, laughing, trying to push daddy away. "No, nooo, I don't want a kiss!" she laughed, squirming away. "You'll give me cooties, daddy!" The distraction made her drop all the cats that she had just named, which all scattered away from her as quickly as Bobbins had before them.

Ghanon wrapped Devi in his embrace and smothered her with kisses even as she laughed and did her best to squirm out of his arms.  He held her like a vice but a non-crushing one and spun her around before finishing with a final kiss on her right cheek before setting her down.  "There!  Now daddy gave you all the cooties in the world.  You'll have to bathe for a week just to get them off, now!"  He laughed triumphantly and brushed back her hair again.

"There," he looked to Ba'ast.  "Settling into the role already.  Now, c'mon, Momma, what's for dinner?"

She watched Ghanon with wide eyes. It was weird seeing him act like that. And, in fact, the father was never there for her son so many years ago, so it was weird having a father-figure in Devi's life. Though she was quite enjoying watching Ghanon act like that.

Though, his comment made her want to kick him. "Devi has already had her dinner." She said. "It's almost time for her to go to bed. Then I'll make you something."

On his part, he wasn't so used to making a fool of himself in front of a child, but it seemed semi-natural.  Perhaps it was something of a paternal instinct that emerged from the remnants of his mortal days, days that were long, long forgotten.

Ghanon feigned a flinch at her response and gave his daughter a wide-eyed gaze, mouthing the words, "Momma's mad."  He looked back at Ba'ast, then chuckled.  "Okay little one, you heard the general, time for bed.  Grab all the cats you can and take them with you."  He gave her one last kiss on the head.

Aww, man, gross! Devi wiped away all of her daddy's kisses, furrowing her brow. She was infected! Gah! She stomped her foot, shaking her head. "Daddy! How could you?" she asked, legitimately worried. Would she really have to bathe for a whole week to get them off?! She frowned, but he ruffled her hair, and Devi decided that she liked her daddy, even if he had given her so many cooties...

When daddy brought up dinner, Devi grinned – maybe momma would forget she already ate? Sadly, that wasn't the case, though – and she looked ready to send her off to bed. She giggled as daddy kissed her on the head once more, deciding to take his advice, and grabbed up some more cats in her arms, flying off to her room.

"'Night momma! 'Night daddy!" she called to them. She bit her lip, and shook her head. "I would kiss you goodnight, but... daddy gave me cooties..." She flew off, back to her room, tucking herself in and snuggling the cats in her arms, content.

She sighed at being called a general but watched as Devi gathered up some cats and flew off. "Night Devi. And I understand. I'll get a cootie shot tomorrow so you can make it up to me." She said. Once Devi was secured in her room, Ba'ast turned to Ghanon and eyed him.

"You seem to like this role."

A chuckle left him, and a grin remained all the while Devi walked off with all those cats under her arms, the poor buggers murmuring, purring, and meowing in their suffering.  The door closed with an excited slam and soon he found himself being eyed by Ba'ast.  He shrugged and laughed at the comment.

"Me? It's fun and something new.  And Devi...well, she's interesting enough to observe.  I don't imagine those cats are having much of a blast though.  So...how come you didn't tell me you were with child when I was away?  I would have come right back."

She nodded. "Devi is proving to be a lot like me.. She's quick. Observant." Ba'ast stated.. Though she looked away at his next question. "Well, I wanted to. And I tried. But you never answered me. So I just didn't blurt out I was pregnant. Plus.. I was certain you wouldn't believe me."

Ba'ast looked back to Ghanon. "Like I'm sure you still have your doubts."

"That she is," Ghanon agreed with her while he cast a glance back to the door where Devi had disappeared into.  He furrowed his brows in wonder while she explained trying to contact him.  Ah, the ring!  He remembered.  But mirrors worked both ways when it came to communicating with him.  Though he didn't regret tossing it, it was only now that he figured that it might have been worth keeping.  In the very least, he was here now and heard the news.

"You sound like you know me like a book," he said walking towards her and leaning against the counter.  "You know, I never asked that you be faithful to me.  You were free to have as many lovers as you pleased while I was away.  With that in mind, tell me Ba'ast, who is the real father?"

She looked up at him and rose a brow. "Aa.. But just because we weren't being 100% faithful, doesn't mean I was sleeping around. I got pregnant from that night we met at the mansion. And, I don't have sex when pregnant--even if I can."

She walked over to him and ran a hand up his chest. "You're the father, Ghanon. I can assure you of that." She said. "Plus.. why would I want to have a kid with anyone else..? I'm very picky, and though I got pregnant from our first time, I'm rarely ever let a man finish in me. You're the only one that has around the time I got pregnant. So stop asking me. You're Devi's dad."

"Anything is possible, darling," he smiled.  He took her hand off his chest.  "But with the way you are, I still find it difficult to believe that I truly am.  I won't get mad at you, Ba'ast, if you really did sleep around.  You ought to just tell me the truth.  C'mon let it out, just come clean.  Who is the father?"

[Wow, he's so dense!]

She watched as he pulled her hand off his chest, then she let out an agitated sigh, balling up her fist again, and she punched his face.Her fist landing on his cheek. And, sure, it wouldn't do any real damage to him, it made her feel better.

"Ghanon. You. Are. The. Father." She growled out. "Devi is almost one. Add in a demon's gestation period and that puts us right back to that night at the mansion. I'm not stupid enough to sleep around when pregnant or even bother to let some stupid human get me pregnant."

He had to admit, that punch was pretty good and his head turned from the force, nearly his whole body moved as well.  But he merely grinned at her as he rubbed his cheek.  "I warned you not to do that again.  But it did catch me by surprise.  However, that won't happen again," he said and let his hand come out and strike her across the face with his own fist.  He wasn't a woman beater, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let her punch him around.  "C'mon, darling, I love it when you're angry!"

She took his punch with fire, but barely moved. She only glared at him and grit her teeth. "You're asking me who the father is just to piss me off?" She asked through gritted teeth. Reaching up to rub her cheek a moment, then she reached up and just slapped him. "You better not deny her just for your own desire to piss me off!"

"Demons are known liars, Ba'ast.  I can never be sure that what you're telling me is the truth.  I'm asking because I want the truth and you'll give me the truth one way or another."  That last part was right, though he continued to deny it.  He just had to be sure and despite all her adamant strikes, he still wasn't convinced.  Ghanon pushed her back lightly and proceeded to slap her back.  "Seeing you angry about it...well, that's just a bonus."  He grinned.

"And how am I supposed to get you to believe me?" She asked, nearly growling when she was slapped. "Ugh. You need to accept her. Being known as a liar or not. She's your child." She barked out and glared at him. Her cheeks flushed from being so angry.

"Shhhhhh!" Ghanon rushed to her and covered her mouth over with his hand.  "You don't want to wake Devi do you?  What the hell is wrong with you, goddammit?  What's bothering you more, the fact that I don't know for sure if she's mine or that I'm pushing all the right buttons?  Did the father of your other child accept them?  Is that the core of the problem?"  He took his hand away from her wondering if she would be quiet then.  Probably not.

She nearly bit his hand when it came over her mouth and she glared at him as he spoke. The second he mentioned her son, she turned and stormed off her room and slammed the door. She did care the Devi might wake up, but she was so angry that she just couldn't control her outbursts.

Ghanon frowned when she turned her back on him and moreso when she walked away, refusing to answer his question.  How irritating and immature!  For someone who seemed ancient, she sure as hell was acting like a child!  Ghanon grimaced and followed her to her room and opened it, closing it quietly behind him.  "Don't walk away when I'm talking to you," he said sternly.  "You're acting like a child, Ba'ast!"

She looked up to him from her position on the bed. "You're one to talk. On and on about how Devi isn't your child. I know who I slept with, and I also know who the father of Devi is-- and that's you. And though the father of my son was never there-- he still accepted his son." She looked to the side. "You're the one who decided to act like a child, denying her left and right."

Ghanon put his hands on his hips and glared at her.  "Walking away when someone's talking to you, you don't consider that childish?  Why should I accept her anyway?  I don't suppose you wanna start acting like a normal couple with this new child you sprung on me.  You know, there's an old saying, 'Having a baby ain't gonna make him stay.'  Now what d'ya think about that!?"

She stood up and walked over to him. "Aa.. I don't care if you stay or not. All I care about is you accepting her as your child. Leave if you want to. But Devi will know you are her father, and that is that." She stated. "Did you want me to kill her or something just because I got pregnant? I wasn't about to use her as collateral for our relationship."

It was now Ghanon's turn to get frustrated, especially when she mentioned him leaving.  He couldn't leave, especially not with her in possession of the shard.  Devi was one thing, but he didn't know the child well enough to truly consider staying.  Though the concept of getting to know did have at least some appeal that he didn't even know what to say for a whole two minutes.  As for killing her, it wouldn't be the first time a child had to die because it was unwanted.  Ghanon thought hard and didn't like it when she said that.  His hands shot out and gripped her wrists hard and he shook her violently.

"Don't ever mention killing her again.  Even if you didn't mean it.  You want me to accept her.  Fine.  She is mine.  And in that you won't make even a vague threat like that one again or I'll make you regret it."  His voice was low, dangerous, and his eyes turned into a silvery storm, as if the galaxy within them was about to topple over.

She sighed when he took hold of her wrists and watched his eyes swirl with anger. Shaking her head. "There's no way I could kill Devi. Even if I were still pregnant. But I didn't kill her then. And I never once used her birth against you. Never. Once." She said. Pulling her arms from his grip and rubbing her wrists. "She your child. Blood and everything. You need to understand that. Don't tell me numb words that you accept her."

Ba'ast turned and walked to the bed. Sitting down and stretching out her arms. "Bastard. It shouldn't have been that hard to get you to accept her."

The anger came to a low simmer, that occasionally offered a bubble to the surface.  Ghanon's face was still grim as she explained herself and he let her go after a few tugs.  Numb words.  Yes, words were always numb.  He could say whatever he wanted but talk was cheap.  Actions always spoke the loudest.  He followed her to where she sat, standing over her and brushing a hand through her hair.

His expression softened.  "Don't you know that nothing worth doing is ever easy?"  He sat down beside her and sighed, eying her with misty eyes.  "Numb words, huh?  Then how shall I show you that I've accepted her?"

She looked up at him when his hands ran through her hair. And her gaze followed him as he sat next to her. Ba'ast just stared into his eyes for a moment, then turned a bit and laid down with her head on her pillow and her feet still hanging off the bed. "To prove it? Just.. at least stay for a month. And be a father figure. That'll prove it to me." She stated. "You don't have to worry about me. Just worry about her." Ba'ast really didn't care, but when it came to her kid, she was very persistent on some things.

He could never worry about her.  She was tough enough to handle herself without any aid from him and with the exception of what happened in the crystal room.  Ghanon shifted himself and laid down beside her, stretching his body along her form and stroking her chin.  "I don't much about being a father, I'm going to tell you now.  But like I said, nothing worth doing is ever easy.  I will do my best, if you can accept that.  That is your part of the deal.  But what do I get in return?"

She turned to look at him when he stroked her chin. "I'm not asking you to be perfect. I only wanted you to accept her as yours. You'll need to learn the rest through time." She stated. Then rose a brow. "What do you get? What do you want?" she asked. Rolling onto her side and moving a bit closer to him.

"I understand." Ghanon grinned, though wishing she was still a little fire to her.  It would make this situation all the more interesting.  He leaned in and brushed his lips just vaguely against hers and put a hand on her side, letting it trail just under her breast.  "I think you have a pretty good idea what I want."  He chuckled and licked her lips lightly.

She returned the kiss briefly and grinned. "Oh.. I know. But.. if you'll get it easily is another question." Ba'ast brought her hand to his shoulder and pressed against him. Leaning in to let her lips brush over his, then trailed kisses to his ear and nipped his ear lobe before flicking her tongue over it. "But, I suppose I can give in."

"The easy way or the hard way.  Either way I'll get it," he smirked at her and shuddered physically under her attention.  "Even if I have to take it from you, but I don't think you'll make it so I have to do that."  His hand slid down her leg and pulled up her skirt, feeling along her thigh and behind.  "What's with all the clothes?"

"You drive a hard bargain." She joked and let her tongue train down his neck, leaning in and biting his skin when he complained about her clothes. So, her remedy? Her clothes changed in that all too familiar sand storm and left her in a skimpy black beaded bra and a black thong with lace ruffles and strands of beads hanging off it. "Better?" she ask, sliding a leg between his and applying pressure to his genitals.

Ghanon sighed softly and watched her quickly change her outfit into something so much more suitable for the occasion.  He took his away away from her bottom and played with the skimpy straps of the new bra and slipped it off her shoulder.  He leaned in and kissed her shoulder.  "Hm?  Better?  Oh yes.  But I can do you one even better."  Ghanon's form wavered like water and his clothes shimmered off of him until he was completely naked on the bed.  He leaned over her, and released a sigh when she pressed him below.  He gave a few kisses to her neck then paused.  "Are you sure Devi won't hear us?"

She chuckled and scrunched up her shoulders a bit and tilt her head to the side to give him more room. Though she took the moment to look over his naked form and grinned. "Always one to put on a show." Ba'ast wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. "I don't know. I've never had sex with her in the house." she stated bluntly. But yanked him close and kissed his lips deeply. "I suppose we'll have to find out."

((I suppose I have to put a M on this. lol))

It was a genuine concern that only really occurred to him now that they were not, well, completely alone.  He never had to worry about waking up someone else while he got busy.  He supposed it didn't matter, but perhaps this wasn't - SHIT!

Ghanon was yanked down to meet her lips, which he responded to eagerly, rolling on top of her and tangling his legs up with hers.  He broke the kiss slightly after which he laughed.  "Kissing me like that, are you eager to make up for lost time or what?"

[Totally up to you! XD]

She adjusted herself underneath him and ran her fingers through his hair. "Aa. Possibly~ Though, I just love the taste of your lips." Ba'ast grinned leaning up to kiss his neck. "And you were the one who proposed this, not me-- though I'm more than willing to go along with this."

Ba'ast slid her hand down his back slowly and to his bottom. Repaying his wandering hand from earlier. "Though, I can't help but wonder if you're stalling."


((It wouldn't be the first time~ lol Though, you let me know. Post it as mature... or skip to morning?))

She adjusted herself underneath him and ran her fingers through his hair. "Aa. Possibly~ Though, I just love the taste of your lips." Ba'ast grinned leaning up to kiss his neck. "And you were the one who proposed this, not me-- though I'm more than willing to go along with this."

Ba'ast slid her hand down his back slowly and to his bottom. Repaying his wandering hand from earlier. "Though, I can't help but wonder if you're stalling."


((It wouldn't be the first time~ lol Though, you let me know. Post it as mature... or skip to morning?))

[ I don't mind. Go ahead and mark it as M. ]

Ghanon fixed himself over her and let one hand wander where it pleased while the other lost itself in her hair.  He relaxed underneath her touch and kissing her jawline little by little until he reached her ear.  He paused at her last words.  "Stalling?  Stalling for what?"

"Mm... I just figured you'd be a little more impatient." she admitted, her hand trailing back up his back with her nails brushing over his skin slowly. Turning her head a bit, and arching her back slightly.

(( OK~ I will. Though I am going to bed now. So I'll reply tomorrow~))

"I've learned a thing or two from patience and temperance, darling," he breathed and twisted a little underneath her touch.  "But I wouldn't call it stalling.  If anything, only a fool would want to stall with the likes of you."  And with that he kissed her passionately and wrapped around her with one arm, while the other pushed down her undergarments.  He sat up until they were off then settled on her again and pulled her legs around him.  After a year of not seeing her, then getting smacked around for a while, he couldn't think of a better way for a reconciliation.

She grinned to him and dug her nails into his skin a little. "'With the likes of me,' well, I'll take that as a complement." she stated before he kissed her, and she leaned up into the kiss. Adjusting with him as he pushed down her undergarments before she just had them disappear.

And the night was long.

__________

Even though Ba'ast and Ghanon rarely slept, they did that night. She was curled up next to him, their limbs tangled as they slept.

The little demon yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, crawling out of bed. As usual, the kitties she had captured last night had managed to escape her grasp in the morning, all of them nowhere in sight. All of them except Bobbins, who was licking his paw near Devi's bed, not anticipating that she would wake up, or maybe he was just stupid. Either way, the little demon grinned, tackled the cat, and had Bobbins in her grasp once again.

"Gotcha, Bobbins~" she grinned, ruffling the fur atop the cat's head. The cat seemed to sigh, and returned to squirming away for its life, meowing and mewling for dear life. Devi promptly ignored Bobbins, as usual, and toddled out to the kitchen, looking for momma, who would surely have breakfast ready and waiting, right...? Alas, when she made her way to the kitchen, there was no food in sight.

"Momma?" Devi asked, poking her head around. She pouted when she realized she wasn't there, and flew over to her mother's bedroom, pounding on the door with her free hand – once, twice, three times. "MOMMA~!" she yelled, frustrated. "Where's breakfast, Momma?" She was not used to having to ask for food – it was usually right there, waiting for her. She 'hmphed' to herself, placing her free hand on her growling tummy.

Ba'ast jolted awake and sat up. Glaring at the door. "Shit." she felt bad for sleeping. And then for sleeping in. She glanced to Ghanon as she brushed back her hair. Then stood up and walked to the door. Sand encircling her as she walked and by the time she opened the door she was wearing a blue outfit (//http://www.bellydancecostume-wholesale.com/bmz_cache/0/0829070002dd830cc250c0467004b209.image.600x555.jpg).

She looked at Devi, but made sure she couldn't see into the room. And she stepped out and closed the door. Grabbing onto Devi and pulling her close to kiss her cheek. "Sorry Devi~" she said and walked over to the fridge and opened it. Deciding she would make pancakes so she got out everything and went about cooking.

What was that smell?  It smelled an awful lot like hot homestyle cooking that was seeping in from underneath the door.  The smell was very strong and Ghanon's eyes shot open as he realized where he was and what had happened.  The voice of Devi did not awake him as it had Ba'ast but when he found her missing that was enough to tell him that she'd slept a lot longer than she meant to.  He supposed he wore her out then.  A grin became him but it was one that quickly faded before he recalled that he was still very much naked.

His clothes shimmered back on sans the jacket he always wore and walked out of the room when he checked that the coast was clear.  "Good morning, Momma!" he said stretching out his arms as he walked over and wrapped them around Devi.  "Good morning, little one, too."  And promptly gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"So what are we making today?"  he said innocently.  But part of him was slightly worried that Devi might have overheard something the night before.  As long as nobody mentioned it, well, then he didn't make himself worry so much.

Devi grinned as her mother stepped out of the room – she had come almost as soon as the little demon had called for her, and she even apologized, while kissing her cheek. "It's okay, momma, I forgive you~" Devi replied, hugging Bobbins to her chest. Granted, it was really weird – momma never forgot about breakfast before! Huh...

As Devi toddled into the kitchen, daddy awoke as well, hugging her and kissing her on the cheek. She was still a little mad at him for giving her cooties last night, but, perhaps bygones could be made bygones. "Good morning, daddy!" she exclaimed, and held Bobbins up, laughing as the cat mewled out. "Look, Bobbins says good morning too!"

She climbed onto a chair, awaiting to be fed, watching momma cook. Oooh, Devi knew that tasty smell from anywhere! "Momma's making pancakes, daddy!" she told him, matter-of-factly, grinning. She looked down at the cat, still squirming and trying to tumble out of her grasp. "Momma, I think Bobbins is hungry! Can Bobbins have breakfast too?" Did cats eat pancakes...? Well, they should! To be deprived of such a tasty treat – wouldn't that be horrible?

She looked over to Ghanon, then back to the pancakes as she flipped them. "Morning." She wasn't exhausted, it just that when she slept she tended to sleep a lot. Ba'ast put two child-sized ones on a plate and gave them to Devi with a fork. Allowing her to pour on the butter and syrup. Then she made four for Ghanon. Plopping them on a plate and handed them to Ghanon with a fork. Reaching out and brushing his hair back. "Rough night?" she teased. Walking back to the stove and making a small pancake for Bobbins before three for herself and she sat at the table with them and a fork.

To be perfectly frank, Ghanon looked like shit.  His hair was a mess, his clothes even looked disheveled as if he'd slept in them and he needed to bathe.  Not that he ever really needed to do that.  He stroked the suffering cat and chuckled before a heap of four pancakes was set before him.  He stared at them.  What did she expect him to do with that?  Food...  Right. It went into your mouth, was chewed up, then swallowed, right?  Right.

He eyed Ba'ast with a tilted gaze.  "Something like that," he muttered and grinned.  "Devi your mother was very mean to me last night.  She beat me up.  So if you want to know why I look terrible, that's why."

Devi's eyes lit up as momma set a plate of pancakes before her, and even let her pour her own syrup and butter! She grinned at her breakfast, pouring the syrup and butter with a heavy hand, then put Bobbins on the table, near his pancake, so he could eat as well. As soon as she put the cat down, however, the cat looked as if he wanted to run away, and probably would've, if Devi didn't give it a death glare. Sometimes, she found she could have people do things just by thinking hard enough about it — which seemed to work on animals too, even Bobbins. And so, the cat stayed, but not because it wanted to.

She looked toward daddy, who really did look like he had just ran through a hurricane, or something. Her jaw dropped at his news, and she looked toward her mother accusingly. "Momma! How could you!" she cried, shaking her head. Then she remembered — last night! "Momma and daddy shouldn't fight! I could even hear you fighting, when I was asleep... It scares the kitties away, you know!" She looked towards Bobbins and patted him — he hadn't left, last night. She gave them both very stern glances, but especially her mother. "Momma, you should say sorry to daddy for beating him up." Devi crossed her arms — she wasn't going to eat until she heard an apology!

She eyed Ghanon dangerously, then looked to Devi as she spoke. Sighing. "I know. Mommy is so mean." she said and buttered her pancakes before pouring syrup on them. But when Devi told her to say she was sorry she looked to Ghanon and stood up. Walking over to him and she placed her hand on his chin and tilt his head up. "Ghanon.. Darling. I'm sorry that I was rough on you last night. I promise tonight I will behave. I'll make sure you're happy." She bent over. Giving him a good shot of her cleavage and smiled to him.

She leaned in and kissed his lips gently. Then looked over his face. "Is that acceptable Ghanon?" She asked. Swaying a little.

Ghanon just focused on his pancakes as she looked at him, not wanting to meet her eyes but not able to contain a series of snickers.  All the while he was trying to figure out just how to eat these...what was it?  Pancakes?  They smelled delicious but he usually ate for taste rather than because he was hungry.  But it was the thought that counted.  Ba'ast had said for him to try.  He could do that.  Should be hard at all.

He was a little surprised when Ba'ast actually did apologize, trying to use her wiles on him as well.  Ghanon glanced at her chest and laughed.  "Yes, it is very acceptable.  Just learn to control yourself a little and nobody will have any problems with you,"  he said playfully.  She's called him 'Darling.'   He couldn't help but think it sounded a little weird.  But this whole thing was strange to him.  He stabbed one pancake and promptly stuffed it into his mouth like a barbarian or a starved madman.

As momma apologized to daddy, the little demon nodded, satisfied, returning to her breakfast. "Good momma~ Don't beat daddy up again, okay?" With that, she was certain that her mother would be on her best behavior, and returned to her breakfast, cutting up the pancakes and chewing on them, humming contentedly under her breath. It was so nice, to have another person at the breakfast table, she thought, and looked over towards him.

She laughed, watching her daddy stuff a pancake in his mouth. "Daddy! That's not how you eat pancakes, silly!" Devi scolded, "You're supposed to cut it, like this~" She gestured to her plate, cutting up the pancake with the side of her fork, and popped the piece into her mouth. "See~! You try!" Honestly, who didn't know how to eat pancakes! Maybe there weren't any pancakes wherever daddy had been, all this time...

She chuckled and shook her head. She knew it was all fun and games, so was her calling him darling. And she knew there was going to be more 'fighting' probably that night. Ghanon seemed like the type to like to continue on his silly games.

She settled in her seat and cut her pancakes up. Stabbing her fork into a small stack looking to Ghanon when he shoved a whole pancake in his mouth and she laughed. About to say something when Devi chirped up and explained it. So, Ba'ast just smirked playfully at Ghanon and started eating her pancakes.

Ghanon looked at the pancakes as if they were some kind of foreign insect that was trying to make a meal of him rather than the other way around.  He'd chewed the cake halfway before Devi stopped him and he looked at her with his mouth full of pancake and his eyes wide.  Apparently eating it like an idiot was against the rules.  He chopped off the part that was already chewed and let the other half fall back onto the stack.

He observed her example and wordlessly followed suit.  Cutting the cake with the fork then stuffing it into his mouth.  "I like this food very much!" he said through a mouthful of pancake, then swallowed on a dry throat.  "Do you make these very often Ba'ast?  You must teach me the recipe and show me how to make these.  Devi, you seem to be a pancake expert.  Tell me, do I have anything on my face?"  As he spoke he'd been poking holes in the second pancake for two eyes a nose and a mouth, and promptly lifted the holed cake and slapped it on his face, sticking his tongue out through the mouth hole, then saying.  "Is this the proper way to wear a pancake?"

Well of course Devi was a pancake expert – momma made them for her all the time! She beamed at her father, glad to see that she had been able to teach him to proper way to eat them. The little demon nodded when daddy asked if momma made them all the time. "Of course she does~!" Devi replied eagerly. "Momma makes other tasty breakfasts too, don't you, momma?" Devi turned towards her mother, looking for her agreement.

The little demon did not expect to look back at her father, who had plastered the pancake on his face like a mask. At the very sight of him, Devi burst out into laughter, which frightened Bobbins and made him jump off the table. She held her stomach, shaking her head. "Nooo, daddy!" she replied, between bursts of giggles. "You're not supposed to wear pancakes! You're gonna waste the food!" She giggled some more, shaking her head, unable to stop.

Ba'ast went about eating innocently until she was address and she glanced up to Devi and nodded. "That's right~ But you love your pancakes so I make them the most." She answered and went back to her pancakes. Finally stabbing her fork into the last small stack and raising them to her lips.

But she didn't get to eat them, nope. She heard Devi's laughter and looked up to see Ghanon with that pancake on his face and her jaw dropped, as well as the fork. It took her a moment to regain herself before she laughed as well and shook her head. "Wow, Ghanon."

Ghanon only splayed a large grin on his face when they started laughing hard, especially Devi.  He gently moved the mouth holes as he replied to his daughter's protest on wearing pancakes.  "Are you sure?  Maybe you're only saying that because you've never wore a pancake before.  Here, maybe you ought to try it!"  He took the pancake off his face and threw it on Devi's matching hole for hole, trying to get her to hold still for at least a moment's notice.

If Devi was sure of anything in life, it was that you were absolutely not, under any circumstances, supposed to wear pancakes on your face, of all places. She stuck her tongue out at her father, shaking her head vehemently. Honestly, wasn't momma gonna stop him from playing with his food like that? But daddy was full of surprises, and before Devi knew what was happening, daddy had tossed the pancake at her face, which fit on her face a little too well.

The child squealed as it happened, shaking her head. "Noooo! Daddy, pancakes don't go on your face!" She was laughing, and after a moment, managed to peel the pancake off her face, slamming it down on her father's plate again, assuming he'd still eat it after the abuse it had been through. "Momma told me that you're not supposed to play with your food at the table, daddy!" Devi scolded, waggling a finger at him. "You're supposed to eat it, not wear it!" Honestly...!

It was her father's turn to laugh this time and he couldn't help it with the way she slammed that pancake down on the table.  He sighed and flipped the pancake up in the air before eating it as it came down, catching it much like a dog would do a flying disk.  He chewed away and looked at her.  "Really?  I thought you would think it made me look really handsome.  I guess not.  But I'm having a special appetite.  Not just for pancakes, but for little winged girls too.  Do you know any? Oh, what's this!?  I think I see one right before me and you know what, I think I'm going to eat you up!"  Ghanon made a monster-like face, baring his teeth and raised his hands, pretending they were claws.  He wrapped them around Devi across from him and pretended to bite her.  "Grr!"

Soon he sat back down and simply smiled.  "You know, I'd do that to mommy, but she would really bite my face!  And then I'd have to bite her back.  And then your parents won't have any faces anymore and we'll have to wear pancakes instead and you wouldn't like that would you, Devi?"

Ba'ast almost reached out to peel the pancake off Devi's face, but the sight of it was far too funny to even want to ruin it. Plus, she was chuckling so hard that it was hard to focus on moving-- let alone reaching out to peel a pancake off Devi's face.

Though, Ba'ast was able to choke out a "That's right. Don't play with food." between chuckles--which only became much worse from Devi pulling off that pancake and slammed it on Ghanon's plate. Ba'ast shook her head and stood up to get a wet rag, waiting for Ghanon to sit back down and she move to Devi's side and wiped the syrup and butter off her face. "You're going to need a bath now~" She chuckled. Looking over to Ghanon. Grinning and looking back to Devi. "He's right.. So if you wake up one morning and daddy and mommy have pancake faces, you'll know what happened."

Gah, why did daddy have to be so silly? Her face was all sticky with pancake syrup and butter now, which made the young demon flail around, wishing Bobbins were here to lick the gooey syrup off her face. She shook her head at her daddy, thoroughly exasperated. "Pancakes can't make you look handsome, daddy! They only make you look silly!" She tried to wipe some of the syrup off with her hands, but that only made her hands sticky too...! Ahh, gross!

Her eyes widened at her father's claim that he was now hungry – for little winged girls. At the word 'winged' Devi quickly tucked in her wings, looking from left to right, trying to play innocent, hoping maybe he wouldn't notice... "Hmm, I don't see any..." she said carefully, innocently, whistling a little, but alas, daddy was too smart! He scooped her up in his arms, and Devi let out a high pitched yell, squirming in her father's arms. "Noooo, don't eat me, daddy! I don't taste good at all!" She wiggled, but was relieved when she was finally released.

Momma eventually came over with a damp rag to wash the sticky butter and syrup off her face, which made the little demon sigh in relief. But that relief didn't last very long, since daddy had to go on and talk about what would happen if they had no faces... She furrowed her brow, and shook her head. "B-But, I don't want my parents to have pancake faces..." Devi muttered, her lip trembling. After a moment, she looked at her plate of pancakes, back to her father, and then to the plate once more. She pushed it away from her, frowning. "I'm not hungry anymore..." Man, daddy sure knew how to kill an appetite!

Ghanon wasn't even sure he had an appetite big enough to want to finish all these wonderful little breaded circles that had been called pancakes.  Luckily he knew a faster way to eat them, though he was sure it would seem as if he didn't enjoy them.  With a quick snap of his fingers the food on the plate disappeared, leaving behind little more than a pile of crumbs.  Ghanon pat his stomach satisfied, and released a small burp.

But he frowned and looked at Devi when she pushed her food away and looked as if she were about to cry.  Though he was only joking, it wasn't as if he could blame her, she was just a child after all.  "Oh don't say that, Devi.  I didn't mean it," Ghanon got out of his seat and went around Ba'ast, kneeling beside her on the otherside of her chair.  For a demon, she was such a sensitive and intelligent little thing.  At least in that he could be proud of the work of his loins.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to.  Daddy's sorry.  How can I make it up to you?"  His hand pat her on the head again and let his fingers comb back her hair.

Ba'ast got Devi's face clean and wiped off her hands so she was nice and clean. Turning to look at Ghanon when she heard his plate clank and eyed the crumbs before she looked to his hand on his stomach and shook her head. "Cheater~" She teased and turned back to Devi who looked sad now that she couldn't eat her favorite pancakes.

Ba'ast was about to pick Devi up but Ghanon stood up to walk over to her so she gathered the plates and put them in the sink. Throwing out Devi's pancakes. Then she walked over to her daughter and kissed her cheek. "Isn't daddy mean...? Don't worry. Mommy still loves you."

The thought of having parents with pancakes for faces was still quite horrifying to the little demon, but at least daddy had finally taken off that silly pancake mask. He knelt down next to her, asking if there was anything he could do to make it up to her. Devi's eyes lit up, wondering if there was anything he could do to make up for his transgressions, but in the end, could only think of one thing. "Next time momma makes pancakes," Devi started, "don't wear them on your face!" That way, she could actually eat her pancakes next time!

Momma came up to her and kissed her on the cheek – somehow, a kiss from momma always made everything better. "Daddy's not mean, momma! He's just silly~" She giggled, though, and hugged her momma close. "Momma, you'll make pancakes again soon, won't you?" Despite not being able to eat half of her breakfast, Devi had never laughed so hard in her life before. It was nice, to have daddy here – she hadn't even realized that something could've been missing, until he had returned.

"Okay, Devi.  You have a deal," Ghanon said with a smile.  He brushed back her hair and planted a kiss on her forehead.  Ba'ast seemed to be getting all the good attention and he couldn't help the amused look on his face when his kid actually defended him.  Maybe this month wouldn't be so bad if he could teach Devi to like him more than her mother.  Now that would be hilarious.  And he wouldn't think Ba'ast would take too kindly to that.

"See," he said to Ba'ast and stuck his tongue out at her.  "Okay Devi, you ought to take a bath now.  You're mother's going to wash those cooties off of you.  And I'm going to get dressed into much cleaner clothes.  And then we'll decided what to do with the rest of our day.  Okay, go!"

She looked to Ghanon and made a face. "You're trying to pick a fight, aren't you?" She asked, though she stepped over to him and kissed his lips quickly. "Go get cleaned up." She stated and turned to Devi.

Ba'ast quickly scooped her daughter into her arms and hurried off to the bathroom. She left the door open and she started up the bath. Making sure the water was nice and warm before she turned to Devi and undressed her. "Oh daddy got syrup all over you~" she pouted, noticing some of Devi's hair clumping together from the sticky substance. She picked up Devi and sat her in the bath. Leaning on the edge and watching her as the water continued to fill up. Though she did take a moment to pour some bubble bath liquid into the water.

The little demon smiled as her mother undressed her and sat her in the bath. Oooh, she loved bubble baths! Granted, she had learned the hard way that kitties didn't like them as much as she did, but that was fine with her. She splashed water on her face as she sat in the bath, trying to wash the remains of syrup off her face. As momma commented about how she had syrup all over her, she nodded her head in agreement.

"We're gonna need a lot more bubbles, momma! Put more, put more!" Devi urged, splashing in the water. She dived under the water a few times to get her hair wet, and shook out her hair vehemently, like something a wet cat would do. She didn't really know how to wash herself properly yet, but she knew momma would take care of it – momma always managed to take care of everything.

Ghanon was left there kneeling as Ba'ast took Devi up into her arms ready to bathe.  That sounded just like the right thing to do.  But it was too bad there was only one washroom.  Ghanon was sure he didn't smell like too bad, even as he sniffed and got a whiff of Ba'ast while he was at it.  Maybe he did need a bath after all.  At least Devi didn't ask about cooties.  He wasn't sure how he'd explain that to her just yet.

In an instant, Ghanon poofed in and back out of the kitchen like a flash of light.  He'd recalled seeing a small pond nearby here.  And he sat relaxed in the chair with his feet up, all dressed and looking as fresh as if he were prepared for a ballroom dance, though not dressed up as fancy.  When they were all done, he looked toward Devi and grinned widely, proudly.  Perhaps a little too much though.  "See how beautiful you look with you're face all cleaned up!  And momma too if she wasn't so mean to daddy!"

She went about washing Devi carefully to make sure she didn't leave a speck of dirt anywhere. And when she was done she drained the tub and wrapped a towel around Devi and picked her up. Ba'ast carefully dried Devi's wings, then her hair and her body before snapping her fingers and having sand wrap around Devi and make a short dress that suited Devi well. Then Ba'ast pulled her hair up into pig tails and picked Devi up again. Carrying her out of the bathroom and over to Ghanon where she sat Devi on his lap.

"Well you look good." She smirked to Ghanon, running her fingers through his hair. "And momma's always pretty, Ghanon."

Ah~ It felt good, to be all squeaky clean, with no more syrup and butter sticking to her face. She hummed lightly as momma dried her up, along with her wings and hair, then snapped her fingers to dress her up in a cute dress.

Devi grinned at the sight of momma's quick handiwork – oh, it would be great, if she could do things like that! She had tried it before, to manipulate sand, and all she had done was make a mess of the yard. One day, though, one day, she'd be able to make pretty clothes pop out of thin air, just like momma!

Devi nodded at her mother's statement. "Momma's right~ Momma's always pretty, daddy!" Duh, wasn't that obvious? She grinned, bouncing on her father's lap, twirling around. "What about me, daddy? Am I as pretty as momma?"

Ghanon held the demon child in his lap while she bounced and hugged her close.  It felt so unusual having a small child in his lap, and even more so that it was something he'd made himself.  But he kissed her temple anyway and grinned.  "You look lovely.  You're even more prettier than momma!  And that's saying a lot.  Gimme a kiss, ah there you go."  Ghanon laughed and stood, holding the child in his arms.  He looked at Ba'ast.  "So what shall we do today, eh?  I don't suppose you want to stay in the house all day.  I sure don't."

She watched as Devi twirled on Ghanon's lap-- but she wasn't worried about her falling, Devi's instincts would kick in and she would fly. And it's happened plenty of times for Ba'ast to know not to try and catch her. Then again, Ghanon was there holding her so it was fine.

She placed her hands on her hips when he stood and shrugged. "I don't know. Why don't you think of something, Ghanon. I'm sure Devi would love a change in pace-- we always do what I want to do. Why not daddy's idea?" She chuckled, looking to Devi, then back up to Ghanon's face.

Was it true? Was she really prettier than momma? Devi stopped twirling around, stopping to stare at her father, her mouth opened wide. "Prettier than momma?" Devi repeated, and laughed, a light giggle. "I don't know about that, daddy~" She continued twirling around on him again, still happy for the complement nonetheless.

Huh... what did she want to do? She could choose? Devi hummed under her breath, thinking – there wasn't anything she particularly wanted to do, really... Heck, she wasn't even used to being asked this sort of question! Really, Devi was used to following whatever momma had told her to do, so even when given a choice, her mind blanked. But, as usual, momma had a good suggestion. "Yeah! Why don't you decide, daddy~?" Devi asked, bouncing up and down. "Daddy just came back, after all, so we should do what you wanna do~"

The grand question was sprung upon him and he met Ba'ast's eyes with a lazy, nonchalant fire, like a candle that slowly burned on a cold winter's night.  Ghanon adjusted his grip on his daughter, holding her still and looking at her as if he were cornered.  "You want me to choose what to do, well fine then.  How about we all go for a swim?  There's a pond not to far from here and the day is beautiful.  Not as beautiful as you two, but you understand.  It shouldn't be wasted."

he knew that Devi had just taken a bath but the outdoors ought to do them both some good.  And a good swim would certainly take his mind off of business matters.  There was always time to find another shard, but Devi would not be a child forever.  Satisfied with his choice, he glazed expectantly at Ba'ast and Devi.  "Well, what do you say?  We can always set the town on fire another day."

Devi's eyes lit up at her father's choice – going swimming! They were going swimming! She had never gone swimming before! At the news, Devi smiled widely, bouncing up and down. "A swim, a swim, let's go for a swim~!" she urged, despite the fact that she had never swam before, and wasn't even sure if she could swim at all. Granted, Devi wasn't worried – she had her momma and daddy here beside her, after all! They'd always make sure that she was safe, no matter what.

Suddenly, Devi flew out of her father's hands without warning, tackling an orange figure that had been trying to clear out of the room as quickly as possible. Sadly enough, the tabby failed, and managed to become trapped in Devi's iron grip once more. The tabby, with urgency and fright, continued to try to wriggle out of Devi's hands, but by this point, the cat knew that resistance was futile. She held up Bobbins and looked at her parents hopefully. "Can Bobbins come?" she asked, tilting her head. "I think Bobbins wants to learn how to swim too!"

She looked up at Ghanon's eyes and actually blushed at the intensity in his gaze. She stepped up to him when Devi left his grasp and grinned. "Swimming sounds good-- and you know I like seeing you wet~ I can give Devi a bath again and then you and I can shower together." Ba'ast knew how to make everything steamy.

She looked to Devi and waved her hand and her dress turned into a bathing suit and she looked back to Ghanon while her outfit changed into a revealing-- but slightly less than expected bathing suit. "Well then. Where is this lake?" She asked. "Oh... and I do expect us to light the town on fire later. They are a bunch of annoying people."

Ghanon couldn't stop the loud, booming laughter of the ecstatic way Devi reacted to his suggestion of swimming.  He guessed it was a good idea after all.  He caught Devi hugging that tabby in a stranglehold.  "Of course Bobbins can come.  Take as many as you like!" he chuckled at her.

He kept that same gaze when Ba'ast came near him.  He put a hand on her waist, a hand that sunk a little low and lazily grasped her.  His laughter became languid and his grin faded, peering through her with a half lidded gaze.  "I know you do," he said and chuckled before taking both of them in hand and letting the fabric of reality pull around them.  They transported to the lake in an instant and out came Ghanon in his own swimming brief and promptly jumped into the water.  After several seconds he resurfaced and tossed back his wet hair.  "Come on in, the water's fine!"

The orange tabby's eyes widened in pure terror as Ghanon gave the okay for him to come along, as if he could understand him. It retaliation, the cat began mewling and wriggling, but Devi only squeezed Bobbins tighter, snuggling close to his face. "Did you hear that, Bobbins? You get to come too~" Devi cried out in excitement, but such news did not seem to please Bobbins at all. Eventually, it came to the point where the cat had wriggled so much that it couldn't wriggle at all, and decided to submit to its fate.

Momma had said something about burning down the town later... If anything, Devi agreed – they really were a bunch of annoying people! She couldn't even fly around them, because momma said that they didn't like her wings. Humph! They were all just jealous, really... Devi was about to agree with her mother, but daddy had transported them out of their home and near the pond he spoke about with naught but a snap of his fingers.

Huh, what a strange way to travel! And yet, Devi knew she had done something like this before herself, when she had wanted to get home quickly after running through the fields, looking for her cats. She wasn't sure what the power was called, though... but she could do it too! She grinned, and bounced on the balls of her feet.

"Look, daddy, I can do that too~!" she exclaimed, or at least, hoped she could do it, since her abilities seemed to work whenever the hell they wanted to. But thankfully, she was able to do it – she left reality shift around her – one minute she was standing at the edge of the pond, and the next, she was in it, swimming and splashing, with Bobbins in tow. "See, see~!" She didn't know what the power was called, but she could do it, just like daddy.

She had become so used to Ghanon's mode of travel that she barely thought anything of it when he took them right to the lake. She just turned to watch him jump in the water and crossed her arms over her chest. Well, he was rather attractive when wet.

Though, her attention went to Devi when she said she could do that too. And, in an instant Devi (and the cat) were gone. When they were back, Devi was in the water with a very upset cat. Ba'ast, not wanting her daughter to get all scratched up, jumped up and her wings appeared. SHe flew over to Devi and took the cat in her arms. "Devi, why don't we let Mr. Bobbins stay out on the edge. I promise he wont leave." She eyed the cat and took him to the bank and set him down. He shook off, and then started to clean himself. Defeated.

Ba'ast then let her wings vanish and she dropped into the water. Swimming over to Devi.

He watched the cat look absolutely irate and terrified that it had been suddenly warped in the water and started to panic.  Devi seemed to be able to handle him just fine, but he certainly didn't want the cat getting the better of the little demon.  Ba'ast got to her quickly and took the cat to the edge, where he obviously tried to salvage what was left of his feline dignity.  Poor bastard.

Ghanon swam over to them as well and looked Devi with a crazy eye, one pupil bigger than the other.  "That was a very neat little trick, Devi.  You're very smart and you've made me proud," he said eloquently and splashed her a little.  He glanced over to Ba'ast.  "You know I wouldn't take you for one who liked water, being who you are.  But it suits you very well," he chuckled and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  "Okay Devi, do you know how to swim?  Would you like us to teach you?"

Ah – momma was right, Bobbins didn't seem to like the water very much... Normally, she would've pouted if Bobbins had been taken away, but this time, she decided to let momma take Bobbins away – after all, he was being particularly wriggly and she wasn't sure why. At least momma was right – Bobbins decided not to leave, for once. The cat, instead, stood at the edge of the pond and licked its paws, as if it were bound there by some outside force.

Her trick had made daddy happy! She grinned easily at the complement, glad that her daddy was proud of her. After all, she already knew that momma loved her very much and thought well of her, but she had just met daddy the other day – she wanted him to think well of her! As he offered to teach her how to swim, Devi nodded eagerly. "Teach me, daddy!" she cried, splashing around – she knew how to stay afloat, but she didn't really know how to move around in the water. "I want to swim as well as you and momma~"

Ba'ast eyed Ghanon and shook her head. "Why wouldn't you think I liked water?" she wondered, splashing at him after he kissed her cheek. But, she watched him move over to Devi, and offer to teach her how to swim.

Ba'ast hadn't had a chance to teach Devi how to swim, it was an effort teaching her how to fly, and now she couldn't get Devi on her feet. So, this was a bit worrying. How was she to know that Devi wouldn't get obsessed with swimming as well. Though, teaching her to swim was important, so she swam over to Devi and Ghanon. Wrapping her arms around Ghanon's neck from behind-- without choking him. And she watched Devi. "Devi's going to learn how to swim~ How exciting."

He merely shot a grin at her and shrugged, "You're so very lovely and feline.  A natural assumption.  But you look all the better when wet."  He kept his tone quiet and growled a little at her.  Thankfully she seemed too excited to be listening to anything other than swimming instructions.

Ghanon patted Ba'ast's hands around his neck and said.  "Alright Devi, I want you to give me your hands and place on top of mine like this."  He held his palms face up and placed them under hers, holding her hands gently.  "Then extend your body out like your laying on top of the water. And move your feet back and forth on the water!  And when you start moving I'll hold your belly."  Ghanon was about ready to shift his hands underneath her when the water seemed to shift under his feet.  That was funny.

Ghanon looked around, then to Ba'ast, his brows furrowed, eyes curious.  Several yards away the water seemed to ripple as if there was another object in the water.  He didn't think Bobbins would willingly jump back in and orange was not difficult to spot against the darkness of the water.  But something else did when something that resembled a large serpent's head suddenly popped from the surface and bared its fangs at all three of them.  Ghanon didn't know that lived in the pond!  He stared at it with wide eyes.  Maybe he ought to be a little more diligent when choosing what lakes to swim in from now on!

The little demon, eager to learn how to swim, took her father's hands in hers as he instructed. At his command, she extended her body out in the water, and kicked her feet back and forth in it. It took a few tries, but after a moment, she had started moving. Devi grinned, giggling, "Look, look! I'm moving, daddy~ Look!"  Granted, she was only moving in place, but it was a start, right? Grinning, Devi started splashing, wanting daddy to hold her belly, so she could learn how to actually move in the water. Granted, it seemed like their swimming lesson would have to wait...

The water rippled, and from the blackness of its depths, out rose a giant serpent's head, which bared its fangs at the family. Devi froze, no longer splashing about, her eyes growing wider. "Daddy?" she asked, her voice a small whisper. "Does Mr. Sea Snake want to play with us too...?" It was a friendly sea snake, right? Right? It just... it just didn't look very friendly, was all...

"Well, even the most majestic of felines can enjoy a good swim." She announced and bit his neck. Though she was eager to watch Devi learn how to swim. And it was oh so cute to watch he reach out and take Ghanon's hands and try kicking her feet.

Though, it was soon obvious that they weren't alone. The water rippled and a snake popped up. She eyed Ghanon, then looked to the snake. Sighing. "Devi~ Mr. Sea snake doesn't want to play with us." She said turned to face the snake since Ghanon was already holding Devi. So she swam closer to the serpant, putting space between her and Ghanon and Devi. Then she glared at the snake. Wondering if it would attack her or not.

Family moments for shit!  The snake couldn't give two shakes of it's tails that there was something very important was taking place within the existences of these three beings here.  All it saw was lunch, and it looked delicious.  Especially that winged little one.  The snakehead was as wide as a redwood trunk and it's eyes were embedded deeply into it's skull on either side of its head with translucent sheets covering it, eyelids that protected it from the dirt and debris below the surface of the water.

Ghanon didn't like the fact that they were so suddenly intruded upon but immediately his first concern had been for Devi and immediately he snatched her out of the water, holding her on his hip and taking her out to the shore while Ba'ast went forth to meet the snake.  "Mommy's right, Devi.  We should go right here.  Stay with Bobbins on the shore, darling!"  He looked out at the water again.

The snake opened it's mouth and bared rows of fangs that didn't look very pleasant to touch.  The head hissed harshly and dove for Ba'ast with blinding speed.  "Ba'ast!" Ghanon yelled out to her.

So, Mr. Sea Snake didn't want to play? She pouted a little, hoping that the snake would go away if it didn't want to play – daddy was teaching her how to swim, after all! She turned to her father, who had quickly grabbed her by the hip and placed her on the shore. Stay with Bobbins, he said. Devi grinned, waving over to him. "Okay, daddy~" she agreed, and scooped the orange tabby up, who was so tired by this point that he didn't even bother to squirm away impatiently. He was being squeezed to death again, sure, but there was only so much resisting that the cat could do.

Devi's eyes grew wide as he watched the sea snake – it didn't want to play, so that must mean that he wanted something else from momma and daddy... She tilted her head, looking down at Bobbins. "Bobbins! Momma and daddy are gonna beat up that mean ol' snake~" Devi held up Bobbins, as if doing so would get a better look. "See, watch! Momma's gonna give that snake a good punch!"

Ba'ast turned to make sure Ghanon had Devi safe, but then heard Ghanon yell her name and she turned just in time to see the serpent coming at her. She reached up and caught onto it's mouth and let herself get pulled under water. Though, in seconds a sickening red color started to pool around where she was.

But it wasn't Ba'ast's. She shot up in the air and hovered there. Holding onto both of her khopeshs as two more serpent heads came out of the water and the nub where the third head was hung limply. She growled and shot forward. "No one goes after my child or my boyfriend." she yelled and cut off another head easily and turned to kick the other head away before throwing the khopeshes into both the eyes and finished off the serpent.

Then she grabbed the snake by the khopeshs and drug it out onto shore. Tossing it down and she landed on her feet and yanked out her weapons. "Well. We're having snake for dinner."

Ghanon's chest went cold when he saw her pulled underwater and was in complete shock when the water suddenly emerged with a pool of red.  He could say nothing, do nothing except stare at the act and was taken aback when she suddenly burst up from the water.  He watched with amazement and a grin spreading across his face as he watched her perform those feats.

Once it was on shore, he joined her and stood beside her, gazing at her with those candle-eyes again.  "Devi....your mother is amazing.  And sure knows how to whip up an appetite."

The fight was over before it even started.

Heck, was it fair to even call it a fight? Momma had shown that snake who was boss – like it was nothing but a pesky fly! Devi grinned, untucking her wings and flying about, squeezing Bobbins to her chest as she did so. "Momma's the best! Nothing could ever beat momma in a fight! Right, Bobbins?" She squeezed Bobbins a litter tighter, and the cat nodded its head up and down, as if it would do anything to avoid being squished any further...

She looked up at her daddy, who had joined her. "Of course momma's amazing!" she replied, one hand on her hip. "Everybody knows that!" As if such a thing should be obvious. She looked down at the snake and wrinkled her nose. Appetite? Did they mean...? "Are we really gonna eat Mr. Sea Snake?" she asked curiously. "He doesn't look very tasty..." She already had problems eating her veggies, but now – snakes? She'd try it, but she wouldn't make any promises...

She eyed her khopeshs for a moment before the vanished in a gust of smoke and she pulled her curly hair back and leaned over while she rung it out. Turning when she spotted Ghanon standing next to her, then standing up and pushing her hair over her shoulder. She just smirked. "I hope you like snake." She said and reached up to fix his tousled hair.

She then turned to the snake. "Hm... Ghanon, I'm sure you can get a fire going, right? I think this thing over an open flame would be delicious." Ba'ast stated and walked over to Devi, plucking her out of the air. "Yes~ We're going to eat Mr. Sea Snake~ When I was swimming with him he said we looked a little hungry so he told me to kill him. So he's now our dinner! Don't worry~ He'll be delicious." She chuckled. Grinning to Ghanon.

She knew that look in his eyes. This was going to be an interesting night.

He did like snake in fact though he'd never mentioned it before.  It was a delicacy on many worlds this giant snake actually provided a faint rumble in his stomach that he'd never felt before in such a long time.  He smiled at Devi at the look on her face and knew she was in for an experience she would never forget.  He nodded to what Ba'ast had told him and prepared to start the fire.  He was sure they were going to cook all of it...and between the three of them it was a lot to eat.  But he had a feeling that Ba'ast would be more than generous with all the cats they had.  The house would smell like snake for weeks!

He shifted the lake shore sand to make a pit big enough before transporting the wood over it then fashioning wood enough to make a roasting pit.  Stick the meat on the stick and turn over to get it fully cooked!  He smiled at his work and soon lit the fuel over the pit with a charged green blast of light.  He might not have had any elemental magic to summon a fire into existence, but what could be burned will be turned if his blast hit in right manner.  The flames rose up and around, encircling the fuel with love and devourment.

Ghanon walked over to Devi and patted her head.  "Your mother is right.  You'll never have tasted anything better in the whole world."  He was laying it on pretty thick and knew the little demon probably wasn't looking forward to eating the meat.  But it was already dead and they might as well use it right?  He wanted Devi to experience as many good things as possible.

He already ripped out a huge hunk of meat from one of the snakeheads and stuck it on the stick and lugging it over his shoulder and getting it ready to cook.  He licked at a droplet of the snakes blood on his finger, knowing it some cultures it worked wonders for lovers.  "Salt and pepper anyone?" He smiled and started turning it over.  Already the smell was starting to waft in the air and his stomach rumbled again.

It seemed like momma was being serious – they really were going to eat the snake. Devi's eyes widened at the thought, but momma assured her that Mr. Sea Snake really wanted to be eaten. In fact, it had even told momma to kill him, so they wouldn't be hungry anymore! Admittedly, it felt like they had just eaten a few seconds ago, but Devi hadn't been able to finish her breakfast, thanks to a certain someone. But she hadn't known that sea snakes were so nice! Who would've thought that he would tell momma to kill him, just so they could have a nice meal?

Devi bounced on her toes, grinning. "Mr. Sea Snake was a nice guy after all!" she exclaimed, glad that it hadn't wanted to hurt momma and daddy. "Bobbins, did you hear that? The Sea Snake wanted momma to kill him! Wasn't that nice of him?" Bobbins seemed to disagree. But Devi ignored the cat, as usual, and turned to her father, who claimed that the snake would be one of the best things in the world to eat. Man, they were really hyping up this snake, huh?

She sat near the fire (but not too close to the flames), grinning as daddy patted her head. "If daddy says it tastes good, then I'll believe him!" she exclaimed, her eyes dancing as the flames began to lick at the snake meat. She clasped her hands together, grinning. "Will it be done soon, daddy?" she asked, curious, tilting her head towards him. Hell, even Bobbins looked as if he wanted some of the meat!

She moved over to sit by the fire like Devi and watched Ghanon cook. There was something about the father of her child cooking a snake that just turned her on. She had to actually look away to keep herself from pouncing him right on the spot.

Though she did get up to hand him salt and pepper that appeared in her hand. "There you go~" And she moved over to Devi. Bending over to pick her up and she sat with her daughter on her lap. "You'll love snake Devi~ It's delicious~ But, when we're done eating, you'll know it'll be time for bed, right? It's getting kind of late."

She looked back up to Ghanon and watched him. All but grinning like a fool. She couldn't wait to get him home.

Ghanon grinned and focused on spinning that hunk of meat that roasted finely from one side to the next.  Quickly braving the flame he tore off a large handful and threw it at the cat, which promptly landed with a splatter on its head, but Bobbins didn't seem to mind as he immediately began the consumption with glee.

"Almost Devi."  A few more moments and turns and he added the salt and pepper as adequately as possible.  The heat didn't bother him and soon the roasted meat was ready for consumption and he cut off a slice with his bare hands and offered them to Devi and ripped off a bigger hunk for Ba'ast.  He didn't seem to be paying attention to the way Ba'ast was looking at him, though he probably should have.

He tore off a piece for himself and sat beside them about to dig in when he paused suddenly, feeling eyes on him, eyes coming from a direction away from Devi and Ba'ast.  He could have sworn he saw someone's face between a trees, one that quickly vanished.  He acted normally and took a bite of the flesh.  "Your mother is right, Devi.  See?  It's already getting dark.  I'll teach you how to swim some more later.  You did good on your first try.  And mommy looked beautiful killing that snake, didn't she?"  He kissed his daughter on the forehead and continued to eat.  But still unable to shake that feeling of foreign eyes on him.

The little demon laughed to see Bobbins readily snatch up the meat that daddy had offered. Aww, so he had been hungry! Devi, for once, decided not to strangle Bobbins with her love, and instead pet him as he devoured the snake. The cat looked confused – wondering why it had been spared – but knew not to question good luck when he had it.

She snuggled in her momma's lap, and grinned as daddy cut off a hunk of the snake meat for her to eat. Ahh~ it smelled so good! Immediately, she began chowing down, despite her previous concerns about eating the meat, and to her surprise – it was delicious! "Mr. Sea Snake! He tastes really good!" she cried out in surprise. Why couldn't they eat snake all the time? She bit off another chunk, chewing it ferociously, content.

Ah, but momma said that she would have to go to bed after this. She was right though – it was already getting dark! She wanted to pout and complain a little, but the snake meat was so good, and everyone was so happy... She nodded, after some hesitation, and smiled. "Okay, momma~ After I finish eating up Mr. Sea Snake, Bobbins and I will go to bed~" It would probably be the only time she'd be peaceable about it.

When daddy promised to teach her how to swim more, her eyes lit up. "Really? You promise?" Devi asked, grinning. "Don't forget, okay~? I want to swim just as well as you guys!" He seemed like he would remember, though – he even kissed her on the forehead, as if to seal the deal. She grinned – this was the best! Eating dinner with her family at dusk...

She smirked at Ghanon's round about way of telling her she was beautiful. It wasn't every day that she took a complement to heart like that. Sure, she knew she was hot. And many other men told her that. But for the father of her child to call her beautiful. It was so different.

She watched Devi try the snake and laughed. "Isn't it~ I love snake meat. There's just something about it." She took her piece and chewed on it. Enjoying it. "Great job, Ghanon." She said and looked to Ghanon. Then to her hunk of snake meat. Peeling off the skin so she didn't have to eat that, and ate the perfectly cooked meat without any distractions.

Though she was sure Ghanon was going to eat his piece skin and all.

"Wow, no fighting me about your bed time? Are you sick hunny?" Though, she wouldn't push it. Devi going to bed with ease meant she was able to have Ghanon all to herself all the sooner.

One thing he recalled from that old place he'd once called home: Snakes and snake blood had been a delicacy on Corroth, afforded to only by the royal family and the high classes.  He was used to the stuff and though now rarely enjoyed the taste.  The meat sparked back memories and he saw his father again and he had to eat quickly before he set his meal ablaze with anger.

Soon he was on another piece, eating like he was hungry and grinned at his daughter and his lover, chuckling at the easy way by which she relented on having to sleep.  Compared to last night, it seemed to be much earlier than before but nudged the little demon teasingly.  "You give up so easily," but he smothered her again with cootie-filled kisses and hugged her.  Soon enough he finished his second piece and looked off absently into the trees where he felt eyes on them before looking back to Ba'ast.

"If we're all ready to go, then let's warp back there in no time.  And don't worry Devi, there will be plenty of snake meat for the rest of the cats back home."  When they were ready, he would teleport them back.

She looked at her mother curiously when she asked if she was sick, and shook her head. "Sick? No way! Bobbins and I are fine~" Oh, it must've been the bedtime thing – even daddy was commenting about how she was giving up so easily. She stood up, hugging Bobbins to her chest, looking defiant. "Don't get used to it, or anything! I'll go quietly, but just this once." She couldn't let them think that she'd always 'give up' this easily after all – next time, they definitely wouldn't have it this easy. She just didn't want to ruin the mood, was all. It was peaceful here, with her family, eating Mr. Sea Snake, underneath the open sky...

The little demon laughed as daddy covered her with kisses, but as before, wiped them all off, groaning. "More cooties?!" she asked in exasperation. Man, she had just washed them off today, too! She pouted, but after she finished her snake, she decided that it would be a good time to leave. She took hold of daddy's hand and looked up at him. "Let's go, daddy~ Let's go feed the cats! Bonbon and Buttons and..." What were the other cats' names again... "...and everyone else, they'll be sure to love Mr. Sea Snake too~!"

"Good good~ I don't want you sick." She played with Devi's hair and smiled. "You're so miserable when you're sick. And the last time you destroyed a table. So, don't be sick. But you still need to get your sleep." She said firmly.

Then she turned to look at Ghanon. Noticing how his demeanor changed as he was eating and even Ba'ast though he was seconds away from charbroiling that hunk of snake. She blinked curiously while finishing off her piece of snake. Watching as he practically inhaled his in an attempt to not ruin the meat.

Though, now they were about done, and Ghanon's eyes kept shooting to the woods. She looked up seconds after he looked down and spotted something in the woods. Her eyes narrowed and she was about to jump up and find out just what was there, but her attention went back to Ghanon when he offered to take them home. She waited for Devi to finish eating and she picked her up, then took Ghanon's hand. Letting him teleport them home.

Once there, Ba'ast put Devi in her room and tucked her in. Kissing her forehead. "Get some sleep Devi. And don't worry. The kitties are eating their fill of snake." She grinned and left Devi's room and walked up to Ghanon.

"... Someone was watching us. And I know you know that." she said firmly. Grabbing onto his shirt. "Do you know who?"

The cats...eventually they had to go, but he wasn't sure if he would have the guts to tell Ba'ast that.  She was so very feline and they weren't really his thing as he was coming to figure out.  Not too many liked him, maybe Bobbins did, but it was so very one-sided anyway.  He was just a food-bringer to them.  The cat's all swarmed around them as they snacked on meat that had warped too along the way.  The whole house smelled like roasted snake.  It wouldn't be leaving this building for months, he was sure of that.

Ghanon was deep in thought about what he'd been seeing that he hadn't noticed Ba'ast approach him.  He brooded over it, lost to the surroundings and wondered of the face he thought he saw between the trees.  It was a woman's face, one he didn't recognize.  And it wasn't like him to be so forgetful but he couldn't match it to anyone he knew.  But he sense something that wasn't human.

He was quite surprised when she grabbed onto his shirt and he looked at her, perplexed.  "What?!  Oh, not quite.  But...I think it was a woman.  Don't know who she was though.  Why do you ask?"

She made a face at him when he snapped out of his daze and sighed. "I think it was a woman too. But she seemed to be staring at you a lot so I was wondering if you knew what was going on." She said honestly.

Then she looked over Ghanon's shirt before running her hand up his stomach and to his chest. Finally letting her hand rest on his shoulder for a moment. Staring at his face intently. But, after a moment, she gripped his shoulder and pulled him back as she moved towards the counter behind her. Popping up to sit on the counter and she drew him between her legs. Bringing herself face to face with him with the added hight.

"Now now.. let's not worry about some creepy. Hm?" She smirked. Still a little rushed from killing the snake. She pulled him down and let her lips brush against his.

She told him not to worry but that was certainly against his better instincts.  There was a reason that his mind sought so harshly to dwell on the fact.  Ghanon was too preoccupied to really know that he was just about to potentially become a victim of a sexual assault.

He felt the rush of her lips against his and though he physically responded, his mind was still lingering elsewhere.  Trouble was brewing he knew it and it worried him further since he was not the cause of it.

"What? What are you doing?" he said curiously.  "You're not tired?"  Even if he was between her legs, apparently he still just wasn't getting the message.

She shook her head, but pouted. He was obviously distracted. But she was fine with him just being close. "You're so... spaced out. Did you get a bad feeling from what ever was there?" She asked. Then shifted a bit. Leaning back slightly.

"Who ever it was, doesn't know where we are. You teleported us. It's highly unlikely they could follow-- they might've just seen the fight." She reasoned. Watching his face. But, she could tell it was really bothering him. So she was trying to figure out what she could do to help ease his worry. If that's what you could call it.

"To think you're so dense right now.. I'm shocked. Earlier you had that look in your eyes like you couldn't wait to get me home. Now your mind is stuck on the lake. Do we need to go back and find that person?" Ba'ast was feeling a sense of jealousy.

It was silly, it all had to be.  Nobody was watching them that was worth finding, she was trying to relieve the tension and he just wouldn't let it go.  There was always a moment to go back and find that nosy bitch anyhow.

He shook his head.  "No, no.  I'm sure it was just my imagination."  Though it rarely was.  "I have all the time I'll ever need, remember?" He grinned and put his hands on her waist.  "And besides, it's not like it's one of my lovers, trying to come and find me.  If Devi wasn't there, I would've taken you right on the shore."  A chuckle escaped him.

"What's this?  That's a strange look in your eye...  Are you jealous?" he teased.

"One of your lovers?" And her jealousy got worse. She almost puffed up her cheeks and stared at him. "Sorry babe.. But I'm the only 'lover' you have. Unless you're going to let me join or watch, you can't have anyone else." She grinned. "And, yes. Call it jealousy." She scooted closer to him again and placed her hands on his hips.

"Are you out of your daze now, or should I just leave you here by yourself and go get a shower. I don't want you to leave me hanging." She made a face at him, again. This tension was killing her.

Ghanon sighed with a mystified grin.  "With you, I don't think I'd have the energy for anyone else."  He laughed lightly and played with her lips.  "Though I didn't think you'd be the type to be jealous of little ole me.  I'm sure you've had more than your fair share.  Just be quiet and come here."  Ghanon teased his fingers along her flesh with a light, ghostly touch, trailing along her spine.

"I'll never leave you hanging, darling.  But I would have thought you'd have been exhausted from last night.  You were very impressive."  He pressed his mouth flush to hers and held onto her legs.  Hopefully this as sign enough that he was out of his daze.

She chuckled. "Good babe. Though.. I will admit.. it would be hot to watch you fuck someone else." She laughed. "And then I can show you why you chose me." Ba'ast eagerly moved closer to him, shivering at his ghostly touch.

"I was almost thinking you would~ And you should know by now that my stamina is much higher than you would thi-" her voice was cut off when he pressed their mouths together and her arms snaked around his neck and pulled him down a bit more. Glad that he was finally back to the reality of Ba'ast, and was being normal Ghanon. Sexy Ghanon.

Never a dull moment and never one to miss a beat, Ghanon shoved the worry he ignored into the back of his mind.  He was right, she was right.  There was plenty of time to think about it later and when it came, he'd find out who that idiot was, tear their heart out and give it Ba'ast as a gift, she'd like that.

Ghanon just laughed at the thought of her wanting to watch, smiling against her lips and brushed an idle, lazy hand between her legs, before reaching up and caressing the flesh of her abdomen.  It didn't take long to remind himself why he found her so attractive in the first place and his lifted her up from the counter, balancing her on his hips and occupied himself with exploring the hollows of her neck.  He moved around a little, enjoying the weight of her on him and hummed a little tune that played in his head.  "You know...some cultures believe drinking the blood of a serpent makes a man more virile." he whispered hotly on her lips.  "I got a taste of it back at the lake."

Never a dull moment with her? Well, he was quite the ball of excitement himself. And she couldn't help but feel as though he could make her melt. He just knew the right buttons to press, and just how to press them.

And, her 'sick' sense of turn ons allowed for a more eclectic sex life. Especially with his ability to change sexes. She was going to have fun with this one.

Her legs spread eagerly as his hand moved between them before she was pulled up onto his hips and those strong legs wrapped around him and she clung to his shoulders. Watching his face when she could, until he leaned in to explore her neck. Letting out a soft pleased noise.

"Mm.. well, if that's the case.. I'll be sure to let you know if you're any more virile today." She said with a chuckle and ground her hips against his.

[Do you realize how freaking distracting your avatar is? XD]

Changing gender was only part of his gift to shapeshift, he could turn into anything as long as that anything had once been a living thing, be it mortal or animal.  Ghanon felt his teeth grow longer, like a wolf's fangs, sharp enough to sear and he spread them across the skin of her shoulder and grazed them along her flesh.  For if she was so very feline, why shouldn't he be a little canine?

One of his hands grew clawed and he cut away the pieces of her clothing with it, preferring this to her wonderful sand effect, until her top slipped off of her and kissed her chest, sighing softly and loving the smell of her.  Before waltzing off into the bedroom and closing the door behind him.  Ghanon put a knee on the bed and set her down before placing himself atop her fully.  "I'll expect you to be completely honest, you know" he whispered before cutting away her clothing at the bottom and tearing it from her.  Leaning over her, he removed his shirt over head and fell on her again, hands holding down her arms with some aggression.  Suppose the worry didn't leave him much after all and it showed in how his mouth seemingly tried to tear hers apart.

( Why, yes... I do. XD )

She gasped at the feel of his fangs and chuckled. "Mmh.. I like that~" She purred out and arched her back against him as his claws shred her top and it fell off like fabric but hit the counter in a hump of sand.

She moved to rest against him when he walked into the bedroom, only to adjust herself on the bed and grinned when her bottom was ripped off. "Mm. I'll be brutal." she admitted and reached up to run her hands up his bare stomach to chest as he pulled off his shirt. She wanted to wrap her arms around him but found them pinned to the bed. And she smirked. Loving this animalistic side of him.

[Good!  I just wanted to make sure that you knew that.  I stared at that thing for at least fifteen minutes straight.]

His fingers threaded into hers and he felt that serpent blood burn in his veins like a poison.  A good poison that made him invade her brutally when his own clothes shimmered away as they always did.  He was feeling rather dangerous tonight, and there was a sense of fear in him, a cornerned fear that made him want to lash out at her, wanted her under his control.  He was fast and rough and kissed her harshly as an anger started to build up inside of him.  At one, he couldn't really be sure to say, but whatever it was he had a feeling she was enjoying it.

(( XDD Sorry~ But I did the same thing~))

She squeezed his hand, curious what he was up to. She could sense a new mood. And when his clothes shimmered away and he slammed into her, she couldn't help but cry out. It hurt but it felt so good at the same time. The passion and anger that he exuded caused her to close her eyes and arched her back. Trying to suppress her moans and cries of pain and pleasure. Though they became muffled when he kissed her. And she did her best to return it while continuing to fight her moans.

[What IS that little critter in it anyway? XD]

He hadn't been this aggressive with her before, but the poison clouded his mind like a new high, and the walls of the room shone gruesome faces before his sight, so he kept his attention on her and bit her lip with wolfish teeth, lapping the blood that was drawn from it.  He growled at her dangerously, warningly and challenged her to a fight, releasing her hands and nails digging into her shoulders and sides, maintain a rapacious pace.  He breathed hard beside her ear.  "You're so weak you can't even scream?" he whispered harshly.

(( It's a cat! It's from FLCL, that cat is like... a creature made from crack. I swear. It's amazing))

She cried out again, into his mouth, as he seemed to get even rougher. Her eyes opening and noticing the room changed and all those faces-- even in that small amount that she could see. Though his bite snapped her back to him and she winced. Oh, this was a new side of Ghanon. And he was actually hurting her. Good thing she was masochistic.

The nails digging into her skin only spurred her on. She let out a sound of a moan and scream and reached up. Her nails digging into his skin roughly. Drawing blood. "nngh. I can take all of you Ghanon. Just you bring it." She almost barked out at him. Arching her hips up to meet his thrusts.

[I don't know what that is! XD  But I've seen people on crack so it won't be hard to imagine.  Sorry, I don't watch much anime if that's what that is.  The last anime I watched and liked was Night Walker.]

He did as she told him and groaned harshly against her and already his skin was covered in a fine layer of sweat.  It drizzled down his forehead, already soaking his hair and his heart was pounding with knives in his chest.  "That's the spirit, love," he said with anger and sunk his teeth hard into her shoulder.  He lifted her up by her sides and slammed her against the headboard as if he hated her guts.  She would take what he gave her and her screams were music to his ears.  He'd see to it that she saw the face of the heavens themselves.

(( Haha. It is an anime. But it's rather short. Only like..6 episodes. So it's worth it! And it's hilarious. ))

Her hands drug up his slick back, trailing blood up too his hair line. Then a hand tangled into his sweaty hair and tugged roughly as she was picked up and slammed into the headboard. And now she was screaming. Those screams were from pleasure, but were colored with pain. Her nails digging back into his skin and ripping deep tracks into that pale skin. And digging even deeper when he bit her. Another cry leaving her lips. "Ah! Ghanon!" She couldn't help it. She thought he was amazing before, but this just showed her that he could be so much better.

[Sounds like a blast.  I'll have to check it out!  Still that cat....needs to enter some rehab!]

Whereas before he would have worried about his daughter hearing them, he was too far gone to notice or give a damn.  The blood trickled coldly down his back, but he continued to ravage her until she peaked into submission.  The monsters in his mind summoned enough fear that his eyes were burning with his own self-loathing, a feeling that projected itself into this dangerous and deadly session.  His mouth headed for her throat, lathering on the blood there that he'd lapped with his mouth and trying to claim her mouth as his own.  No doubt this would all be hurting so much more by the morning.

(( Yeah. It's awesome. And, the cat is just... I don't know. It's amusing. XD))

She tilt her head back. The same thought about waking Devi went through her mind-- and with this being awfully brutal, if Devi saw she was sure to get scared. And, not to mention the fact that Ghanon was literally going mad it seemed.

She suppressed a moan when his mouth went to her neck and lapped up some of her blood. Then those lips found hers and she returned the kiss. Her bloodied fingers ghosting over his skin slowly. Then they suddenly stabbed into his sides.

[It's freaking the crap outta my tired brain at the moment! XD]

Ghanon heart was pounding right out of his chest and his heavy breath was difficult to contain as well as the moans that seeped from his lips and onto hers.  She stabbed into his sides and grinned against her lips, suppressing a shudder as he found himself reaching an ultimate peak.  "C'mon Ba'ast!  Don't disappoint me," he managed to say without screaming himself.   "You're mine," he breathed.  "Always mine."  Covered in sweat, blood, and pleasure.

(( Lol It is an awesome distraction ))

She let her fingers dig deeper into his cuts and arched up against him until his final thrusts sent her over the edge, and in order to keep herself from screaming out as her body pulsated against him, she leaned forward and bit into his shoulder. Hard. Staying latched on for a moment while he laid his claims, then detached her teeth and leaned back to look at him while panting. "Nngh.. And you're mine. Always."

Ghanon calmed atop her as he released and pulled her fully into his arms, as if he couldn't even let her go if he tried.  His breath was ragged and clearly he was exhausted.  The serpent blood that clouded his mind, leaving him spent as it had never had before.  He looked at her with a satisfied grin, laughing at all the pain they had intentionally caused each other.  "I bet these sheets are covered in blood," he said, chuckling all the more.  "So....be brutally honest with me."

She slumped up against him and pulled her fingers from his skin slowly. One at a time. Relishing in the feel of his skin releasing her nails. Her hands then wiping the blood down his sides before moving up to latch onto his shoulders. "Mm.. Probably.. But you drew the first drop." She said with a chuckle. Leaning back enough to look at his face. "Brutal. You were brutal. And it was amazing." She said with a grin. Leaning in and kissing his lips.

He was temporarily numbed to most of the pain she caused him, but know he'd get up with several aches and pains by morning.  That couldn't be helped.  Ghanon was amused by the entire situation and truly felt tired after the ordeal.  He saw back and pulled her onto his lap.  "I did...but you were asking for it.  You were more than a match for that serpent, but the equal to mine," he jested.  He responded to her eagerly, letting her taste the remaining blood on his tongue.  "I knew you'd like it.  Though I know you're an experienced woman, sometimes I think I'm up against some hard competition."  He grinned and held her close, just wanting to hold onto the way she was warm.  It was a rare feeling, and he found he was clinging too it more than usual.

She chuckled. "An equal match to you? Ghanon, you're so sweet." She jested back and brushed his hair back. Looking over his face before their lips met once more. "Mm... I'm glad you know me so well even after such a long break. It's almost like... you missed me?" She chuckled. Nipping his neck. Then she nuzzled against his neck and let out a long sigh. "We'll feel this in the morning.. "

He pulled out and laid lazily beside her, positioning so that she relaxed on him and he winced a little as he could only lay on his side without his badly scratched back stinging like acid had poured on it.  He chortled loudly and gave a sigh that told him he really was spent.  "Miss you!?" he scoffed teasingly.  "You're moody, and greedy, and jealous.  Why would I miss that?"  Ghanon looked at her with twinkling eyes.  "Should I have missed you?"

She couldn't help a small sound when he pulled out and laid down. And she easily laid where he wanted her, snuggling close and listening to him chortle. Well, he was a dick and she knew that. But she was also starting to be able to tell when he was lying. So, his question on whether or not he should've missed her was asked, she just poked her nail against his cheek and grinned. "You should've and you did. Why else would you so eagerly come back. I was expecting more of a struggle if we ever met again."

[Which cheek?  The ones on the bottom or the ones on the top?]

Ghanon flinched and finally found the grounds with which to roll on his wounded, bleeding back, holding on to her so that she rolled on top of him.  "A struggle?  How could I resist someone as beautiful and vain as you, Ba'ast?  Don't you know how hard it was to resist your sheer animal magnetism?"  Of course he was being sarcastic, but he kissed her nonetheless and felt the dregs of his exhaustion seep back into him.  He gave a massive yawn and stretched out on the bed, letting his breathing become light and closed his eyes.

(( His face. That cheek. lol ))

She swiftly moved on top of him and watched as he spoke. "Aa.. You have a point there, I am pretty irresistible." She spat back sarcastically. Returning the kiss, though she could tell he was getting sleepy. And, not only that, but his eyes were closing and he was drifting off. Ba'ast smiled at the sight and lazily grabbed the blankets and pulled them over their bodies, though the sight of all the blood on them made her decide to change them. So, just like with her clothes, they shifted colors under her touch and turned into black silk. Satisfied, she covered them and laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Letting herself drift off.

[Oh, okay!  Just wondering!]

Ghanon waited and waited until she settled down to drift off herself.  Ghanon never slept and though he was truly exhausted, the worry that had distracted him before lingered on his mind and resurged while he tried to rest.  He didn't move, and when Ba'ast was finally asleep, his form became gradually ethereal and he was slowly sinking through the bed, as to not disturb his lover.  He vanished through it like a ghost and felt reality bend around him once more as he teleported back to the lake.

He had to see who it was because whoever it was, too much interest in him was going to prove a bad thing.  A vision reached out to him, of a strange, outlandish woman camping out by a dying fire, and soon he teleported by her side and approached her.  In an instant she was up, and the look of her was more than obvious that she was not of this world.

"Who are you?  And why were you watching me?"

The woman looked at him with fierce eyes and instantly pulled a spear in her hands.  It was not a weapon he'd seen before and though he would have scoffed at the thought of a weapon like that hurting him.  "I've been following you for a long time, Ghanon.  Isn't that your name?"

Ghanon glared at her with wary eyes and he circled her dangerously, his hands sparking with green electricity.  "What do you want?"

"My name is Erias.  I'm looking for those shards.  And I know you know which ones I speak of.  Give them to me and no harm will come to you."

He stared at her strangely, almost looking through her to some distant memory.  He knew there was something familiar about her.  "You're that priestess...at the temple of Arkhon.  The one that knelt over that priest's pitiful body when I tore his heart from his chest."  He laughed at her and flicked a spark at her that promptly rebounded off with a twist of her spear.  "You'll never find them.  So give up now.  Go home back to your precious temple on Ruayth.  This is a futile mission if there ever was one.  Leave or I'll make you regret it."

Erias winced visibly at the reference to her mentor's death.  She couldn't shake the memory herself and felt bitter anger rise in her at mention of it.  She grit her teeth and charged at him.  Ghanon vanished before her eyes and appeared behind her as he tossed a green bolt at her.  She reflected it off the spear and sent the blast hurling back at him.

Ghanon tumbled backwards at it, looking at her stupidly.  That never happened before!  But he was on his feet soon enough and sent more bolts at her, growing angry as she dodged them nimbly.  And soon he found himself facing a fiery blast that sent him flying back into the trees, a deep wound in his gut that stung him as no mortal weapon could.  Ghanon was not prepared to fight her and soon fled through the trees.  She would not find the shards!  He couldn't allow that to happen.

Ghanon felt the burn dig into his gut, eating away at his flesh and draining his energy until all he had left was to teleport back to the house.  He appeared in the kitchen, clutching his side and lifting his shirt as he poured his energy into stopping the wound.  A great deal of blood had fallen from it and he could not find any strength in him to reach the bedroom and get Ba'ast.  He sunk to his knees and collapsed to the floor, the coldest sleep if there ever was one.  When they awoke in the morning, that's where they would find him.

The next morning Ba'ast shifted as she woke up and looked around confused when she found Ghanon was not there. Though, as she woke up more, she realized he was probably just in the kitchen, so she got out of bed and walked into the bathroom that connected to the master room and quickly showered off the dried blood that was on her.

When she finished, she pulled her wet hair into a bun and a blue and teal outfit formed on her chest and hips, coupled with silver plates for support and shine.

She left the bathroom and walked out of the room. Stepping into the kitchen, though her eyes casted over towards Devi's room until her foot touched something red. She looked down to the thick red liquid on the floor and followed it over to Ghanon.

Her eyes widened and she quickly ran over to him and dropped by his side. Grabbing him and pulling his head onto her lap. "Ghanon! Ghanon... wake up!" she yelled looking to his blood stained shirt and she ripped it open with her nails to see the wound. Then took the shirt and bunched it up to wipe some blood off. Needing a better look at the wound before she pressed it to it and looked around. She didn't know how to heal. And, she really didn't know how to help him aside of one thing-- the shard.

She didn't like to use it-- and hadn't since she first met Ghanon. Though she waved her hand and it appeared. And she pressed her free hand to his wound and closed her eyes. Concentrating and just hoping she could figure out how to heal him.

The dreamshard.  It was not an easy thing to use nor to master.  It had no master and served no one but its bearer.  As Ba'ast clutched the shard and tried to focus on healing Ghanon, the shard at first remained dormant.  Ghanon was but a doll to her touch, moving as she moved him and not breathing.  A cold sweat had lathered itself on his skin and he remained inert and unresponsive.

The shard began to emit a gradual red glow.  It was but a spark at first, emitting like a small flash of light.  She had to visualize hard for it to work more effectively, for the shard fabricated what the mind could only imagine.  What power it could work during a daydream could be maximized by a dreamstate.  The light grew and turned into a rainbow of colors.

And the wound on Ghanon's side began to stop bleeding.  And the burn had stopped spreading.  Soon the blood on the floor faded and vanished as if they'd never been.  And the wound closed to an ugly scar until that too no longer marred his flesh.

With a cough and a heave, Ghanon sucked in a breath and opened his eyes to Ba'ast, unsure if this was heaven or hell.  He could still feel the pain, though the wound no longer threatened his existence.  "Ba'ast?" he said, regaining his existence.  "Am I still alive?"  It was something he could never really be sure of.

When she heard his voice she dropped the shard and opened her eyes to look at him. "Ghanon!" She was shocked she got that wretched thing to work-- but it didn't matter to her as much as Ghanon did.

She glanced around and noticed that blood was gone and that he looked more clean up. She moved her hand from where the cut was, then looked back to his face when he spoke. Nodding. "Yes.. You're alive Ghanon." She said softly. Running her fingers through his hair and holding him close. "What happened to you..?"

Ghanon awoke to some strange lighting it wasn't so bright in there when he last remembered it.  The moon was gone and the sun was rising above breaking clouds that looked like puffs of cosmic gas, the breath of abandoned gods.  Ghanon regained his senses and felt himself buried against flesh and breasts and with fingers running through his silky, straight hair.

It was Ba'ast he remembered.  But visions of the night before flashed before his eyes and he tried to find a way to say it before nothing made sense anymore.  "It was a priestess...  She's here...  I knew she was watching me so I came to confront her.  But she attacked me.  Wounded me in a way no other has.  She's looking for the shard.  She doesn't know I'm here I don't think."

Suddenly he mind turned a thought that made him bolt upright.  "Devi...  Where's Devi?  Is she safe?  Devi!  Get out here!"

Devi stumbled her way out of bed, yawning and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She was oblivious to the turmoil that went on outside of her room, but Bobbins seemed to know that something was wrong. The orange tabby clawed at her feet and meowed constantly, trying to bring her attention to what went on outside of her room. Eventually, Devi had to wake up, scooping up Bobbins and holding him to her chest, scuttling outside her room to see what Bobbins could be all in a fuss about. Honestly, she had never seen the cat try to get her attention before...

She saw her momma and daddy, slumped on the floor – momma holding daddy in her arms. With one arm around Bobbins, and the other rubbing sleep out of her eye, she toddled up to them, nearly tripping over her long nightgown. "Momma? Daddy?" she asked, tentatively, peering over at them. What was going on? Why were they on the floor? (Where was breakfast?) "...Is daddy okay, momma?" Devi asked, her voice a quiet whisper. Even Bobbins looked curiously at Ghanon – something was wrong, but the little ones of the house could not figure out just what was wrong, not yet.

She looked at Ghanon, confused. "A priestess?" She repeated, his sudden concern for their daughter making her very nervous. Especially with how he yelled for her. She turned to watch Devi walk into the room, and now Ba'ast had to explain what was going on.

Ba'ast sighed and looked back to Ghanon. "Daddy's fine, he just got hurt, but mommy fixed him up. But.." She looked back up to Devi. "There's a mean lady out there, she was in the woods. And she knows what you look like. So I don't want you to leave the house today. And no opening the door for anyone, OK Devi?" She gave Bobbins a look and it seemed as though the cat almost nodded to him. She had him on patrol, and he wouldn't be leaving Devi's side.

"Ghanon.. You're going to have to explain what is so bad about this priestess."

A great wave of alarm was washed away by the riptide of relief as he saw his daughter come into view, safe and sound.  Ghanon rushed to her and clasped her tightly in his arms, hugging the little demon as if he must have loved her all his life and only now found her.  But she was safe now and that was what mattered most.  He pressed his lips to her cheek and set her down when the moment passed.

"I'm just glad you're safe, darling," he said with a smile, trying to make everything okay.  "Don't worry about me, about us.  Everything will be fine.  I'll see to that."  He kissed her forehead and gave Bobbins a stroke on the head.

"Do your daddy proud and go play in your room for a little bit, while I talk to mommy, okay?  There's a good little girl.  And we'll call you out when breakfast is read?  More of those delicious pancakes."  Ghanon regain himself and though his side still pained him gravely and his face visibly winced at any move, he made an effort to stand and pulled Ba'ast up with him.

He looked at Ba'ast and gave a sigh as he leaned against the counter.  "She's ...a priestess I met before at a temple.  She told me her name was Erias...and she's looking for the shard.  She's a mortal, at least I think she is.  She wielded a weapon that was able to wound me.  Not many weapons can do that.  I don't think she knows where we are now, but something tells me I ought to keep an eye on her.  She won't be easy to drive off the trail and the shard should be safe as long as she doesn't know where it is.  Here."  He picked it up.  "Hold onto it.  She won't be looking for you.  And I'll kill her if she tries anything."

Devi looked up at her mother, her blue eyes growing a little more serious. There was a mean lady outside – in the woods? She couldn't leave the house? She chewed on her lip a little – her mother had never taken such a grave tone with her before. She nodded, and Bobbins did as well. "I understand, momma," Devi replied, realizing that this lady, whoever she was, must've caused trouble for them, or something... It was a little hard for her to wrap her head around the idea – life was never 'trouble' for Devi. Life was fun and games and pancakes, never, ever trouble.

But when daddy hugged her, Devi's eyes lit up. The warmth in his hug, it reminded her that, no matter what, her parents would keep her safe. And, the best part, they were making pancakes! She grinned at her father, bouncing on her toes. "Okay~ Don't take too long with breakfast!" She was hungry, after all! Devi skipped into her room once again, picking up a few more cats to play with along the way, knowing that even if someone was out there making trouble for her parents, they would settle the problem, no matter what.

She watched Ghanon get up and run over to Devi and she weakly got to her knees, watching his reaction to seeing their daughter and she reached up to let a hand cover her mouth, almost feeling sick as she watched this all. His reaction. His excitement to see Devi. Was...she in danger?

When Devi left, Ba'ast just stared at Ghanon as he spoke, idly reaching out to take the shard from him and it faded away. But it took a little longer before she was able to actually talk to him again. "This woman... she wont try to harm Devi.. Will she?" She asked cautiously. "You seemed so happy to see Devi safe. I can't help but wonder if she's in danger...." Ba'ast was careful with her words. She was nervous, worried, and all the while she was gradually getting very angry.

Ba'ast turned and stepped past Ghanon, not caring as she bumped into him. She had a child to feed. So she started to make chocolate chip pancakes. Anything to keep Devi from getting worried. "What if she finds this place, Ghanon? She can harm you. Which means she could harm me too.."

He just wanted to make sure that no harm had been brought to either of them.  He couldn't really understand this need to protect them, but he didn't know what more this Priestess was capable of or how far she'd go to get to him and the shards.  His first priority was to keep the mirror shards hidden, and to ensure this Erias woman didn't use his child or his lover against him.

Ghanon leaned against the counter and held his sore side.  His mind drifted off to the woods and that spear that Erais wielded.  His mind searched for a name that weapon that had caused him harm enough to make him fear for his own safety.  After a few moments he finally settled on the name.  Arkhon's spear, Eldrac.  Ghanon felt his hand grip and crack part of the counter, he quickly pulled his hand away and glanced at Ba'ast.

"I just don't want her to get hurt.  Either of you to get hurt.  I'll make sure she won't find."  Ghanon approached Ba'ast and held her by the shoulders.  "Listen to me.  I'll cut her fucking heart out if she hurts either one of you.  She won't find this place!  She'll regret the day she was born.  I need you to understand that. Please!"  His eyes were desperate and needed them not to panic.  Even if danger was obviously imminent, he needed them to remain clearheaded, in the event that he was unable to.  It was strange to have this sudden reliance on them, and in Ba'ast in particular.

Ghanon walked towards Devi's room and opened the door.  "Come, you little monster, breakfast will be ready soon, okay?"

Bobbins, Bonbon, Buttons, and Bitsy were all gathered in Devi's room, playing with various cat toys – fake mice, balls of yarn, jingling bells, etc. Devi had Bobbins in her lap, stroking his fur absentmindedly, still pondering the conversation that her parents had out in the living room. What had momma said again? A mean lady knew what she looked like... Did the mean lady want something with her? Or with Bobbins? She picked up the cat and looked him in the eye, but Bobbins didn't seem to have any answers for her. It figured, of course, but at least he was no longer squirming.

When her father opened her room door, Devi grinned. She was ready and willing to put the disturbing news aside if it meant that breakfast would be ready soon. "Coming, daddy~!" she assured, tucking Bobbins under her arm and running out to the kitchen. She sat at the kitchen table again, waiting to be served, letting Bobbins walk around on the table and curl up in front of her. The cat did so almost protectively, which was strange for him. Devi wanted to ask more questions, but she was too hungry to let a little, mean ol' lady ruin her breakfast time!

She looked up at Ghanon when he grabbed her shoulders and she nodded. "You know I know how to hold my own. And Devi's got her own means of hiding. Just like you." She smirked. "So, don't worry. I just don't like the idea of someone coming after me for having a shard when Devi is here." She said firmly. Turning when he walked to get Devi and she plated the pancakes for Devi and walked over to the table as she sat down.

Ba'ast took a moment to stare at Bobbins, then she pushed him over a bit so she could put the plate in front of Devi. Then handed her a fork before getting the syrup and butter. "Here you go. Don't go too heavy on the syrup, there is chocolate in these ones."

Ba'ast turned once more, glancing to Ghanon, then went to make more pancakes for Ghanon.

Ghanon sat beside Devi and said nothing more on the matter.  It bothered him too much and to discuss it with his daughter in the immediate vicinity would only make matters worse.  There were so many what-ifs that could occur that it was far easier to just sit here in silence while she enthusiastically ate.

He cast a glance at Ba'ast and nodded with assurance that he understood, and expressed in his eyes that everything would be just fine.

Ghanon watched his daughter with a fleeting fascination and he had a small smile on his face.  It was a relief that she had a mother like Ba'ast and while he knew better than anyone what she was capable of, he didn't like having to put his child at risk like that.  There was too much at stake with the shards alone.  Having Devi around tipped the scales in a way Ghanon did not favor.

He put a hand on her back and pushed her hair out of her face.  "You need a bath, Devi.  You smell like snake, lake water, and cooties!"

Bobbins looked up at Ba'ast as she stared at him, wondering if she was going to force him to move. For a fleeting second, Bobbins had hoped he'd get to stay in his comfy spot, but alas, Ba'ast pushed him aside. The cat meowed, lazily rolling down the table like a hot dog, until it landed on the floor (on its feet), meowing in a grumpy manner. Blast! Foiled again.

Devi grinned, reaching immediately for the syrup as her momma placed the pancakes in front of her, eyes widening as she mentioned that they had chocolate in them. "Chocolate? No way!" She had never had chocolate in her pancakes before... Was this legal?! To combine chocolatey goodness with the already yummy pancakes – it was genius! Her mother was a genius! Devi poured on the syrup, being sure not to pour too much, and then cut a piece of her breakfast, popping it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up, grinning. "Momma! You should always put chocolate in the pancakes from now on!" she exclaimed, nodding up and down, as if to prove her point.

She looked over at her father, who brushed the hair out of her face, but had the audacity to claim that she smelled like snake! She wrinkled her nose, pouting at her father. "I do not!" she exclaimed, and sniffed the air around herself to prove it... Alas, she only ended up wrinkling her nose further – he... he was right. She 'hmphed,' and shook her head. "If I smell like cooties, its your fault, daddy! You're the one who gave them to me!"

She chuckled and shook her head. "No Devi~ Because chocolate makes you very hyper. I don't want you bouncing off the walls because I gave you chocolate." She said, but she would secretly do it more often. She flipped three pancakes onto a plate and handed them to Ghanon with a fork. Then she made herself two and slid them onto a plate and grabbed a fork. Walking to the table to sit down.

"Well, I haven't have chocolate chip pancakes in a while, but I'm glad you like them, Devi." She reached over to ruffle up Devi's hair. Then she poured syrup on her pancakes and started to eat them. "So, Devi, what are mommy's rules about strangers?"

With such a threat out there, she wanted to make sure Devi knew all the rules.

"You're mother is right.  Recite to us what you're supposed to do when you come into contact with strangers."

Ghanon wasn't very hungry and so he just stared at those pancakes that had been so appealing the day before with blank eyes.  But he didn't want to worry them.  Honestly the thought of being chased down and hunted as not appealing to him in the least and had severely cut down any hunger he might have had.  But he cut into them anyway and nodded to Ba'ast with a pleased grin.

It wasn't like he expected her to serve him.  Corrothim culture made it clear that men were superior to women in every aspect, but Ghanon had quickly learned after his banishment that this certainly wasn't so.  He looked at Ba'ast with a deep, ingrained respect and thanks.  He knew she didn't do it out of servitude and he always found ways to thank her when Devi was asleep.  Speaking of which...

"How...ahem....did you sleep last night, Devi Cootie-catcher?" he asked and poked her little cheek, before munching more of own pancakes.  These 'chocolate-chips' were delicious and he ate rather ravenously.

Momma's excuse for her not eating chocolate chip pancakes often was apparently because she got hyper from chocolate, but that sounded like blasphemy to the little demon. Hyper? Her? Never! However, the truth of the matter was, even from those small bites of her pancake that Devi took, she was starting to get a little more energetic. She was grinning from ear to ear, cutting her pancake pieces a little faster now, wanting to devour them before daddy made her lose her appetite again.

She looked up at her parents innocently – they were asking about... the rules about strangers. She pouted, biting her lip at the question – she hated the word ' recite' – the last thing she wanted to do was spout off a bunch of boring rules about what to do when she came across strangers. She groaned, and started to recite begrudgingly, in a monotone voice, with a mouthful of pancake. "Don't talk to the strangers, don't fly around strangers, and don't go anywhere with the stranger. If you see a stranger, be sure to come straight home." She stabbed her pancake as soon as she was done reciting – honestly! She was a big girl now, she knew what to do without having to recite rules!

Devi turned to her father, pouting at her new nickname. "How did I sleep?" she echoed, finding the question odd. "As soon as I went to bed, I fell asleep right away~! I was really tired..." From the swimming to eating so much tasty snake, her day had tuckered the little demon out.

She saw that little spark of an attitude in Devi's demeanor and grinned. She had a temper like her mother, and it was so cute. Ba'ast couldn't help but grin even if the topic was very important to talk about. Though she nodded at every point Devi recited. "Very good Devi. Though, I have to add one more. Don't answer the door. OK? If someone knocks, let mommy or daddy come to the door."

She nodded at her new rule and went to eat a piece of pancake but froze at Ghanon's sheepish question and she eyed him. Great. Let's make breakfast awkward. But, wait. Devi didn't hear anything? Ba'ast let out a sigh of relief and ate that piece and swallowed. "That's good. I'm glad you slept good after all the excitement of last night." She smiled, then eyed Ghanon.

[Should we do a time skip soon?]

Ghanon buried his head in his hands when Ba'ast looked at him as if he were actually embarrassed.  But in actuality the heavy breath that came out of him was of relieved resignation and he rubbed his face half hidden in his hands with his eyes looking over his fingers and he saw that look on Ba'ast's face.  He had only wanted to make sure but he was glad his daughter was a heavy sleeper.  Of course that could always be a bad thing.

Ghanon ate the rest of his food and was nearly finished when there was a sudden knock at the door.  He paused and sat there stock still.  Had she found them?  So soon.  His face suddenly went paler than usual and he stared at the door almost unable to move.  It couldn't have been here but he'd quickly learned that with this priestess, anything was possible.  But he couldn't help telling himself that she couldn't have found them.  It was far too easy.

[ If you want! I'm fine with whatever~ ]

Devi nodded, adding her mother's new rule to her mental rolodex. "Right, don't answer the door either," she logged, realizing that today was going to be one of those days... Normally, she would've thrown a fit about having to stay in the house, but at least she had a lot of things to do today. Oh! She could use the spare time to name the rest of the kittens! There was Bobbins, of course, and Bitsy, Buttons, Bonbon, and... what have you, but the others – they needed names too!

She was running other cat names through her head, when suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Bobbins looked up from his lazy spot on the floor to glance at the door, and Devi stopped cutting her pancake, looking at both of her parents curiously. "Do you think it's the mean lady at the door?" she asked the both of them, glancing over towards it. "If I was a mean lady, I wouldn't bother to knock. I would barge right in! That's what mean people do, right?" With that logic, whoever was knocking at the door shouldn't be someone to fear – at least, not to Devi.

Ba'ast nodded towards Devi. "Good. I hate to keep you locked inside, but I'm sure you have plenty of things you can do." She said with a smile, returning her gaze to her pancakes and she finished them off. But not before she had to push a cat off the table three times before the cat got the clue to stop jumping back up on the table.

Then there was a knock on the door. She turned to face it, but then turned to Ghanon. "...You do-" She started, but Devi chimed in with what Ba'ast wanted to know and she watched her daughter before looking back to Ghanon. "She has a point. But that doesn't make it any better. Do you think it's the priestess?"


((Yeah, time skips are fine if we're all ready~))

Ghanon cast a wide-eyed, faintly shocked look at the fact that Devi had read exactly what was on his mind.  She was too young to be this intelligent!  But he couldn't help a great feeling of pride in the young demon even if she simply was stating the obvious.  Obvious those smarts were evenly split from both of her parents, though either one could argue that Devi got it from solely one of them.  There was no room to breathe with all the ego in this household.

He considered Ba'ast for a time, thinking she could be right.  "I'll see to it," he breathed with some apprehension.  Striding to the door, the fist pounding on it became that much more adamant and angry.  No doubt that spear that the priestess had could rip through the frail wood of that door like nothing.  He waited for several minutes, listening to sounds of pissed, frustrated grunts and screeching on the other side.  Ghanon reached for the knob and yanked it open and stared with wide eyes at the man wresting with six different cats that crawled up and down on him.

He was a short man, bald and red in the face with persistent irritation.  He stopped struggling as he realized that the door was finally open and he stared indignantly at everyone inside.

"Are these your cats?" he said bitingly, seething.

"Maybe," Ghanon answered curtly, raising a brow.

"Well take these little shits then, far away from me!  Nosy little anklebiters!  OUCH!  Goddammit!"  the man ripped the cats from him one by one, throwing them at Ghanon, which he caught in his arms, each one meowing and hissing as they sailed through the air.

Bleeding in many places and in a great deal of discomfort, he slammed the door shut for them and stalked off.  Ghanon just stood there, arms outstretched, looking stupidly at Ba'ast and Devi with cats crawling on him, two on his arms, one sitting on his head and two more clinging by claws on his shirt.

A laugh roared out of him loudly.  "I guess it wasn't her after all."

~~~~
Two months came and stayed and all that time Ghanon had spent watching behind his back, keeping an ever glowered eye on the Priestess Erias, who was doing well to try and find him.  Profiles were kept lower and appearances were kept even lower, he made sure of that.  Ghanon watched the priestess constantly, perhaps even more than he should have, but he had the safety of the shard and his family to preoccupy his mind.

He stood staring out the window, almost as if he were in a daze.  He'd never been this stagnant for so long before, but he knew that his every move would be watched if he so much as left the house.  He couldn't risk it.

He jumped a little when he felt someone approach him from behind.  "Sorry, didn't see you there, Ba'ast," he said and smirked.  "And there's daddy's favorite little monster!"  He bent and scooped Devi up in one quick whirl and hugged her, setting her on his hip.  "Did you name all of your kitties yet?  How many do you have not, a hundred?  A thousand?"

He kissed his daughter on the cheek before setting her on the ground and looking at Ba'ast with a confident grin.  "Didn't I tell you she wouldn't find us?  It's been two months already and she hasn't found a single lead."  He looked her over and frowned, noticing something seemed very off about her.  "Something wrong with your stomach Ba'ast?  You're  looking, well, a little round..."  He didn't think her diet changed, but she wasn't as slim as she was two months ago.

Ba'ast watched Ghanon head for the door and stood protectively by Devi until he came back with the cats hanging off him. When the felines saw Ba'ast they settled down a great deal and dislodged from Ghanon and went about finding the stairs to go up to their part of the house.

Ba'ast had to take a moment to gather herself after he had laughed, then she followed suit and laughed as well. "I guess not." She said softly and turned to Devi. They were safe. For now.

_____________

Ba'ast had just given Devi a bath and dressed her, but found it was a little harder to get to her feet. She let Devi wander off as she looked in a mirror at her profile and noticed her protruding stomach, perfectly rounded, semi-firm. She placed her hand on it and paused a moment, then shook her head. Look like she had some news for Ghanon.

She turned and left the bathroom, following Devi until she spotted Ghanon spacing at the window. She stepped up to him and placed her hands on her hips. "She may just be studying us." She said firmly. Trying to find the perfect time to say something.

Though, it came at his whim when he mentioned her stomach. She almost made a pissed face-- but he didn't know yet so she sucked in a breath and nodded. "Ghanon.. there isn't anything wrong. Just the fact that I'm pregnant." She said matter-of-factly. "You're going to have another child."

The little demon giggled as her father picked her up and hugged her, snuggling closer to him. She had just finished with her bath, and was glad to finally have it over with. They were a pain, but it was worth it, to come out smelling sweet and clean once more. At his question, Devi shook her head to the negative, regaining her footing as her father set her back down on the floor. "There's too many to name, Daddy! If I do, I'll just forget them the next day... So, I just name them as I see them~" She wasn't sure how, but there seemed to be more cats around than normal – were they breeding? Were other neighborhood cats coming to hang out here? She couldn't keep tabs on them all!

But, there was always Bobbins, who had grown a little fatter over the past two months, due to the copious amount of pancakes added to his diet. The orange tabby trailed at Devi's feet, and the little demon picked him up and set him on her head, grinning up at him, balancing him on her head steadily. She turned towards her parents, and was about to leave to play a game or something, but daddy had asked an interesting question. She had been wondering about it herself, but her momma seemed a little more plump than usual.

Devi tilted her head curiously at her mother's response, causing Bobbins to fall off her head and plummet to the ground with a yelp. "A child?" Devi asked, stepping up to her mother's tummy and poking it curiously. "A child can fit in there? ... Are you sure you're not just getting fat from eating so much pancakes, momma?" She grinned, chuckling mischievously at her own quip.

"Child?" he said, tilting his head just like Devi, perhaps even a little mockingly.  "Who was it this time!?  You're very sneaky.  I thought you were in the house these past two months."  Ghanon grinned at her and stepped toward her to feel her belly.  It was warm and round, but soft.  Something flickered inside Ghanon, that he hadn't felt before and he kept smiling as he felt all around it, but he kept up Devi's little game and poked it gently.

"You may be onto to something, Devi.  Mommy has been making a LOT of pancakes lately.  So, which is it Ba'ast, keeping your figure too much for you?  I do my best to stay sexy and this is how you repay me?"

Her eyes narrowed at his remark and she balled up her fist and struck Ghanon's cheek as hard as she would allow-- being pregnant and all, she didn't want to use full force and harm the baby. She then sucked in a breath. "It's yours. I haven't left, and I've been faithful to you-- plus, you don't pull out. So don't deny this one as well." She warned.

Then swatted his hand away. "Don't poke, Ghanon." then she looked to Devi. "Be nice, you don't want to poke your little brother or sister too hard Devi. They may be mean to you when they're old enough to play."

Oof!  Ghanon staggered backwards a little when she hit him, which was still awfully hard for a pregnant woman.  He knew she held back, but he just rubbed his cheek like a good sport and laughed in spite of her or himself.  "You got a mean hook there, love," he said, smiling like he was really drunk, but he couldn't help but be really happy.  Not at the fact that she hit him, but more along the lines that she had such a short temper.

He reached for Devi's hand when she poked her mother's stomach.  "She's right, Devi.  They will be mean to you if you're mean to them first.  But you're going to be a big sister soon.  Isn't that exciting?"

Turning back to Ba'ast, his eyes glittered and he leaned in and kissed her deeply before pulling away.  "I think it's wonderful that we are going to have another baby.  I would never deny them, darling, I know you've been faithful."  And kissed her again before looking at Devi.  "I think this news calls for some celebration.  What do you say we go somewhere else, take a trip for the day?"

She looked up incredulous at her father, who suggested that her new sibling may be mean to her if she was mean first. Mean?! She was merely poking! What kind of person considering poking to be mean? "I don't want a little sister who can't handle a little poking," Devi noted, sticking her tongue out at her mother's tummy. "So I'm merely preparing her, is all!" If she was going to have a little sister, she had better be tough and fun to play with, after all. She wouldn't tolerate her sister thinking that poking someone was mean.

But, all in all, Devi was excited. If she was going to have a little sister, that meant she'd have someone to [strike:3phppuqd]order around[/strike:3phppuqd] play with! "Maybe she can name all the cats..." she pondered quietly, smirking mischievously to herself. Yes, she could do all the work! Excellent...

The little demon grinned as her father suggested taking them out somewhere for a day, bouncing on her toes. "Yeah~ let's go on a trip!" she agreed, scooping up Bobbins off the floor and hugging the orange tabby to her chest. "I don't want to go swimming again, though – Bobbins doesn't like the lake..." The only thing the tabby had liked about that trip they had taken two months ago was the meat the sea snake had given them...

She watched Devi as she spoke and couldn't help a chuckle at her announcement of 'preparing,' "Well, that's my girl~ Always thinking ahead." She then turned to Ghanon and her eyes widened at the kiss. Blinking a couple of times as she attempted to figure out what he was on to be OK with this so fast. And no fight? Then she was kissed again.

Ba'ast grinned sheepishly, wanting to tug him closer, but held back. Though, she did reach up to touch his lightly bruised cheek. "Go somewhere to celebrate? Sounds great-- but I'm with Devi. No lakes."

Ghanon, at first, couldn't think of a good place with which to go.  No doubt they were being watched at all times and Ghanon hadn't ventured out of the house in two months.  Normally would drive him insane, but he had more than himself at stake here.  If it was just him, he could shake anyone trying to follow him with no trouble at all.  But it seemed no matter where he turned, there were risks to take at all times.  He didn't like the idea of having his newfound family threatened.  Yet, even in that idea, he didn't know whether or not he was willing to sacrifice them.

But he kept a confident face and nodded to her.  "All right then, no lake.  How about...we go exploring?  Treasure hunting maybe.  I think there's a ruin around here we can explore.  If we're ready, let's be on our way."  Ghanon held out his hands to them and closed his eyes as he willed a portal to wrap around them and in a blink of an eye, they were transported to the entrance of ancient, decrepit temple ruin some hundred to two hundred miles away.  They seemed to be far enough away that there was no way the priestess could track them now.

___
But Erias lingered near when she felt a disturbance in the atmosphere, there was a fluctuation in the sky and it was something normal humans would be unable to detect.  She looked at Eldrac's jewel, a reddish-diamond that glowed blue when it felt a danger was near.  She looked up and saw a crackle of lightning zip up quickly from a cloud as the sky began to blacken.  Rains were coming, a passerby remarked.

Erias, standing out like a broken thumb anyway in her own foreign regalia felt the need to follow the spark and ran through the trees.  The lightning became stronger and she saw between the brush that it was sparking up from the ground ferociously.  In an instant she was there and she leapt too it.  It seemed like an eternity before her body hit the spark and became one with it, zipping up through the rift like a part of light itself.

Devi's eyes lit up at the idea of going exploring. A treasure hunt! That'd be perfect! She looked down at Bobbins, wondering if the orange tabby would be just as excited about the idea as she was, but the cat seemed to be bored, if anything else. Ah, Bobbins was getting lazy nowadays anyway – he used to be so excitable, but now, he was hard to rattle.

She smiled, and in a blink of an eye, they were transported to some sort of ancient ruin – it had been so quick, as it always was when daddy transported them away. Devi couldn't wait until she could travel just as fast, but she still hadn't gotten used to a lot of her powers yet... She was getting there, but she still had a lot of work to do.

The little demon took in her surroundings, glad to be out of the house for once. "Whoa~ are we really hunting for treasure here, daddy?" she asked, obviously excited. "What do you think we'll find here? I hope we find a lot of shiny gems~" Maybe some precious stones that she could wear in her hair...

"Exploring? That sounds like a lot of fun~" She looked to Devi who seemed to like the idea a great deal so she turned to face Ghanon with both her hands on her stomach. "I can't do too much, but I will tag along!" she said, turning to make sure Devi was ready before she took her hand and then took Ghanon's and they were teleported.

She let go of Ghanon's hand and Devi's. Letting her wander about a bit so she could explore, but she kept a close eye on her. Though she inched a little closer to Ghanon and let her eyes wander up to his face. Grinning.

Treasure hunting was fun, it was always fun.  And it would be interesting to see how Devi would take this all in. Perhaps this place would be a good testing ground for her abilities.  No doubt there would be a great multitude of traps and maze-like passages, but he was confident that the little demon would come out unscathed and he would be here along with Ba'ast to protect her if something happened.

He too wandered when they arrived and kept wandering until he noticed Ba'ast grinning at him.  "What are you smiling about?" he asked with some mischief, but he shook his head and motioned for them to come along.  "Time is wasting and there's so much to see."

He walked through the darkened entrance, which was little more than slabs of rock collapsed on each other and entered into a long hallway.  Though he was sure they could see fine in the darkness, he closed and opened his hand, unleashing a series of crystals of pale green light that floated down the hallway, illuminating it and floating to nearby torches before sparking them on fire.  With the tunnel alit, they could see that it was narrow and linear and turned both ways at the end of it.  As he went through, he held Devi's hand, wanting to make sure she was nearby enough, and stopped when they reached the end of it, looking left then right.

"Which way?" he asked.

Devi turned her head to and fro, eyes darting around the cave, trying to take in all of her surroundings. She hadn't seen much of the world as it was – the world she knew consisted of her house, her cats, and the boring townspeople who she couldn't be bothered to get along with anyway. To be away from all that, in a place where anything could happen while looking for treasure... This was the sort of adventure she could find herself getting used to! Bobbins, however, begged to differ. The orange tabby, who thought it had finally gotten used to the strange life it lead, widened its green eyes, squirming a little, wanting to go home immediately. Devi pat its head absentmindedly, too enthralled by the cave to console him.

Her father held her other hand, and as they came to a dead fork in the road, asked her where they should go. Devi took no time to ponder – both ways looked exactly the same, so trying to decipher which way would be the best to take from their given information would be meaningless. "That way!" she declared, pointing confidently to the right, without a hint of hesitation. She had no clue what was down that path, but any guess was as good as the other at this point.

She chuckled when he caught her staring, it wasn't like he was embarrassed, more like amused. Pregnancy hormones did a lot to the mind-- even hers. She turned to look at the scenery and then down to Devi who's eyes were wider than a cat's on the prowl. That was just too cute to see.

Ba'ast stepped a bit closer to Devi, looking back to Ghanon when he spoke, then she looked to Devi when she chose the way. "Aa.. Devi, the little one leading the way on our adventure. Sounds safe." She grinned. Any bit of excitement was good for her-- and a plus to being pregnant was that her powers were more potent as another source of protection.

The flash of light came like a whip of lightning from the sky and Erias found herself crouched on the ground, and the light vanished as fast as it came.  After a moment of recovery, she peered up and slowly stood, leaning on  Eldrac for support as she surveyed her surroundings.  She appeared at the entrance of what seemed to be old temple ruins, not an uncommon sight in a strange forest like this, but why the rift had taken her here, she didn't know.  But she had a feeling in her gut, and her eyes cut up to the red jewel near the spear's point.

It fluxed and glowed faintly, and as she took a step forward towards the entrance, the glow strengthened significantly then became faint again when she stepped back.  This was the way, she was close.  She'd find this Ghanon of Dragolir and flay the flesh from his bones.  He'd tell her where to find the shard, she thought, nothing else in the universe mattered now.

The Priestess set forth through the clearing, watching the ground for tracks.  Though it seemed strange that there were more than one pair, she paid no heed to it, and set the thought in the back of her mind.  She paused before the darkness of the entrance.  All she was after was this Ghanon.  There was no intention in her to harm anyone else, but if they got in the way, they'd be little more than collateral damage. She brushed her black hair out of her face and ventured forth into the darkness.  Best she not lose the trail while it was still fresh.

~~
Ghanon chuckled at their daughter's enthusiasm.  "When she's right, she's right," he said back and let her lead the way.  The tunnel widened and rounded out.  The rubble was more present around them and thick cobwebs spanned from the ceiling to the ground.  A wave of his hand cut through the webbing and parted them as they ventured through.  The stone tunnel seemed to waver as they stepped on loose stones.  "What could be down this way?" he muttered in curiosity.

Large murals spanned the walls beside them and light was spread out as torched seemed to alight by themselves.  Ghanon looked upon them, fascinated but watching the way ahead.  Suddenly...he felt a heat behind him, not one of flesh, but of fire and his head turned suddenly and he turned to see a raging ball of fire being shot at his head.  Without saying a word, he yanked Devi to the ground and Ba'ast a long with her.  When the fire passed over them, he got in the way and screamed at them, "Damn you both. Run! Get out of here!"  He faced back from where the fire came from and saw the Priestess in its wake, smoke rising from the tip of her spear, death was in her eyes.

It had all started out innocently enough. The path she had chosen lead down an eerie hallway, coated with cobwebs and rubble, and Devi took it all in, devouring the foreign environment around her. It wasn't ever day she got to go treasure hunting after all, so she wanted to make sure she got the most out of this experience! Hugging Bobbins to her chest, the little demon trotted along carefully beside her mother and father, looking up at her parents every so often, wondering if they were just as excited as she was. Bobbins was still squirming in Devi's grasp, but she had gotten used to keeping the cat under control.

One could say that the caves were peaceful, until she came into the picture. Devi gasped aloud as she heard it – the whizzing flames of a fireball being shot in their direction, her father yanking her to the ground without a word. The little demon had been pulled roughly to the rubble of the cave floor – with her blue eyes closed shut, she coughed a little, pushing the dust out of her lungs, her heart beating fast as she continued to cling Bobbins to her chest, despite the cat's protests. She pulled herself up, legs shaking, her young eyes coming in contact with the woman who had shot off the fire in the first place – the one who her parents must've been speaking of before.

Get out of here! he ordered, and Devi took a step backwards, unsure if she should leave. She untucked her rosewood red wings, but wasn't sure if she could bare running if it meant leaving her father to deal with that woman. After a beat, she swallowed hard, nodded her head, and looked to her mother. "Momma, c'mon!" she urged, getting a running start before kicking off the ground and taking flight, speeding away from that woman and her angry flames. Her father would be fine, she knew – he was indestructible and brave. Some woman who shot fireballs was no match for him... right?

She had found this to be a rather good day, getting to go on a treasure hunt with her daughter and the father of her soon to be two children. It was rather interesting to see Ghanon in such a situation, but it was a nice change of pace.

Until a feeling of strong heat and she felt the cold ground against her cheek. Wincing, she got to her feet and looked at Ghanon, then to the woman. "Ghanon.." Was all she could gasp out before he was yelling at them to run. She turned and looked to Devi who had her wings out. Though, in this space, her own wings would be pinned. So she motioned for Devi to fly. "Go! Go hide~!" She yelled at her daughter and chased after her for a moment.

But, then she remembered that one night.. When she found Ghanon half dead. She couldn't let that happen again. She turned and ran back to Ghanon. Stopping a couple of feet behind him, ready to help defend him from this woman who seemed to be the only one who could harm him.

Erias said nothing when she attacked them.  Ghanon set off the glow of the spear's jewel and that confirmation enough for her that she had found him.  She knew he was powerful and had his tricks, but his tricks would save him now.  She stepped forward through the tunnel and shout out a torrent of fiery energy, a long lick of flame that came out in an endless stream.  The heat of itself was almost too much for her to bear but she gripped harder on the spear and stepped forward, holding it under her shoulder.

Ghanon pierced her with dagger eyes, eyes that widened as the flame came pushing through the narrowness of the tunnel.  His eyes closed and he grit his teeth as he crossed his arms over his face, prepared to take the bite of fire.  Instead of being engulfed in the blast, the shield of green light had come up before him, brightening at the impact of the fire.  The rims of his silver bracers glowed and the glyphs were alit with his fury.  Ghanon held the defense for as long as he could, his feet sliding back against the force of the blast that almost seemed too much for him but he was determined to hold her back.  She wouldn't break through.  She wouldn't hurt Ba'ast or their child.

"You're never going to learn, will you?" Ghanon shouted at her to the other end.

"I will not stop until you surrender the shard," she responded and prepared to shoot another blast, but she did not and instead darted down the tunnel toward him.

Eventually the fire blast and his shield came down when he relaxed his arms and looked at her.  A quick glance to his side made him notice that Ba'ast was there too.  "What are you doing?!" he demanded.  "Leave!  Go!"  But Ghanon did not have time to say anything further before the point of the spear unleashed a fire that knocked him to the ground.  He cried out and slid back further down the tunnel, wincing in pain but was not taken out just yet.

"You'll never get the shard," he seethed through grit teeth as he slowly climbed to his feet.  His eyes were on Ba'ast however and the point of the spear that was coming at them fast, no longer shooting out deadly fire, but ready to strike flesh.

She came back in just in time to see this woman go after Ghanon again, and that shield he was able to make--but it wasn't enough.. She knew he couldn't hold her off forever-- and she had already damaged him so badly. Ba'ast couldn't help but fear for his safety.

But, then he noticed her and she made a face, gasping when he was struck and thrown to the floor. She hurried over to his side and knelled by his side. Looking to his face and how he wince, then looking up just in time to see that spear coming at them. And Ba'ast anger got her.

In a flash, one of her khopeshes were in her hand and she hooked it around the spear and directed the blade into the wall. Then she jumped to her feet and glared at the woman. "Don't you dare threaten to break up my family." She hissed out. Drawing on that extra power the fetus allowed her to have and her whole body seemed to radiate an intense anger brought on from her demonic blood. Particles of sand seeming drawn to her. "Go find your shard somewhere else."

"Leave us here, demon!  My fight is not with you!" Erias shouted at her, feeling the rage that flowed out of the livid woman that was beside Ghanon.  She meant every word she said but she wouldn't back down just because she saw that she was with child.  Her mission was more important than some profane life she was carrying.  

The spear pinned to the wall, causing the whole structure to shake from the force of the blow, rumbling rock and cracked the surrounding stone.  A portion of rock fell down behind them all and blocked the path.  Erias could not retreat, not that she had any intention to do so.  She fell back, the spear summoning to her grip, and was about to let off another blast when a force of green light tossed her backwards, if only for a moment.

Ghanon had climbed to his feet already and in his own frustration at having Ba'ast involved in the first place was compounded on at having that godless spear pointed at her.  He wouldn't have it and he leapt and flew at her, literally, covering the distance between them in seconds and tackling her to the ground.  Again the tunnel rumbled when they landed.  Straddling her, Ghanon raised up his hands and summoned between them a ball of green energy that sparked and flared like a handful of lightning and he slammed it down on her chest, grinding it down into her.  "You stupid bitch.  I warned you!" he said.

Erias screamed outloud in agony as the magic burned through her chest, singeing her flesh and tearing through it like a white-hot dull knife.  In her panic, her hands went over her head, Eldrac in her grip, and she pierced it through him.  Ghanon yelped when the tip of the spear went through his shoulder and his attack ceased, the green ball dissipating into thin air.  She pulled back and drove it again, harder this time, and hard enough to knock him on his back.  Holding the spear under her arm, she got to her feet, her own chest, bleeding but not broken, and she drove Eldrac further into  the ground, his screams echoed deafeningly through the tunnel.  "Tell me where the shard is!"

"NEVER!  AHHHHHHHHHhahhhhhhhhhh!" he barked out, barely managing to keep his sanity.  The jewel on Eldrac glowed in an orange light and as a fiery blast threatened to emerge from the spear while it still pinned him to the ground.  Ghanon, on his back, looked back to Ba'ast, eyes filled with sorrow and anger, and begging for aid, but he smiled sadistically still.  Between breathes and screams, he managed to looked up at Erias with eyes.  "Priestess....have you met my girlfriend, Ba'ast?" he said and laughed despite his agony.  The spear was getting intensely hot, no doubt that blast would come soon, but he could only hope that Ba'ast would act in time.  Distract her for a moment...do something, anything!

She bared her teeth at the woman, easily holding the spear to the side as she just radiated anger. Trying to give Ghanon enough time to get to his feet. And it was working. Though, this time wasn't going to prove enough-- or even useful. Ghanon was no match for this woman for some reason. And, though Ba'ast stood her ground to keep Ghanon safe, she was worried about what would happen. "I'm not going anywhere until you are but the dust at my feet!" She hollered out, her yell being followed by Ghanon leaping out and closing the distance between them and this Erias.

Though their short brawl ended with Ghanon on the short end of the stick. Skewered to say the least. She watched him get knocked to his feet and her second khopesh appeared, ready. When he introduced her to Erias, Ba'ast got the hint that he really needed help. She waved her hand in his direction and he was shrouded in sand and was teleported far behind Ba'ast. Leaving that spear stuck in the rocks below where Ghanon was. Ba'ast then ran at Erias and struck at the woman's neck with her khopeshs.

Though the woman was quick to counter and flung the spear up as she ran at her. To anyone watching it would look like Ba'ast was sure to be run through, but she was very swift and nimble, and seemed to float around the spear's target and sunk the blades of her weapons into the woman's side. He sickening scream making it all the better. Though, this move left Ba'ast wide open for a good blow to her stomach-- at least it was no where reachable by the blade of the spear.

Erias was just about to unleash the full blast of Eldrac when the demon woman came at her in an onslaught she did not expect.  Her counters were outmaneuvered but she recovered quickly only to be struck in the sides by those goddamned khopeshs.  The blades, their nature was not natural this she knew, but it didn't stop the pain from being any more crippling than it should have been.  Her own mortality flashed before her mind, but her body was stronger than a human's and she felt her muscles compact together before she raised her knee and drilled it hard into Ba'ast stomach.

Ghanon was blinded by anger, blinded by the pain of his shoulder that had been pierced through.  He regained himself slowly by crouching on the floor and his vision was hazed.  Then he saw the blur of two figures struggling at the end of the tunnel, one of them screaming, the other with a pair of swords.  He couldn't focus on them, and his heart was racing fast in his chest.

"That's it," he breathed desperately.  This fight wouldn't go on any longer.  With what strength he had left in him, Ghanon stood and threw a hand out, his palm opening up to make a portal materialize out of thin air several feet behind the struggling pair.  And his fingertips sparked with green tendrils of electricity that wrapped around it.  It took everything he had, all of his emotions, and the pain that surged through him, but it wasn't long before a blast emerged from the palm of his hand, and shot out towards the pair.  It was almost as wide as the tunnel itself, and in it contained all of Ghanon's wrath.  His weary eyes were trained on the two, determined to hit both if need be.  Erias was one of the two, of that he was sure.

The blast was small at first before engulfing the whole of the tunnel, expanding outward as it shot out at beyond light speeds.  Erias tore herself from Ba'ast's grip just in time to see the massive energy blast coming at them.  She drew Eldrac up in an attempt to block it but was too late before it hit the both of them.  The force was enough to throw Erias back and she cried out as the energy tore at her flesh and burned the ends of her hair and singed her hands.  She kept the spear in hand, but it did not save her from being knocked back into the portal.  It swallowed her and vanished without a trace.

Ghanon fell to his knees and took a deep breath, one hand holding his wounded shoulder.  When his heart slowed down and his vision cleared he looked up and saw a still, familiar figure on the ground.  "Ba'ast....?" He said slowly.  It took a minute to get to his feet and too k some steps forward to get a better look.  "Ba'ast!" he shouted when he realized it was her and raced to her side.  This wasn't good at all....

Ba'ast wasn't expecting the woman to be able to attack with such force after being damaged like that, but the blow to her stomach was far from something that should've hurt Ba'ast-- though, it did more that just 'hurt' her in her pregnant state.

Ba'ast doubled over a bit, holding her stomach which was sickeningly misshapen. She barely noticed the portal Ghanon made, or the fact that something hit Erias and knocked her into that portal. Her vision blurred, blood trickling down her legs slowly. Then she fell to her knees, her arms crossed over her chest and tears poured out of her eyes. She was crying-- because she knew that kick killed her child. No amount of pain could hide the pain of realizing her child was now dead.

Ghanon coming to her side was only so much of a consolation. She just immediately turned and clung to him. Too distraught to gather words to tell him what happened. But, with all the blood, she was sure he would figure it out.

She was on her knees with her back to him by the time he got to her and he slid down in a crouch and was immediately clung to.  At first he didn't understand and he tried to figure out what was wrong and he asked such though received replies in sobs only.  His eyes were busy searching her face at first and saw nothing but sorrow and swollen, teary eyes.

His sight peered down to her stomach and he felt as if his heart stopped.  No.  This couldn't be.  He remained in shock, and could barely muster a breath to whisper words.  There was so much blood that he almost didn't know if this was real or some sort of ploy.  "Ba'ast," he whispered, unable to say anything else, but her name.

He clutched her to his chest with one arm while the other reached down and stroked the blood from her legs then brought up the bloodied tips to be inspected at a closer gaze.  "No," he breathed, softly.  "No!  No, Ba'ast, this..."  But the denial would not bring back the life of their dead child, now lying in a puddle of blood between her legs.  He tried to remain calm, but inside his mind recoiled in horror and confusion but he couldn't bring himself to look at the body.

"Ba'ast, we have to go.  We have to go home.  We can't stay here," Ghanon said, holding her tightly.

Devi had hid as best as she could, away from the madness that was the fight between her parents' enemy. She still had no idea what that woman looked like – she had only managed to sneak in a quick glimpse of her face, but besides that, the little demon had no real idea of what her parents were up against.

But Devi knew, it had to be a force to be reckoned with – one that was bigger than a sea snake, that was for sure. She clamped her hands over her eyes, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to drown out the sounds of the fighting that echoed over in the distance. Despite it all, she could still here everything – their agitated cries, the sound of spells being shot. The sounds in themselves made the little demon shake.

Bobbins sat near her feet, a lump of petrified fur, not willing to move or wander off. The cat knew as well what a dangerous situation they were in, and wasn't going to risk wandering off and losing sight of Devi. Despite everything, the small demon was like her ward, in a way. The two stood there for what seemed like centuries, waiting for the sounds of battle to die down, Devi's hands shaking and knees quaking, biting down on her tongue to keep herself still.

She hated this! Her parents were out there fighting and she was sitting here like a little baby, quailing in the shadows! But she had so many powers – so many abilities that she couldn't make heads or tails of – she was a jack of so many trades and a master of nothing. She would only get in their way if she were to go out there now. She was naught but a liability.

Finally, she thought it might just be safe to poke her head out. The sounds of battle had finally died out, so slowly, Devi untucked her wings and treaded carefully back towards her parents. She had thought she had heard hell itself while she was hiding, but the sight that unfurled before her eyes was a little too much for the demon to take.

At the sight of her mother crying, Devi froze in her tracks, her eyes misting over. "Momma...?" she called out quietly, and turning her head to her father slowly, unable to comprehend what was going on. Except she didn't need to know – her mother, someone she had held as a paragon of strength and valor, was crying. Her mother was not supposed to cry.

Nothing in this world was ever supposed to be horrible enough to make her mother cry.

"Daddy, tell momma to stop crying!" Devi insisted, taking a step backwards. It was a selfish demand from a child who couldn't comprehend the context, but could only feel the gravity of this situation – she was grasping at straws that sat centimeters away from her reach.

"Momma... isn't supposed to cry...!"

She clung onto him tightly, the pain was unbearable, but the fact that she lost their child hurt worst. Having Ghanon being strong for her helped a bit, but all that went down the drain when she heard Devi.

Her heart sank and she closed her eyes. She couldn't look down at the child she aborted. All she could do was try to stop cry and she clung to Ghanon. Looking up to his face and nodding slowly. She needed to hide the pain from Devi. But she could barely move. "I...c-can't stand." She whispered softly to Ghanon, still holding on tightly.

She also chose not to look at Devi, but she chose to speak a little louder. "Sorry Devi.. Mommy's fine." She said and bit her bottom lip. "Please take me home.." She whimpered. She just wanted to get cleaned up, lay down, and hold him.

If she hadn't spoken up at all, Ghanon might have forgotten about Devi at all.  His mind was in a thousand different places at once and he was torn as to what he thought he should do.  Every thread of his being wanted to depart from there as quickly as possible, with or without Ba'ast.  The sight of the blood, of his dead child that had never had a chance to come to full fruition, of his lover's tears that seemed to flow endlessly like rivers, and of his daughter demanding that Ba'ast stop crying, it was all too much to be borne.  He wanted to flee, to fly away, to disappear from the sight and mind of the universe for time immortal.

But he remained completely still and didn't know what to say.  He protected the bloody sight with the broadness of his body and looked back at Devi.  When he found a small seed of iron in him, he cleared his throat and found his voice was shakier than he preferred.  "We...we have to go home now Devi.  Mommy will be okay, she had an accident.  That is all.  Let's go."  Ghanon took a breath and moved to stand now, putting an arm underneath Ba'ast's knees and took her into his arms, cradling her like an invalid before standing himself.

"Come here," he ordered to Devi and walked towards her, blocking the mess on the floor again as best he could.  "Hold onto my jacket.  Make sure Bobbins is with you and keep your eyes closed."  Ghanon took a breath and let himself concentrate as a portal opened for them and they slipped through it like a slowly sinking ship.  Soon they appeared in the living room of their house and night had fallen.

"Devi, take Bobbins and go play.  I'll be around to help you take a bath in a bit.  I have to help mommy, first.  Everything will be fine."  Ghanon seemed fine outside, seemed like everything was under control, but his heart couldn't have been beating faster as he cradled Ba'ast to the bathroom.  His face was stoic and he couldn't bring himself to look at her.

"We're home, darling, we're here.  Let's get you cleaned up."  He carefully removed her hands from him while he got the water running and attentively removed her and brushing away the sand once they fell to the ground.  Ghanon did his best to contain himself and chose not even to glance at the bloody horror between her legs.  She was still running a little bit and the mess would get everywhere.  He swallowed hard and felt his eyes threaten to burn with tears, but he wouldn't do that here, not in front of her.  She could barely contain herself as it was.

Once he got the bath ready, he set her in it and knelt beside her.  He began to wash the blood from her legs with a cloth in hand.  He took his jacket off to remove the encumbrance and did not want her to touch him more than she had to.  "Wow," he said, his tone absent.  "I...didn't realize there'd be so much blood...."

She was mostly a blank slate as Devi came over and he took them to the house. Though she couldn't help looking down to that bloodied mess just seconds before he pulled them to the house, and the image engraved in her mind.

Once at the house, Ba'ast didn't bother to look anywhere but his chest, letting him take care of talking to Devi-- telling her to go play, and before she knew it.. she was in the bathroom. He seemed to know how dire it was to get her cleaned up, and she was grateful he was still able to function, because she was still struggling not to cry.

The warm water hit her skin and quickly was stained red. He leaned over her and started to clean off her legs. The intimacy of the touch did nothing. Not even come close to consoling her. She just lost their child-- she almost felt like it was her fault.

Then he spoke about all the blood. Her eyes gazed over it, then she looked over to his face slowly. Wide eyed and petrified. "I...is it my...fault?"

He was there but he was not there.  Ghanon's eyes burned as tears threatened to overflow them, but he blinked them away and kept his jaw hard.  He wanted to destroy something, anything, as long as it help leak out the frustration that was boiling up inside of him.  His mind traced back to the beginning of the day, to the beginning of everything.  He'd wanted the shard, that was all he wanted, and then he met Ba'ast and then things began to change.

They had a child and Ghanon had grown fond of Devi.  Then someone else had come looking for the shard as he knew they would....  That was just it.  He knew someone would come eventually, just not who, and he didn't tell Ba'ast.  He told no one.  Ghanon grit his teeth and cleaned her up a little faster at the thought.  He knew better than anyone that everything happened for a reason, however small, however minuscule, but a reason nonetheless.   There were no accidents, at least none that were purposefully laid out.  Did that mean that this was meant to happen?  If so, what did it mean for him, for Ba'ast?

Ghanon didn't know, and that lack of knowledge frustrated him.  But then she said something that he almost missed, but was faintly glad that he didn't.  "Dammit, Ba'ast," he said, throwing the reddened cloth in the water.  "Don't...don't talk like that."  Ghanon sighed and pushed his hands through his hair, and without thinking he reached for her hand and squeezed it.  "No, it's not your fault.  It will never be your fault, okay?  Don't blame yourself.  Things....things happen sometimes without explanation.  We...have to find...meaning somewhere."  His voice trailed off idly towards that last sentence and had said it barely loud enough for her to hear.

Ghanon resumed washing her legs and was nearly finished when he spoke again.  "No, it's not your fault," he repeated.  "It's mine."

She just stared at the water dully, having no urge to look anywhere else, or at anything other than that water that was darkening with more and more of her blood. Even as her words left her, she barely realized that she was talking. Not until the water was disrupted by him throwing the rag into it and she slowly looked over to his face. Watching him brush back his hair, then he took her own into his.

His words were strangely comforting-- with him being the type of person he was, such a conversation was strange to hear coming from him. But, it was definitely welcomed. Her eyes moved back to the water as he went back to cleaning her. Almost done. All traces of the child were almost gone-- her stomach had already flattened back out and there was just a sickening bruise that lingered where she was hit.

But, his next words brought her eyes back onto him and she stared for a moment before finding her words. "What... do you mean?"

Ghanon was beginning to feel exasperated, closed in and suddenly the walls of the bathroom seemed far too small for his liking, like they were coming together when they shouldn't have.  He sighed again and couldn't bring himself to look at her.  "You know what I mean," he said, as he finally finished and set the rag aside.  Reaching into the water he pulled the plug and let the water drain away.

Ghanon's eyes flickered past her and he held his breath for a time, not sure what to do next.  When he found the guts to look her in the face, he didn't like what he saw there.  But he leaned towards her anyway and prepared to life her out of the tub.  "You really want to know don't you?" he said softly.  "You know it's my fault.  From the beginning.  It was me that thought it was a good idea to take you into those ruins, to bring you along, but it wasn't.  It was me that got you pregnant...it was me that should have made you run away and hide with Devi even if you didn't want to.  I should have never let this happen...  Everything, it's all my fault."  Ghanon grabbed some towels and wrapped them around her before lifting her from the tub.  He didn't want to talk about it further, but he couldn't stop her from saying anything.

Bringing her to the bed, gently he laid her down and began to dry her.  "You're going to need some rest," he said absently, gradually withdrawn.

He seemed almost snippy telling her she knew what he meant, but her mind was so scrambled because of this all that it really wasn't sinking in. Her eyes darted over to the plug when he pulled it. And then he started to beat himself up over it all. It was true-- but as much as all those things were his fault, she still had a role in all of it as well. But the true fault of the baby being lost was Erias'. It was just hard for them to pin the blame.

She winced when she was picked up and carried to the bed and set down. Her eyes scanned over his face as he dried her off-- and he was right. She needed the rest. But, could she rest? She wasn't sure. "Can you...at least lay with me until I'm asleep?" She knew he wanted to run, and she wasn't expecting him to come back.

Ghanon was angry, and they were all to blame in truth, but he knew that the fault lied mostly with him.  He had been responsible for the fall of many things, of nations of worlds, of meager, useless lives, the catalyst.  But he hadn't accounted that he'd be responsible for the fall of his own family.  He needed time...and though he knew he had all the time in the universe, he couldn't think with this discussion.  He almost seemed to be rushing through this process of cleaning her up, and when he realized that, he forced himself to slow down.

He ignored her request at first and tried to force himself to think that everything would be okay.  It had to be eventually.  Would there be any other outcome?  Ghanon didn't like feeling like this, trapped like a scared, cornered animal in the scheme of things.  He didn't want Ba'ast to feel trapped either...she had been that rare constant that he couldn't seem to shake.  But she was different wasn't she?  She was stronger, she could get through this.

"When," he began, finishing drying her and tossing aside the now pinked towels back into the bathroom, "do you think you'll be able to stand again?  On your own?"  Ghanon bit his lip and looked at her with glazed eyes.  "I...I will stay for a bit.  Until you go to sleep... then I have to put Devi to bed.  It's too late for her to stay up."  Ghanon moved tiredly as he crawled into bed with her and rested against the headboard beside her...  It was a half-hearted movement, but if she was asleep...that meant they wouldn't have to talk about it anymore.  At least until the morning, but for now that was enough.

She was that rare constant in his life--and she wanted it to stay that way. They still had a daughter. Devi still mattered, and for Devi, Ba'ast would pull through. But, right now, she needed to heal.

When he obliged and laid down next to her and she laid down and curled up close to his side. "I don't know.." she said softly. "Tomorrow." She finally admitted after a pause. She would be able to walk with a limp at least. This was a bit more drastic than a typical wound. So she was going to feel the effects for a while.

She shifted a bit and looked up at his face, then closed her eyes and just let herself fall asleep. Feeling as though she would wake and not find him there. And she needed to let go. She had Devi and took care of her all this time.. by herself. She could do it again.

Ghanon was quiet as a doll as he waited for Ba'ast.  Tomorrow, she said.  Yes, tomorrow things would be better.  He laid her to rest and slowly got up when she'd fallen asleep.  He didn't need to look at her more than he had to.  And he laid the covers over her to keep her warm.  Without another word he left the room, and walked to Devi's room.

He still had her in mind.  Ba'ast might have been unavailable to do the things that needed to be done now, but he was still here to help.  Where he'd been useless before, he was determined not to be so now.  He still had a daughter to consider and what would she think if the only father she'd known for the past two months had suddenly vanished?  It hurt his heart to think she might hate him for it.  He needed to stay, at least for her.  Ba'ast...she was another matter for now.

Ghanon, knocking and sliding open Devi's room door, he smiled a happier grin than he felt and walked in.  "It's time for bed, Devi.  Would you like me to tuck you in?"

They had told her to go play, as if she could play after what she had seen.

She had stood still, like a dejected stone after she had been told to play, her eyes wide, left alone with the image that seemed burned inside her mind. Her mother – crying – a puddle of blood at her feed, blood dripping down her legs. The macabre imagery would not go away, even when she closed her eyes. And they had told her to go play – as if chasing cats and toying with Bobbins was expected of her, in such a situation. She stood still for a while, expecting it to be some kind of a joke – expecting her father to come back and tell her what really happened.

Everything will be fine, he had said. Mommy will be okay. She had an accident. That is all. Let's go.

The demon let out an enraged scream, feeling anger rip through her body like a hurricane, incensed. She had an accident? That was all? An accident shouldn't have made her mother cry! Her mother was brave and fierce and strong – what in the world could possibly break her down like that? And if there were things in life that could tear her mother up so badly that tears would stream down her face – then, then life was suddenly cold and heartless and Devi wasn't sure she wanted to know what other horrors lay outside these four walls she called her home.

She wasn't sure how long she had sat there, dejected, in her room. Go play, he had said, repeating those words in her mind, over and over, like a broken record set on an eternal loop. Go play. Go play. Bobbins sat at her feet, along with a few dozen other cats that had gathered in her room, but she had no desire to bother with any of them. Devi knew that she was not going to get the answers she needed by playing with them – what she wanted was to be with her mother right now, but apparently, it was more important that she play instead.

Eventually, after what seemed like centuries, her father appeared in her room. He would find her sitting crosslegged on the floor, a look of rage mixed with indiscernible sadness written on her features, definitely not playing, definitely not happy. Devi was almost disgusted by the smile he wore openly on his face – how in the world could he smile after momma had been crying? After momma had been bleeding so badly?! She looked up at him incredulously at his ridiculous question, furrowed her brows, and said plainly:

"No, I do not." And she wanted to leave it at that, but she couldn't. She stood up, looking up at her father.

"What I would like," she began. "Is for you to tell me what happened to momma. What really happened."

Her tone was clear cut – efficient, businesslike, and maybe even cold. Bobbins curled around her leg as she spoke, weaving in and out, as if to calm her down. But she had sat here for hell knew how long waiting for an answer – her rage was almost choking her now.

The smile that Ghanon had tried to use to temper his young daughter quickly faded when he realized how angry she was.  He didn't like this and her reaction did nothing to help the turmoil that roiled up inside of him like the raging sea.  She was a hurricane, this he could plainly see.  She was so much like her mother it was almost sickening.  But it was one he'd grown used to.  She had her mother's fire, that fire he'd grown to admire and he kneltbefore the little demon child as if she were a queen to be bowed to.

Ghanon sighed and could not bear to look at her.  She was so young, such a child, how could she understand?  She would grow up fast, and remember this moment when she was older.  Of course he would always lie to her, tell her everything would be fine, tell her that her mother hurt her hand or something, but the child was smarter than that.  He wasn't sure whether to be angry with her or proud of her.  So he settled on something in the middle of both.

"All right, Devi," he said, trying not to choke on the grief that was tightening in his throat.  "I'll tell you what you want to know, but you have to promise me that you don't tell your mother I told you.  She wouldn't like me to tell you, but...she wouldn't want me to lie to you either.  If you can do that for me, I'll tell you what happened."

Her father had to take a breath first and a small tear fell from his left eye and he quickly brushed it away in a feigned face scratch before he could look at her square on.  "Ba'ast, I mean your mother.  She did have an accident.  Mommy...is not going to have another baby.  She got hurt...really bad."  Ghanon visibly struggled for the right words and streams of tears began to streak his face, but at least he had his eyes locked on Devi for now.  "She had a miscarriage, Devi.  Do you know what that means, a miscarriage?  It means she's lost the baby.  It made her bleed really bad, almost as if someone cut her.  That's why mommy was crying, and she doesn't feel really good about it right now.  Do you understand Devi?"  By now Ghanon's faced was soaked, and his eyes were swollen, and finally broke his gaze with her, silver eyes fluctuating like mad ripples in a pond, ripples that fortold the coming of a storm.

As soon as her father had knelt down before her, Devi knew she was going to get the answers that she had burned for... But that look in her father's eyes... she did not like it. And all of a sudden, she wasn't one hundred percent sure if she could handle the truth anymore. Something inside her told her that once she knew, there was no going back. Once she learned that there were things in this world – horrible things that could break someone like her mother and reduce her to tears – that there would always be something more horrible before it. She had thought she had known that the world was full of horrors – she prided herself on being one of those horrors, a demon child, who could terrorize the townspeople if her mother had just let her. But horrors would beget horrors, and sadness would beget sadness, until there was nothing left of them to show for it.

She was not comfortable with keeping secrets from her mother at all. Her mother was the one who had raised her and kept her safe all her life, she had been there when her father had not. But of course, she would have to promise, because otherwise her father would not tell her the truth. She swallowed hard, feeling a lump stuck in her throat, and nodded, her resolve helping her move forward.

"I ... won't tell her," she promised with a nod of her head, even though it felt wrong, wrong, wrong to promise such a thing. To keep a secret from her mother... what was this world coming to? But there was no way around it, she knew. Was that also what the world had to offer – keeping secrets in the shadows from people you loved? It was such a little thing, nothing to worry about really, but to Devi, her heart was already tearing in two – and she hadn't even learned the truth about the accident yet.

His news struck her like an avalanche – at first, there was the rumbling, him brushing at his eye, a warning of what was to come. Then came the tears, him telling her that her mother was hurt really bad – the mountain roaring as snow threatened to engulf her. And then the news – that her mother had lost the baby, that was why she had been bleeding. So... that puddle of blood of the floor, and the blood running down her legs, that had been... the blood of her sister? Devi's eyes widened at the news – how, how was that possible? That woman – she had killed her sister, before she was even born?

Devi shook her head, closing her head. "No... that can't..." She bit her lip, hanging her head. She understood, but she didn't want to understand. "My little sister is..." Her little hands were shaking, and maybe he could see the realization dawn on her, slowly at first, until it had overwhelmed her. She looked up, to see her father's face soaked, and she shook her head, wanting to be angry instead of sad. "Stop crying, Daddy...! You have to be strong! See, look, I'm not..." She wanted to say that she wasn't crying; she hadn't shed a tear since she had come how, but all that anger seemed to convert into sadness, flowing down her cheeks. "I'm not...!" She clung to her father, burying her face in his neck, suddenly wanting very much to be tucked into bed. Maybe under the covers everything would make sense. That was a childish thing to think, she knew...

Ever sob from the little demon child came like a roll of thunder knocking at the inside of his skull and his arms instinctively embraced her when she wrapped her tiny ones around his neck.  He held her close and kissed her temple as she sobbed and proclaimed her lack of tears, though, he plainly saw them flow from her beautiful eyes and he rose to his feet as she cried.

"Come here, my little darling.  I know it's a lot to take in now."  Ghanon brushed her hair and just held her close.  "I can't promise everything will be okay.  But I'll do my best to make sure it will.  I love you, Devi, you're my little girl."  He hadn't even realized he'd said it before those three words spilled from his lips.  And perhaps it was for the best that he hadn't realized it because he never said those words...to anyone.  Ghanon was in the moment and kissed his little girl on the forehead.  He reached down and pulled back the blankets of her bed.  Bobbins jumped up on the bed and rested at the foot of it.

He laid her down and pulled the covers over her, tucking her in snugly.  He wiped her tears away and kissed her cheek.  "You go to sleep now okay?  I'll be here to take care of you until mommy gets better.  I promise."  Ghanon hugged her, then turned off any lights before exiting the room.  When he closed the door behind him with a soft click, he let out a heavy breath and felt his shoulders heave in a great sob of his own, but he grit his teeth and was determined that he would not cry further.  He wiped his eyes, his face and cleaned his hands on a cloth.

Then his eyes looked up at the emptiness of the house, it was so quiet in here.  Almost deafeningly so, and where it might not have unnerved him before, he felt a faint shiver in his spine that he didn't like.  The images of the past few hours were all running through his mind at a breakneck speed and he tried to register it all.  He loathed himself, and knew that this was all his fault.  Ba'ast got hurt because of him.  Because of his carelessness and his assurances without fully being able to be sure.

Then a thought occurred to him.  He'd never cared so much about Ba'ast before.  Why now?  Why did it matter that so much that she get better?  Because if she doesn't, how long can you hold out? his mind told him.  You care for her...  You said you never would.  Ghanon's eyes widened as he stood at the precipice of their bedroom.  Did he let himself fall?  He couldn't have, it was beneath him, it was weakness.  He'd said he'd loved Devi and that was true.  She was his daughter and deserved to be cared for, especially now more than ever.   But Ba'ast?  How could he love her?

Ghanon gripped the knob and hadn't even realized he'd been crushing the metal beneath his grip.  But he opened the door and peered at the sleeping form of his lover, the mother of his child.  "I don't love you," he whispered softly, inaudibly to her.  But he didn't believe it.  He knew he loved her and must have loved her for some time...  Or he wouldn't have given half-a-damn whether or not she got better.  He loved her despite her flaws and her greed and her selfishness and her insanity and her anger.  Ghanon felt cold....as cold as the room outside, and he closed the door to their room when he entered.

He took a seat in the chair across from the bed and just sat there all night.  Loathing himself for having loved her, loathed the universe for playing such a devious hand.  Love could not save him and it could not save her, he told himself violently.  Tomorrow, he thought, tomorrow, everything would better. Tomorrow, he wouldn't love her.  Or so he hoped.

Morning came and the only thing the roused her was the beam of light that hit her face. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked at the window, the to the spot on the bed that she usually found Ghanon-- but he was gone.

Slowly she sat up and winced, holding onto her stomach. Her eyes darted around the room and found Ghanon asleep on a chair on the other side of the room. Seeing him passed out on the large chair made her feel a lot better-- he was still there. So, she pushed the blankets off her body and looked down to her flat stomach. Her body had healed already, the bruise was gone, there was no more blood. All that remained was this internal pain. She held back tears while sliding off the bed, a simple light blue dress with a beaded collar and a tailored beaded waist formed on her body. The fabric on the top beveled out a bit and hung lower than the section with the beads so it had a slight pouch to it, though from the base of her ribs to the top of her hip bones was a beaded corset that had sections where you could see her skin. And then it was followed by a flowing skirt.

She walked over to Ghanon and looked at him. Reaching out slowly and placing her hand on his cheek. Not daring any more of a touch than that.

Ghanon never dreamt, he couldn't even if he wanted to.  And the slumber that had taken him as he repeated that timeless phrase that tomorrow would be better was little more than a trance that was intended to bring peace to his restless heart and his even more restless mind.  But in the end nothing did.

He didn't move at first when she touched him.  In fact, he unconsciously leaned into it before his eyelids fluttered open.  A few blinks and his vision cleared and he saw that someone was touching him.  Instinctively he jumped back and shoved her hand away, almost in horror, then saw finally that it was her.  It took him a while to register that she was no longer in bed.  "You're...you're standing," he said, pointing out the obvious.  A brief, tired grin touched his face, but it faded as quickly as it came.

With nothing more to say, Ghanon stood up and cleared his throat.  He looked at her in the face with candle-like eyes that searched for something, anything that might indicate that he loved her no longer.  But he found none and his mouth frowned before he walked around her, almost irritatedly.  "I'll get breakfast started," he said with a faint, but unmissable growl.  He opened the door and left it open when he passed through it.

She staggered back a littler when he slapped her hand away. Sure, she was healed on the outside, but she was still in pain, and she was still weak from all the blood loss. She really couldn't be slapped around like that. Though, he seemed to snap out of his daze quickly and stood up. Her eyes followed his face as he towered above her, noticing the intense gaze, though she didn't realize it was because he had found he was in love with her.

Though she was baffled at his strange commentaries. "Y-yeah... I am standing..?" She said with a confused tone. But it seemed she wouldn't get much of an explanation being as he turned and walked out of the room. Ba'ast felt defeated and she let herself fall onto that bed. Curling up slowly and holding her legs to her chest. What did she do that was just so ...wrong? She almost thought Ghanon hated her now.

The eggs went in easy and he cooked them until they were golden, scrambled and spiced.  He knew they weren't pancakes but he didn't want Devi to be in a position to worry about her weight with her being so young.  And besides it was good for her to learn and try new things.  She certainly did with that snake meat.  The smell of fresh bacon and toast wafted through the air, new smells for a new day he hoped and set plates down on the table, putting the food in once it was ready.  "Devi!" he called.  "Breakfast!"

"Ba'ast!" he set her plate steaming high with food, fresh from the pan and ready to eat.  He put them on the table and looked at the door to their bedroom.  "Ba'ast!  Breakfast!" he said again.  But still nothing.  He strode over to the door and paused when he saw that she was curled up on the bed.  "Ba'ast," he breathed.  "C'mon the food's ready."  Ghanon strode over to her and after some reluctance and slowly sat down, putting some distance between them.  He clasped his hands together and looked at the ground, "What....what is the matter with you? ...I thought you were standing."

She looked up to him slowly and sighed. "And what's wrong with you? Thinking just because I can stand I'm fine. It still hurts. Doesn't it hurt you as well?" She looked to the side, towards the window and ignored the smell of food. She was hungry, but she didn't feel like eating. Just like she was able to stand, but she didn't feel like moving.

She turned to look back at him. It was obvious she was a bit depressed. But, she also looked determined not to let it take a hold of her. "Are you OK? Are you just going to forget? It's not like we just lost a child or anything-- Devi lost a sibling as well." And Ba'ast could very well be unable to have kids now.

Ghanon didn't want to talk about it.  He didn't want to hear it.  It was bad enough she just lost her child, the toll of which would stay with him.  She didn't understand.  She wouldn't understand his side of things.  But he couldn't speak of it, he couldn't say those three words he hated himself for feeling.  He knew that this life of theirs was only temporary.  Devi would grow up and go her own way rather quickly, and he would have to move on as they all would.  He couldn't bear to look at Ba'ast longer than a few seconds at a time.  She wanted to hurt, she wanted to wallow in her grief.  But he wouldn't.

Ghanon felt anger rise in him.  "Don't be so naive, Ba'ast...  People die everyday.  Fathers...brothers...sisters...children too.  Death is another part of life.  The sooner you realize that the better.  Dwelling on things will not bring them back...nothing will.  We have to survive, move on because in the end that's all that will matter.  And you'd better start getting strong.  Not for me, but for yourself.  If not for yourself, then do it for Devi," he said savagely.

She almost glared at Ghanon. The way he was reacting was making her so angry. It was like he just didn't care. And his words were so numb. She stood up and walked over to him. Her eyes narrowed, her lips tight. She was pissed.

She reached up and clasped onto Ghanon's shirt and held him close. Her body still holding onto that extra strength that she got with her pregnancy. "You're so cold. Don't you feel anything at all? It was your child too! And you have every right to be upset as well, yet you seemed to have shoved a stick up your ass. You're just some prick who thinks it's fine to lose your child. You have no remorse for your family!" She pushed him back as she released his shirt and almost punched him. Though she held off. Turning and walking out of the room to go get the food.

She didn't scare him despite the ferocity of her own anger.  Ghanon grit his teeth together and looked her square in the eye, the intensity of his own gaze burning from an ember into an inferno.  He grabbed at the wrist that held him by his shirt hard until his knuckles were white and found himself biting into his lip and felt the taste of blood on his tongue.  He wanted to hit her, to make her feel worse than he did, to see her suffer for the pain she caused him.  She couldn't see his hurt because he wouldn't let her see.  The walls of his pride and his apathy were the only things keeping him safe from the tendrils of insanity.

He kept that locked gaze and seethed in anger.  "You would never understand," he murmured wanting to spit at her.  He let go of her hand as she walked away from him.  Ghanon dropped his head into his hands and the very touch of his hands felt like he could set his own body on fire.  He hated her as much as he loved her, hated her for wanting him to wallow in suffering, hated her for making him love her.  "I can't do this," he repeated over and over to himself.  "I can't fucking do this."

Ghanon looked out the door to the kitchen and got up to the bathroom where he'd left his jacket.  He snatched it up and threw it over his shoulders.  "No, Ba'ast," he said with frightening calm.  "It was your child.  And the only thing I feel is regret for meeting you!  You're a terrible mother, Ba'ast.  You want to suffer and be miserable?  Do it alone.  Because no matter what, you will never understand.  Tell Devi, I'm sorry I had to miss breakfast, I had some things to do."

Ghanon strode to the front door and opened it.  He paused for half a second as if regretting this decision, but knew that it was the only one he could handle right now.  He couldn't stay here.  Not for a while, not with Ba'ast like this, and though he regretted leaving Devi behind, perhaps it was for the best.  He would return, but only after the memory of their child was put to rest.  And he closed the door behind him before striding off.

[He'll be behind the scenes for a little bit and he'll return maybe later that night or the next few days.]

She had her back to him when he came out and got his coat, then yelled at her before going to the door. She knew this was going to happen, so it wasn't a big surprise to her. But, the second the door shut, she leaned over the counter a bit and stared at the top. Her mind blank. And she didn't even notice that she was crying until she saw the tears on the counter top.

When she heard Devi come in, she quickly wiped her cheeks and turned to her daughter. Smiling. "Hey baby. Daddy had to go out for a while. Something came up. But he'll be back. OK?" And she put the food out on the table.

Devi toddled out of bed, Bobbins crawling lazily by her side, her eyes looking like the walking dead. She had thought that if she crawled under the covers and slept last night, that she could sleep all the bad images of yesterday away. However, that was a lie – a childish lie she had told herself in order to feel better about what had happened. Devi couldn't forget. And maybe she'd never forget what she saw – perhaps it'd be burned in her mind forever.

She had heard her father call her out for breakfast, but when she made her way into the kitchen, he wasn't there. She looked up at her mother, stopping in her tracks, wondering where her dad could be, only to be told that he was gone – away, because something had come up. Devi paused, furrowed her brows, but then took a seat at her table, realizing that she had no appetite. The eggs, bacon and toast smelled delicious but... even if they had made pancakes, she wasn't sure if she could eat them.

"He'll be back soon... right?" Devi asked, fork in hand, but unable to eat. He had told her last night that he would be there to take care of her. Was he just outside the house, or something? Where would he go, and why? It didn't make sense... The house already felt empty now that Devi knew her little sister had basically been murdered by that woman, but now daddy was gone and she wasn't sure why. But he would be back soon, wouldn't he? Wouldn't he?

She put some food on a plate for herself and walked over to the table and sat down across from Devi and looked at the food. Picking up the fork and poking at the food. Though, when Devi spoke she looked up at her slowly and sighed. "Yeah, he'll be back, it's just it may take some time. Daddy had a big mission to do.." She couldn't promise Devi that he would be back, because she didn't know if he would be back or not.

______

Time passed by and it soon seemed like Devi was OK. A child's mind healed faster than an adult's. She was only one, and even with her advanced development, it was easier for her to put her sibling's death in the back of her mind. But, Ba'ast still had her moments.

It had been a couple of weeks since she saw Ghanon, and she was starting to feel like she was on her own. And she was running out of excuses to tell Devi about her father. She just kept telling her to be patient.

Mission? What mission? Since when did her father go on 'missions' and why was now a proper time to go on one? Her mother's choice of words produced more questions than it answered, but Devi was not in the mood to play twenty questions at the moment. She would swallow down this excuse for now and tackle her breakfast as diligently as possible, even though the last thing she wanted to do was eat. But she filled her stomach anyway, wondering if food would fill that empty hole that sat in her chest.

[center:hh0xf9u0]____________[/center:hh0xf9u0]
Her father was still not here.

One does not simply forget the death of a family member, even if you never were able to even see that person's face, or hear their voice. Like all tragedies in life, Devi was able to surmount the obstacle in her path, but there were sometimes when she still looked back on that day, and trembled at what she had saw. Perhaps it would've been easier to life live normally if she had known where her father was.

It shouldn't feel lonely, should it? After all, it was just like old times! There was a time, she knew, where it had just been her and her mother – and she had never felt lonely before! So why... why was it that, as soon as her father had decided to leave, the house felt so empty... It hadn't felt empty before...

Devi toddled up to her mother, holding Bobbins with both of her hands, squeezing the cat to her chest. "Momma," she began, furrowing her brow. "Do you think daddy will come home soon?" She was impatient, and she was tired of waiting. During this time, when everything felt so weird, and... different, it would be nice, to have him back.

It hadn't been an easy decision to make, to depart.  Especially so soon after losing their child.  The issued weighed heavily on Ghanon's mind but he knew it had to be done.  He couldn't explain it, but closing that door, felt like a bomb had gone off inside of him.  And he felt colder than he wanted to.  Yet there could be no turning back, not just yet.

Ghanon wiped moisture from his eyes and stalked away through the trees of the outskirts of town, turning to run until he vanished like a ghost.  He'd gone back to the ruins, where the bloodied remains of his unborn child laid there, preserved in dust and darkness.  Ghanon had lifted the tiny, tiny bundle into his arms and cradled the thing against his chest as tears poured forth.  But it had to be done.  He vanished again as a droplet landed on the blood pile below.

The hole was too big and the cloth he'd wrapped it in was as well.  He placed the bundle in the dirt that he'd dug with his bare hands and gently scooped the dirt back in it, getting on his knees.  The dirt was soft and cold, prepared to absorb the bundle into the ground.  His whole body was quivering. As he packed the last of the soil around the sapling he placed around it.  His whole body was wracked with sobs and he pressed a dirty hand to his face and tried to breath to suppress his anguish.  Anger rose in him like the hot fire of a volcano that needed to blow up.

The anger that only fueled his determination to hunt for the Priestess that killed his child.  She was a hard one to track and he knew he had her on the run.  When he caught up to her at last, their encounter had been anything but pleasant, but he wouldn't underestimate her twice, not after her ability to wound him.  Ghanon hurt her as much as he could, wanted her to scream in pain like he was inside.  He did all he could, but it seemed it just wasn't enough.  Even when their fight was over, that did not fill the void in his chest.  He did not feel lighter either.  So he'd let her run away, to lick her wounds like an injured animal.

He wanted to ask why, but he knew that no answers would come.  For many weeks he did not return and while he watched from afar, saw Devi through the mirror pendant he'd given Ba'ast so long ago, saw his lover.  But he couldn't even bear to look at them for longer than a few moments.  He'd broken his promise to Devi, his promise to take care of her when her mother couldn't.  He hoped Devi would find it in her heart to forgive him.  Ba'ast...well, he didn't know about her yet.

Everytime he thought about her, a pang went through his gut and he felt angry every time.  How could he have been so weak?  He did all he could to deny his heart, but it seemed to hurt more to try to forget about her.  He didn't understand it.  How could she have made such an impression on him in so short a time?  A year was nothing to a being like him.  Ghanon didn't know what he feared most.  That he loved her...or that he loved her and she would never love him.

But he couldn't stay away forever, this he knew and the fact hung over his head like a storm that would sweep him away if he didn't.  Ghanon found solace where he could, in the bottom of a wine bottle, or in the company of a stranger.  Liquor was still heavy on his breath when he found himself at the door of their house.  It was Ba'ast's house, he told himself, not his.  She kept it, maintained it, took care of their child in it.  He felt like a stranger again, like he had months earlier after seeing Ba'ast for a second time.

The afternoon had paled away by the time he found himself at her door and evening was only starting to settle in.  His mind was dizzy enough that everything felt like it was moving so slow, but his hand seemed steady enough to reach for the knob.  He took his time in turning it, wondering if it was unlocked.  When he found it wasn't, he opened it slowly and furtively, as if he expected a massive punch to the face by the time he got it all the way open.  When he passed through it eventually, Ghanon tried to step in quietly and closed the door as quietly as possible as well, but that didn't work as his hand slipped and the door slammed.  "Shit," he murmured.  He leaned against the door, and looked around the house, everything still pretty much where he'd left it.

Ghanon sighed and found strength enough to wander a few steps further inside.  He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down, smelling of sweat, smoke, and liquor.

Ba'ast had put Devi to bed early because the poor little demon had come down with a fever--something that was rare amongst demons, but Ghanon's blood probably added to the possibility of her getting sick. But, come tomorrow she would be all better. And that was Ba'ast blood that allowed for a quick heal.

Though, just as she was about to settle into bed she heard a creaking noise and then the door slamming. She slipped from the bed and looked towards her cracked bedroom door. Once she got to her feet, her body was surrounded in a shroud of sand and then settled into an all too familiar outfit to Ghanon-- the one she was wearing when they met.

She crouched down low and easily slipped out of her room and made her way into the kitchen, keeping in the shadows and only her eyes glistened in the dim light as she spotted Ghanon. Drunk, and smelling of many things that she would rather not have in her house. Near her child.

She walked up to Ghanon and looked over his face, then immediately pushed him against a wall and grit her teeth. "You leave for that long, then you come back here smelling like the regrets of humans. What were you thinking?"

A gust of sand and then there she was, fresh from a trip through hell.  But not the kind of hell Ghanon would have imagined.  Ghanon snarled when he saw her and wanted to leave immediately, but that opportunity was not afforded to him when she suddenly pushed him up against the wall.  He hit his head a little and reached up and soothed the sore spot but that snarl never left his face.

He knew he was going to be welcome like this, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt in some small part of him.  But at least she had the gall to speak to him at all.  When his head felt better he pushed her back with one hand and stepped away from her.  "You should be happy I came back at all," he muttered bitterly.  "I came here to see Devi.  Where is she?"

"Happy? I'm ecstatic.." She spat back just as bitterly. "Though, I know you well enough to know that you coming in this state means plenty." She said as she watched him step to the side. Her eyes running over him. "If you wanted to see your daughter, couldn't you have picked a better state to do it in?"

She questioned. Turning to face him again. "You're not going to see her like this. Dirty. Filthy. She's sick. You're not making it worse." She demanded. "You might as well just go leave for a couple more weeks, I'm sure Devi will be delighted if you would come back sober."

"I am," hiccup, "sober!"  But even he knew that that was bullshit.  Ghanon didn't like the excuses she was pulling but knew that if Devi was sick he didn't want to make her sicker.  The very idea of his own child being repulsed by him made himself feel nauseous.  But Ba'ast trying to get him to stay away made him feel angry.  What did it matter what state he was in as long as he'd come home.  He wanted to strike her but wouldn't give her the satisfaction of getting a rise out of him.

He wandered further away, staggering a little and getting a grip on the table to balance himself.  "I didn't have time to get cleaned up," he said.  "Why wouldn't you let me see my own child?  What a vain, cruel, whore of a woman you are."  Maybe if he could get to the bath, he could see Devi then.  But she may be just as likely to kick him out now.

"You're far from it, Ghanon." she stated firmly. Following after him and grabbing onto his arm. Though he had to go and make things worse. He called her a whore. Her eyes widened and she dropped his arm and balled up her fist.

It was nothing new to him.. to get punched by her. But, with her being pissed and him drunk, she easily knocked him on his ass and she stepped over him. "Whore? A whore?! You're the one off fucking around! I have a child to take care of! You think I'm screwing around?!?"

Ghanon rubbed his jaw when he landed on the ground, though the sensation was numbed significantly because of the alcohol.  She was getting violent and he wasn't in any mood to apologize.  Not that she deserved it.  It was her fault for not letting him see his own child.  That was all he wanted and once he got it he would be on his way. Ghanon grit his teeth together and got back on his feet.

"What makes you think I'm fucking around?  You don't give a shit anyway!  You never did!" he seethed, spitting blood from a cut onto the floor.  "You are a whore.  I know you are.  You can't teach an old dog new tricks.  Or in your case...a cat.  Once a whore, always a whore."  He knew people in glass houses ought not to throw stones, but he was pissed off already now.  "Now, I'm gonna see my daughter.  Whether you like it or not."

"What makes me think you're fucking around?" She asked, her eyes having come to rest on the splatter of blood on the ground, but his question drew her attention and she glared at him. "How about the fact that you were off drinking and I can smell more than just your sweat!"

"How dare you call me a whore! You don't know anything about my life outside of when you met me. Sure, I may have dabbled, but I got pregnant the day I met you, after that it's been all about Devi. I never slept with another man. Only. You." She glared at him. "Fine. Go see her. If she gets sicker I'll fucking kill you." She was pissed, and that was apparent with the crowding of cats by her, all mewling warningly at him.

Ghanon slammed a fist on the table.  Man was this woman infuriating!  How could he ever love someone like her?  He just didn't understand it.  And he couldn't take her insults anymore.  It was bad enough that he had this pounding headache, but every word she threw at him was starting to feel like a dagger in his chest.

"You made her sick," he slurred.  "It's your fault.  You make me sick!  With this fucking thing inside me!  I can't shake it.  No matter what I do, it just won't go away.  And every time I look at you it comes back and hits me like a tidal wave.  And you know what, I hate it!  I hate feeling like I can't be away from you longer than I have to.  I hate not being able to not want to be near you.  And even if you haven't now, if you fucking mess around, I'll cut your goddamned head off, I swear..."  He was beside himself with rage and he broke the wood of the chair his other hand gripped.  He knew he loved her, he knew he had to tell her some time.   But he also knew that once he said it, he couldn't take it back, and the words would drip like acid on his tongue.

"And when you lost the baby, and you needed me.  I couldn't stay because that sickness hurt more when I knew you were hurt.  I wanted you to get better.  And I couldn't bear to watch you wallow in your sorrow like a beaten dog.  I hate you for making me feel this way!  I fucking hate it."  And with that Ghanon gripped the broken chair and hurled it at her.

She looked to the table when he hit it, then to the chair that was gripped in his other hand. He was off the deep end. He was furious. And she didn't know what to do or say. She knew what he was capable of-- and knew damn well he could kill her if he put his mind to it. Though, in a drunken rage like this, would he be able to control himself enough to not hurt her. More importantly, if Devi came out, would he accidentally hurt her?

Then, his words started to sink in about this thing, and the need to be there, and everything else. Her eyes widened and she stared at him in shock. It was practically a confession in itself to say all those things about this and that feeling. He was in love with her. She would have to be a nit-whit not to notice, not to be able to tell from his words. But the fact that he had fallen in love, him. Ghanon. It was beside her.

She was baffled. He felt one way, yet he was yelling about how he hated her for making him feel like that-- but it wasn't entirely her fault. And, being as stunned as she was, she didn't notice him moving to hurl that broken chair and it hit her right in the face, causing her to fall back onto her bottom and she reached up instinctively to her head where she was now bleeding. Still too startled to talk.

Ghanon didn't want to kill her.  No, death was far too good for her and her attitude.  For all he knew, she'd probably rise again and hang his confession over his head, mock him, hurt him.  But like hell he'd let her.  All he wanted right now was to hurt her and make her feel as bad as he felt.  And though he loved her, there was a great deal of frustration that came with that realization.  He laughed when she fell back and was breathing hard, looking for a fight, looking to show her just exactly how he felt.

"Get up, swine!  Get up or I'll fucking kill you."  Ghanon grabbed another chair and flung it at one of the cats, kicking one like a child's ball and hurling it across the room.  "How do you like that, huh!?  Get up, goddamn you!"

She stared up at him with wide eyes when he told her to get up. Though, the second he kicked one of the cats, she jumped to her feet and hurried over to him. Slapping him across the face. "What the hell is your issue?" She asked.

Reaching up to wipe more blood off her forehead. "Why are you treating me like this? Why are you attacking me just because you love me?"

Those words were like knives drilling and twisting inside his ears.  She slapped him and he turned with the force of the strike.  Ghanon reached out and grabbed her by her hair, yanking her close.  "Don't say those vile words!" he said with venom.  "You think I asked for this?  I don't want to love you! I wish I didn't!

"But I do.  It doesn't feel good.  It feels like a gaping hole," he finished.  "And I want to tear a gaping hole in you too."  He let her go and turned his body before backhanding her hard across the face.

"But you do!" She winced when he yanked her close by her hair and stared at him with actual fear in her eyes. He could really do some damage to her. And she needed to be there for Devi. "I'll say what I want Ghanon! You sure as hell don't know how to show love!" She almost spit in his face.

She staggered a bit when he set her down, only to be backhanded hard and she was sent flying to the floor. "You've already tore one in me the second you left me after our child died! How dare you tell me you love me and come here and attack me! You're hurting Devi with each blow to me!"

"I'm not hurting her!  You are!  You hurt her every moment you show weakness, every moment you tried to drag me down with you.  You didn't need me and you don't need me.  So why I even love you, I have no clue.  You don't feel the same, so there is no point in loving you.  You would absorb all the love out of me like a siphon and leave me dry and abandoned.  You're a harpy, woman, a viper."

Ghanon struck the table in frustration, cracking it half.  "Don't even mention our child, Ba'ast.  I was the one that went back and gave it a rightful burial.  You just wanted to lay in bed and cry and be sad.  I wanted to move on, I still do and I wish you would to.  Because it was my fault that it happened in the first place and you know it!  If it wasn't for me, you would still be with child."

"How can you even say you know how I feel? You're insane Ghanon! I not only had your child, but I stayed faithful to a man I didn't think would ever come back!" She yelled. "You're just as bad! You're pinning your love on my like it's my fault! How can I control how you feel! I can't even control my love for you even though you're treating me like this!"

She sighed. "And I want to get over it, you should've known! How dare you bury the child without me. How dare you leave me-- how is that supposed to help? I was not only upset but wounded! That closure would have helped, but you left and someone had to watch Devi."

[I'm sure a frying pan, or a skillet somewhere would work wonders to change his mind.]

Ghanon was done with this conversation, he was too pissed to want to discuss the matter further and knew that being in Ba'ast's presence would only make him rip this house apart.  Of course that didn't stop him from being made, but it would bring some quiet to the house.  Let her say that he was insane, let her try to escape the blame of ensaring him the way she did.  And even if everything he said came out from a hole inside of him, he was done.

"You're a liar and you don't love me," he said coolly, taking off his jacket and flinging it over his arm.  "And you didn't deserve that child.  Now I've said what I had to say, and I'm going to get cleaned up."  Ghanon was high on the adrenaline of his anger and he walked to the bedroom, throwing his jacket on the bed before heading to the bathroom.

(( Sounds like a plan! ))

She stared at him when he denied her love and just walked off. It seemed no amount of her hitting him was working. He was just ignoring her and not letting her get through. So, what else could she do?

She grabbed her iron skillet that was on the stove top and followed after him into the bathroom. She stepped up behind him and with one sweep she hit him on the back of the head as hard as she could with the pan. "I'm not lying to you!" She yelled and glared at him. "I fucking love you."

[HAHA!  That was awesome!]

Ghanon had his back to her and proceeded to slip his shirt over his head, taking it off slowly before he felt something massive explode at the back of his head, the force of which knocked him to the ground and had him hanging over the edge of the tub, blood soaking the white blonde of his hair.  He was already dizzy from all the alcohol he'd been drinking and he turned around to looked at her with blurred eyes.

He reached for the throbbing wound, in shock at the sudden turn of tables and opened his eyes wide.  "What the fuck are you doing!?" he exclaimed not eve knowing how to react.

(( I know, right!? ))

She glared at him "What am I doing.... WHAT are YOU doing?! You take off for weeks only to come back and tell me that I don't love you and that you hate me because you love me and you expect me to put up with this?! Being called a whore, being kicked around in my own home?! You're a horrible boyfriend-- but I can't bring myself to hate you! So, until you get your head out of your inebriated ass I'll continue to hit you with this pan until you do!"

She wound up to hit him again, a fire brewing in her eyes.

[Best thing ever!]

Of course in the end, his actions would come around and bite him in the ass.  Or to be more accurate, become a frying pan hitting him in the back of the head.  Ghanon could think straight with the way the massive throbbing of his head was knocking on every sense he had.  Her words registered but only barely.  He only felt anger at having been so horribly betrayed.  "Fuck you, you crazy bitch!" he barked at her in his own boiling frustration.  "I'm not getting my head out of my ass!  How's that!?!"

(( Haha You did ask for it! ))

She narrowed her eyes and rose the pan once more, bringing it up and slamming it right into his head again. "You ARE going to get your head out of your fucking ass and stop acting like this you drunken bastard!" She glared at him.

"You need to come to terms with the fact that you love me and that I love you too, sick bastard!"

[I did.  But so did he!]

Blood was dripping down from the wound in the back of his head and now his forehead was cut open by the second blow of the skillet.  Ghanon's sight was blinded in an explosion of white and he groaned in pain and extreme dizziness as he was starting to see two of her.  He was starting to see how pissed off she was, and that only made him angrier.  He was a stubborn bastard and wouldn't relent so easily, even if she was getting in several good hits in.

"Go to hell!"

Snarling at her, he found strength enough to quickly rise and shoved her out of the way, trying to make his way out of the room as quickly as possible.  His quick, uneven steps made him slip and he tripped in the doorway, before trying to crawl to his feet.

(( Yup yup! But, alas.. time to sleep. <3))

She turned and watched him storm out of her room. Her eyes narrowed and she turned to follow after him. Though she stopped when he fell and she sighed, hurrying over to him and helping him to his feet. "You need to get some sleep and work off this drunken stupor." She stated. She was furious, and was all too ready to kill him. But keeping Devi's father alive was more important to her than she wanted him to be.

Ghanon rejected her touch and shoved her hand away.  "Don't touch me!  I don't need your help!"  He stood up on his own and lunged a fist at her face.  Ghanon launched himself at her and tackled her to the ground.  "You want to hit me with a frying pan, huh!?  Go on, hit me!"  He pressed his body onto her before pressing his lips down on hers with force.  He pulled away but an inch and whispered to her with malice, "You're a coward if there ever was one."

She stumbled to the side and steadied herself. Raising a brow at him and stumbling back again when he punched her face. When he actually tackled her to the ground, she fell to the floor and smacked her head off the floor hard.. "Well, if you're going to be a di-" She was cut off when he kissed her roughly, then spoke to her again. She dropped the pan and balled up her fist, punching his cheek again. "What is your issue?"

The throbbing of his head and the liquor that swam there, did give much room for him to think clearly.  Ghanon, despite his anger, felt the need to take it out on her in something else besides violence.  He liked when she was angry, he knew this, and there was a sincerity to her beating that he was drawn to.  At least she didn't tell him to get the hell out of her house just yet.  He was still pissed and his head only hurt more when she punched him in the face.

He rolled off her and clutched his cheek, but he couldn't be deterred so easily.  "What can I say?" he muttered savagely.  "I'm a glutton for punishment."  Ghanon reached out to her head and slid in close again, leaning over her and kissing her hard again, despite the soreness of his face and the blood that soaked his hair and head.

She sat up a bit when he got off her and rubbed her throbbing cheek. Wiping some blood off her face and staring at it so intently that she never noticed Ghanon leaning back in until his lips were pressed up against hers. Hard.

She was rather confused now. They were just beating the shit out of each other and now he was kissing her again. Though, her eyes closed and she leaned into the kiss. Bringing her arms around his neck. Her bruised, and probably broken hand, resting on the back of his neck. He was quite the thing to punch and slap around, but he seemed to really like it.

Sick bastard.

In some ways, he was a sick bastard.  And he knew that was a part of him that Ba'ast had never complained about.  Perhaps that was what had drawn him to her in the first place.  They were so alike in more ways that one and he saw some parts of himself in her.  He wanted her strong and ready for anything and if getting her angry was one way to do it, he'd do anything to keep her utterly pissed.  Ghanon pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her hotly and persistently.

The drink had made his mind fuzzy, and his head still hurt like a bitch.  Ghanon pulled away for a moment and looked at her with his bloody face.  A hand reached up and stroked the blood away from her face and looked at her with those candle-eyes.

She was pulled easily into his arms and continued to kiss him until he pulled back from her and she opened her eyes. Eying him for a moment, then she sighed. "You're....crazy." She muttered as he wiped blood off her face.

Ba'ast noticed the look in his eyes, so she looked away and made a face. "Was this your intention all along?" She questioned curiously.

"For good or bad, sometimes things just happened," he explained carefully.  "And sometimes the explanation for them isn't so easily found.  You could say that it was, Ba'ast.  Or maybe I'm just trying to find away to say sorry for all the shit I've done to you."

He didn't let her go and just kissed her cheek and jawline before looking at her face for answer.

She made a confused face at his explanation, then rose a brow. "Apologizing for all the shit? By doing all that?" She rubbed her forehead while he went about kissing her cheek and jawline. Though, when he sat back, she looked at him and stood up. Motioning for him to get up. "Ghanon. You're an asshole. Any other person would have left you for treating them in such a way. Though.. not me. Because I'm a bit of a masochist. And that was hot."

She pushed on his chest. "But, I don't want Devi to see us all bloodied up. Let's go get a shower. And you better sober the fuck up."


(( I fucking love these two. ))

Ghanon stood up, if a little wobbly and used the walls for support and to steady himself.  He grinned nodded.  She was absolutely right, even if she was just as crazy as he was.  He followed after her, sticking close and trying to make sure he didn't fall down with every step he took.  He looked at the tub and his shirt that was flung over the edge.  His blood had dripped down into it, soaking the pearly white.  He took his shirt and threw it to the floor before stripping off his trousers and boots.

"I'll sober up, I promise," he said with an amused grin before he got the water running.  He watched the blood drip away into the drain, almost mesmerized by it's movements until he stepped into the water.  The warmth of it was soothing and it winced visibly when it hit the back of his head.

[They're amazing!]

She stepped into the bathroom and look to his shirt as he tossed it aside. Then she picked it up and put it in the hamper. Before turning towards him as he stripped, her clothes shifting off. "You better." She said warningly. "You don't hit as well when you're drunk." She said with a chuckle and stepped into the shower with him.

She noticed him wince and moved behind him, reaching up to part his hair and look at the wound. "Looks like I got you good on this one." She said softly. "You'll live though."

Ghanon winced and leaned his head forward, balancing on the wall as if her moving behind him was going to make him trip.  The wound stopped bleeding now, thought it hurt when she touched it.  He laughed at the mention of getting him good.  "I'll get you good," he murmured.  "You should consider taking up the skillet as a weapon of choice.  You're very good. Ouch!"

"Though I think I bled you pretty good with that chair."  His hands reached behind him and felt along her sides, a ghostly touch that felt warmer with the water.

She almost pouted at the state he was in, he almost seemed weak. He couldn't stand right, he was nervous that he'd fall over. He probably would be less of a fight like this-- though he still packs a punch. Alas, she let her hand run down his spine slowly when he reached back and let his hands ghost over her sides.

"I'm sure you will pay me back, but you might want to wait until you're sober. You may fall over in the process." She warned. Reaching up slowly to wipe at the cut on her head. "And, you did get me pretty good.. You owe me a new table and chair set.

Once his feet got a grip, he let go of the wall and leaned against her.  He liked the way she felt against him, he thought back to their first meeting.  She'd been wearing that outfit too.  He grinned and turned to face her, a chill running up his spine.  He might not have been sober, but he was sober enough to know when he wanted her.

"I'll get you a new table and chair set.  But you really are an infuriating woman.  But you know I love that about you."

Ghanon's hand was a phantom touch along her breast, fingering the flesh there and let his hands slip along her side.  His other hand reached her face and brushed his fingers along her face.  "I still find it hard to believe that you love me," he said absently.

She smirked when his weight came to rest on her and she wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled against his chest. "You better. And you should think of something to tell Devi to explain why it's ruined." She she said softly, but looked up at him and smirked. "It's strange to hear you sat that word. But, I do know."

She said with a chuckle. Looking up to him when he touched her cheek and she made a face. "I can say the same for you. You're an arrogant prick. But that's what attracts me to you.."

"I'll tell her that you were so happy to see me, that you pushed me on the table and smashed it to the ground, and the chair too," Ghanon chuckled.  "I missed you, you know.  It feels so unusual to admit, but I did.  It was only when I was away that I realized how much I love you, all of you."  He leaned in and caught her lips with his, gently at first before deeping it and wrapping her fully in his embrace, lifting her up off the floor.

"Hah.. Well, considering she slept through our fight, I imagine that would pass." She stated bluntly. Then he admitted to missing her and she smirked. "Well then. I'm glad we shared one emotion. I missed you too. All of you. Don't you e-" He was getting fond of cutting her off. But, it was OK.

She returned the kiss, sweet at first, then it got a little heated, but she went with it anyway. Letting him lift her up.

Ghanon lifted her easily and held her with one arm, while the other parted her legs and put one of them on his hip, and switched them, to fix her other leg on his hip as well.  He bit her lip when he pulled away from the kiss, and smirked deviously at her.  "Don't what?  Don't you ever finish what you try to say?  You have very poor communication skills," he teased, before going in to bring his lips along the sensitive parts of her neck.

She shifted into his arms and hooked her arms tighter around him. Her legs hooking around him and she made a soft noise when he bit her lip. "Ever leave again." She muttered. Looking over their position and she made a face. "Oh.. I see. You take off for weeks and come back expecting me to have sex with you?"

She paused, then smirked. "In the shower? Wouldn't that be a first?"

Ghanon looked her over, then buried his face into her neck again, lingering against the smell of her flesh there, reeking of blood and sweat and it just about drove him mad.  But he kept his cool like a serpent that smiled right before it was about to bite you.  Ghanon adjusted her on his hips and felt along her butt.  His breath was all that much warmer against her skin.

"We both need to cool off a little...and to relieve some stress.  But if you don't want to...then I understand," he murmured against her ear and bit the lobe of it gently.

She tilt her head to the side a bit and closed her eyes. Thinking about his statement, and though he was giving her an option.. He was right. They did need to cool off and relieve stress.. And what better way?

"Well, you have quite the point. And I think I have to take you up on that offer." She admitted after a good moment of thinking about it.


((Psst.. I just odn't feel like playing it out. XD ))

[Haha!  Me neither! XD]

Ghanon laughed and for a moment he actually felt happy, even if it was only for a moment.  He couldn't be sure if everything worked out or what would happen in the future, but for now he was content, and felt better at having gotten those three words off his chest.  He didn't know if he could say it all the time, but at least now he did and it made all the difference.  At least she didn't kill him or kick him out.  And he'd get a chance to patch things up.

(( Good~ I'm just gonna assume they're done then.))

She nodded and smiled to him. The water had long been lacking heat, but it never felt cold until they were done with their heated make up. She shivered and slunk closer to him and let him turn the water off before she slipped from his grasp and got out. Grabbing a towel and drying off.

"How's your head?"

[Completely fine by me]

He felt cleaner now, better than he had when he first came in here.  He stepped out after scraping some of the water off of him and brushed his hair back out of his face, gently avoiding the wound on his head that was still sore.  He dried himself and waved a hand as his clothes vanished and reappeared on his person into something more suited for sleeping.

Walking past her, he sat on the edge of the bed and leaned forward a bit, parting his hair to feel around it.  "Still hurts...but it will feel better in the morning.  Let's get some sleep, surprise Devi in the morning."  He picked up the frying pan that had traces of his blood on it and laughed before throwing it to the side, then crawled to his own side and laid on his front.  "I really am sorry, Ba'ast, for everything," he said as he laid his head down to rest.

She tossed the towel aside once she was done drying off and a silk night gown appeared and she followed him into the bedroom. She looked to the frying pan, then walked over to the bed on the side that Ghanon was on. Leaning over him to check the wound and make sure he wasn't bleeding. Then she silently watched him lay down.

When he apologized she smiled and leaned over him to kiss his bare shoulder blade. "Coming from someone like you... I know how much that it means." She walked over to her side of the bed and laid down. Sliding over to him and curling up at his side.

It certainly meant a lot.  And for someone like Ghanon, who never apologized for any but a few things in his life, it had been a lot harder to say.  But for Ba'ast's sake and for Devi's Ghanon was learning that there had to be some exceptions to the things he was used to doing.  He never thought he'd have a family of his own, or love another as deeply and twistedly as he loved Ba'ast.  It was not an easy thing for him to come to terms with and neither was the fact that he now had an anchor.  It was something that might hold him down if he let it, but it was something that brought him joy, a rare thing in life that went beyond his purpose of change.  Though her, she provided something for him to return to.  He didn't know if they would always share this bed together, or if the future would separate them, but whatever happened, he was prepared to face it.

Ghanon curled beside her, finding no words with which to respond to her and quickly realizing that he needed none.  He fell asleep, without thoughts of the shard, of the priestess, or of his family, and felt at peace, if only for a moment.

When morning came, Ghanon felt the back of his head.  By then the wounds she'd given him had closed or healed over significantly and he no longer looked like some beat up bum who just wandered in off the street.  There was no blood, but the back of his head was still sore to the touch.

She quickly fell asleep next to him and had held onto his arm all night as if she were afraid he would get up and try to leave again. But, come morning, he was still there.

She shifted as the light hit her face and she looked up to him as he was touching the back of his head. The remnants of their fight being checked out. So she followed suit and reached up to touch her forehead. Glad that the cut was gone and there was only some soreness left. Then she moved closer to him and glared at him. "Morning." She said with a spiteful tone, then smirked. "You should go wake up our daughter.

"Good morning, boyfriend beater," he replied sarcastically, sticking his tongue out after her.  He brushed back his hair out his face and sat up in bed.  She was right, he should to and wake up their daughter.  He grinned when he imagined the look on her face when she saw him again, to know that he'd finally returned.  But as he slipped out of bed and put on something presentable he paused.

He glanced at Ba'ast with a curious and discerning eye.  "What if she isn't happy to see me, Ba'ast?  What if she's madder than you were?  What should I do?"

She sat up and eyed him sleepily while she pulled up the blankets to cover her chest in case Devi were up and chose to come barging in. "Girlfriend beater." She rebutted. Then watched him get out of bed. She decided to reach up and comb her hair with her fingers idly until he turned around to look at her and asked that question. Which did make her wonder if that would be the case. What if Devi were really mad at Ghanon like she was?

She shrugged and licked her lips. "Um..I don't know. Just don't do the same that we did. Or I will kill you."

[Wasn't Ba'ast wearing a nightgown right before she went to sleep?]

Ghanon smirked at her and shook his head.  "You give such terrible advice, but thanks for the confidence boost," he remarked before heading tentatively to the door.  He turned and gazed at her sharply and motioned for her to look down next to her.  "Oh and your nightgown's on the floor in case you wanted to know.  You took it off when we had sleep-sex."

He reached for the knob and turned it slowly, still unsure about all this.  No doubt that if he didn't go and greet her, he would just be staving off the inevitable and Ba'ast would probably get mad.  And if he did and Devi was less than happy to see him.  Well, he would just have to deal with it as it came.

Ghanon ventured to Devi's room, and gently knocked on it.  "Where's my little monster?" he said softly, pushing the door open, not sure if a rock or a shoe would come flying at him as he opened it.  "It's time to wake up."

"I'm already up," Devi hissed, her voice raspy, broken, peppered with disdain.

She had been put to bed the other day with a fever, and was now developing a sore throat from it as well. It didn't help that she didn't really get much sleep last night either. Or at least, she had been sleeping, until father dearest had come home, causing a riot, and rousing Devi from sleep. She was sick, of course, but she wasn't deaf. And her home did not have soundproof walls. When one starts a fight in this sort of house, one can hear it – it permeated through her walls and crawled in her ears and tormented her long after the fight had finished.

The little demon was in her bed, sheets messily sprawled over her, staring up at the ceiling, eyes wide open, despite staying up all night. Wasn't it bad enough, that sometimes, those macabre images of her dead sister would sometimes sweep silently across her eyelids, but now, she had to deal with the fight she had heard last night too? And here came the perpetrator, trespassing in her room, daring to pretend as if everything was fine and dandy? And now she'd have to sit up for this, so she did – slowly sitting up and resting her back against the headboard, coughing twice into her elbow before turning to look at her father with steely eyes.

"After all," she began, and laughed coldly. "How is anyone supposed to sleep after hearing their parents tear into each other like wild animals?" She paused, as if waiting for him to answer, but then shook her head and continued. "...It's impossible." That was all she had heard – every last word of their fight – but she hadn't heard anything else. Granted, from her wording, that might be hard to deduce.

And now that she was looking at him, all of the strife and restlessness of the days she had spent waiting for her father to come back rustled inside her. She threw the covers off, her hair wild and a mess, stepping towards her father with narrowed eyes. "Don't call me your 'little monster'. I'm not the monster here." And there were only two people here, currently. "You leave us alone – you broke your promise to me – you beat momma in the dead of the night – and then after all that...!" She had to stop to cough, into her elbow again, although maybe it'd be better to get some germs on him... "...After all that, you think it's fine to just waltz in my room like everything's okay?"

Her fingers curled into each other, forming little fists that she held clenched by her side. "No, father," she started again, not addressing him as 'daddy' for the first time. "I'm not the monster here." Her voice grew darker, or maybe that was just the side effect of her sickness. "You are."

(( Yeah, she was wearing a silk one, but she doesn't wanna be inappropriate if Devi were to walk in.. The silk is a bit...sex. XD ))

She looked to her night gown, then to Ghanon and smirked. "You need to settle on all the make-up sex." She stated firmly. But slipped out of bed and a blue gown appeared with a silver underbust and had lace accents. She stepped up to Ghanon and nudged him. "There's only one way to find out."

And he found out it was the latter. She heard her sick child bat back at Ghanon and she pouted. Standing behind him and listening to it all, but then she shook her head and slipped into the room to approach Devi. "Devi... there's something I need to explain to you about what happened last night. Why it might seem like we were fighting out of malice-- and well, it kind of was. Your father and I have a strained relationship built on actions like that. Me being a demon, I like that sort of stuff. And him..? Well, he's just as messed up." She stated.

Reaching out, she felt Devi's forehead. "...Still sick."

It wasn't the first time he'd been called a monster.  But it was different when it was his own daughter.  Ghannon did not have many children, and fewer still a child as smart and as special as Devi.  Her mortal blood had taken a sickness to her and made her ill, but that didn't mean that what she said in her anger was anything less than sincere.  Ghanon did not try to make excuses or say anything to interrupt her until she was finished.

When she was he sighed and again knelt in front of her to see to her eye to eye.  His gaze was truly apologetic and he took everything she had to give him.  "I don't expect you to forgive me, Devi," he began slowly, trying to find the right things to say.  "But I want you to know that I love you, and I love your mother too.  And the fight that we had last night, yeah it was bad.  And yes, it was loud.  And I'm sorry, truly sorry.  I can't promise that your mother and I won't fight in the future as well. Maybe it'll be about something else....like who broke the dining table or a chair or two.  But in the end, I'll still love your mother.  And yes I hit her, I was mad.  But she got mad right back and hit me too.

"But if it's any consolation, it hurt really bad too.  See?"  Ghanon leaned forward and  bared the back of his head to her and though it the wound had closed and was no longer bleeding, it was still sore and the discoloration was visible.  "Poke it, it still hurts."  He put his head back up and looked at her.  "And if you want to hit me too, I'll understand.  Go ahead, I won't try to stop you."

Oh gods. The last thing Devi wanted to hear right now was that her mother 'liked that sort of stuff.' Devi stared at her mother for a long moment, as if she was looking at a stranger. She liked fighting? She liked... fighting. She liked fighting? ...What? Devi narrowed those blue eyes again, unsure of who she was displeased with now. She opened her mouth to say something against such an absurd and contradictory statement but ended up coughing again. The spell lasted a little longer, and Devi grew irritated as her mother placed a hand on her forehead. Still sick? Of course she was! For some reason, that oh so brilliant deduction annoyed Devi more than anything else.

"Don't blame it on being a demon, momma! Fighting is horrible – it kept me up all night! I'm a demon and I don't like fighting! Why would anyone? It hurts people – on the outside and the inside! I don't... I don't get it..."

And in a flash, there was her sister again, lying in a pool of blood.

Devi pressed her hands to her face, trying to get the image to go away. "Fighting is what made everyone sad on that day... To say that you'd like fighting..." She looked up at her mother, a storm of rage, but her voice was very, very small. "...it's like spitting on her memory..."

But then her father knelt down before her, like he had the night when Devi had demanded an explanation. She had always liked it when he did this – because when he was down here, it felt like, maybe, they were equals. It was a sign that her father could talk to her and tell her the truth. Down here, he didn't lie, he didn't cover up the truth with pretty lies, he told it like it was. And if he was down here, at her height, maybe she could forgive him. Devi's heart was not so cold – all problems, she thought, could be fixed with the truth.

He loved her – and momma. At that statement, Devi was about to interject, with something like, then why did you leave?! but he went on, and even apologized for the fight. And he couldn't say that it'd never happen again. When you looked at it logically, wasn't it natural, for people to fight? Momma had even hit him back. She supposed she could understand that – she could even understand that they might fight again. And when he explained it like that, Devi was the one who felt silly for being mad in the first place. She hadn't been the only one hurting...

When her father exposed his closed wound to her, Devi yelped a little, biting her lip. "Daddy! That wound looks horrible!" she yelped, and her eyes widened when he suggested that she poke it. "I don't wanna poke it! It might hurt you!" she exclaimed, shaking her head and waving her hands in front of her face in protest. When he put his head back up to look at her, Devi shut her eyes, her hands still clenched in little fists. "...I don't want to hurt you, daddy," she said, refusing to hit him.

"It's just... it's not fair, that you left so suddenly!" she started, wanting to forgive him, but still hurting from the sting of that broken promise. "I know you can't promise not to fight anymore. I guess fighting is a natural thing to do..." She shook her head, her eyes determined. "But can you promise never to leave anymore? Can you promise to stay here with me and momma?" No more running away? No more leaving them alone? Could he do that, at the very least?

In the midst of her talking to Devi she had crouched down to her level and had reached out to touch her forehead. She was shocked at the state in which Devi was in. She was devastated that Devi was so upset over it all. That was, until Ghanon had crouched down to talk to her. Even showed his battle wounds. And it all seemed to help.

Until Devi made that ultimatum to Ghanon-- not to leave them. Ba'ast turned to look at Ghanon's face-- this was something she knew he wouldn't be able to do. He had told her, had made it pretty clear that he wouldn't be able to. So, Devi asking that was scary. So she just looked to Devi and awaited to hear his answer to that.

((Sorry.. my posts are getting kinda..blah. >>))

[Oh hush!  And don't be a foo'!  All your posts are awesome. B|]

She was such a smart sweet little girl, and even if she was a demon, she was softer than he thought she would be.  She was just a child, and maybe she would grow up to be like her mother.  Or maybe not, but that was up to her.  She had so much potential, Ghanon considered and he was disappointed, somewhat, in himself that he might yet break another promise to his child.

He knew he couldn't stay forever...and he knew that Devi wouldn't be a child forever.  But what did it mean for him to stay?  Did it mean to give up his sole purpose of existence?  He never did give much thought to being a father, to staying and raising a child, whether that was on his own or with another.  And he knew he'd already become attached to those that he'd let himself become close to.  That was one thing he fought against, one thing he knew would change the nature of the game he played with gods and demons and beings of other worlds.

He'd never been stagnant, could never bring himself to remain in one place for so long.  If he stayed, what did it mean that the fates of mortals remain stagnant as well?  It had all started with his search for the dreamshards, and he knew he would always search for them, until he could bring as many pieces of it together.  Perhaps it was a search that would end in vain.  Perhaps he'd earned it.  To have a moment of peace amidst the chaos of his existence.  Change would always happen, for better or for worse.  He might not be able to stay forever, but he found it within himself that he could stay now.

Perhaps it was not what Devi wanted to hear, but Ghanon couldn't bring himself to lie to her.  She was strong enough, she could take it.  "Life is never going to be fair to you, Devi and change happens, whether for better or for worse.  It might seem like a dream, so distant and so very far away, but eventually you will grow up, and you'll want to leave here and venture out on your own.  And then you'll be leaving me."

"Do you see that pretty mirror pendant around your mother's neck?" Ghanon said.  "I gave that to her the first time I met her, so that she could reach me anywhere and anytime she needed me or wanted to talk to me.  I think I will give you one too, so that when you need me or want to talk to me, all you  have to do is say so and I'll be there in a flash.  See?  Here, try it on."  Ghanon snapped his fingers and put his hands together cupping them, until he opened them up to reveal a small necklace with a mirror pendant similar to the one he'd given Ba'ast, though the chain was smaller.  He wrapped the thing around her neck and tried to smile warmly at her.

"As long as you have that necklace, I will always be there for you, Devi.  And your mother.  I will stay with you and your mother, for as long as you need me."

Devi had already learned by this point that life was not going to be fair to her. Life had taken away her sister and reduced her to nothing more than a puddle of blood on the floor. Life took her blood and smeared the image permanently into Devi's mind, not even giving her the courtesy of being able to forget. That day, back then... would the memory ever darken, or fade? Or would she walk through life with this vulnerability – the grim memory of that day?

But how could she know such things – of whether the image would stain her mind forever, or not? She couldn't think that far away. She couldn't even think into the future that her father spoke of – where she would grow up, and perhaps leave this place. It wasn't a thought she could grasp – not something she could ever imagine. To leave this place – its rolling hills, the laughing forests that surrounded them – even the laughing townspeople who she loathed for their ignorance... She looked up at her father and wanted to deny it – she would never leave, not ever! But she couldn't. She didn't know what the future held.

When he mentioned it, Devi's eyes turned toward her mother, toward the pendent around her neck For as long as Devi had known her she had worn it, but she had never bothered to think about where it might of come from. Despite her mood, her eyes lit up when her father told her that she could have a pendent like that one as well – so that she could keep in touch with her father no matter where he was. A small grin formed on her features as he a pendent appeared in his hands, and after he finished fastening it around her neck, the little demon was smiling a little more, toying with the pendent with her fingers, looking up at her father.

As long as you have that necklace, I will always be there for you, Devi.

"When you put it like that," Devi started, grinning. "And give me such a pretty necklace too... I guess I have to forgive you, daddy." Her tone mocked exasperation – but the fact that she could joke around again only meant that she was back to her old self. She beamed up at her parents – okay, so they definitely weren't perfect... but neither was Devi. They were all demons fighting their own inner demons, weren't they all? So they would get through whatever obstacle life threw at them, and become stronger for it.

"'Cause right now, I need both of you guys..." Her voice was a little raspy still, and she had to pause to cough into her elbow again – stupid cold... "...to make me breakfast!" she finished, grinning. "I'm starving! Let's have something different besides pancakes though. I want something different and tasty to eat! It's the least momma and daddy can do after keeping me up all night!" Despite her words, she was still kidding around, eager to put everything behind her. She was eager to make new memories with them – better ones, brighter ones.

She watched as Ghanon gave Devi that necklace, her hand coming up to her own to brush her fingers over it slowly while he secured Devi's around her neck. Straightening up and hoping that things would get better. Or not. But, Devi seemed to be OK with it now. She was joking around and the shock from that startled Ba'ast. Devi's strength to pop back like that made her proud, but also happy. If Devi wouldn't have come around, Ba'ast would've been devastated.

Then, it seemed like Devi was going to have a break down. Ba'ast heart sank and she about rushed to Devi's side until the subject came to light and she sighed in relief and bent over to pick Devi up. "Oh~ We'll make something really good for you to help you feel better!"

Ghanon did not expect her reaction to be so positive, certainly not with everything he told her.  But he found he was becoming more and more proud of Devi with everything the young demon did.  A smile touched his lips and he laughed when she mentioned food.  "Alright!  That doesn't sound like a bad idea," he said and stood up when Ba'ast picked her up.  It was odd, that feeling of love that swelled in his chest when he looked at them both together.  Like he'd been missing something his whole existence and only now found something that fit that gaping hole inside of him.

Ghanon followed them out of the room and into the kitchen.  He paused when he remembered the smashed table and the chairs.  "Oh...sorry about that.  Wait a moment," he said and stepped around them toward the mess.  Wood splintered everywhere and the table was no good anymore.  He sighed before opening a portal through the floor and letting the wood sink through the floor until it vanished.  Before it closed, he ran and leapt through the portal and vanished through it as well as it closed after him.  A whole five minutes passed before he opened the front door.  And through it he pushed a table and with it three new chairs.  When that was done, he closed the door and set the table upright.  It was rounded out and larger than the old one, more ornate and though heavier, was far sturdier than before.  He set the chairs around them, and propped a hand on the table.  "Well?  Is this better or what?  Now we can have breakfast.  Devi, what would you like to eat?  Egg-dipped toast*, an omelette, with lots of bacon and a fish fillet on the side?"

[*French Toast]

Devi grinned, her heart feeling a little less heavy than before now that her parents were smiling again. Okay, so maybe she couldn't erase the past – maybe she couldn't clean away those images that were stained in her head – but she could smile and laugh with her parents, and eat breakfast with the both of them, just like before – so in the end, they had won. All of the shadows that had haunted them since the death of her sister – they were gone, for now.

She watched with curious eyes as her father cleared away the wooden chips and debris (gods, was that leftovers from their fight?) and pushed in a new, more ornate table and chair set for them from his portal. Devi's eyes widened with glee – now this was a table she could see herself eating breakfast on. She took a seat, and Bobbins, who decided it was safe to come out now, lay stretched out on the table, getting fur all over the brand new table without even giving a damn.

When her father asked what she wanted for breakfast, the little demon grinned mischievously, tilting her head to the side. "I want all of it~ it sounds delicious! And Bobbins wants some too, daddy!" More like, Bobbins just wanted some fish. But hell, the cat deserved it – when Devi was in her darkest hours, grieving for her sister, or for her father who had disappeared, Bobbins had been there. The least they could do was give the cat a fish.

She followed after Ghanon into the kitchen while holding Devi in her arms protectively. But her eyes fell on that table and she pursed her lips. Thinking about what to do about the mess-- but Ghanon seemed to have a handle on it all so she just stared as he took the table into another dimension and continued to look at that spot expecting him to return there. Though the sound at the door caused her to turn and she looked to Ghanon, watching him pull the table inside and she smirked.

Ba'ast grinned at the new table and ran her fingers over the top before she set Devi on a chair and moved to sit down as well. "Love it. Thanks darling." She said with a grin to Ghanon and adjusted on the chair, her eyes snapping to Devi at her request for so much food. But she turned to look to Ghanon and blinked. "Well... if she wants all that, then why not?"

Somewhere in another plane, there was a monastery whose breakfast table had suddenly disappeared, along with a set of chairs that had sunk through the floor.  A monk had walked in, embracing his prayer beads only to pause as he looked around to an empty eating hall, no chairs, no table.  Just the steaming plates of egged bread and omelets and bacon and fish fillet on the stone floor.  The monk jumped again as he watched a black, starry portal open on the floor, the food sinking through it and disappearing.  Suddenly, as that portal closed, another opened up on the ceiling, and ducked his head as a broken table smashed to the floor along with a broken chair set, splinters flying everywhere.  This was more than he could handle and he ran screaming all the way down the hall.

Back in La'marri, Ghanon snapped his fingers and the food materialized on the table, four plates stacked high with each different food item.  He reached in the cabinet and pulled out the plates, "And an extra one for Bobbins," he'd said and smirked at them.  Ghanon moved fast and with rhythm as if he were conducting a symphony as he pulled out utensils and set them on the table with threads of energy.  He put each piece of food on each plate, still steaming and making the room smell heavy with the scent of eggs, pork, and fish.  He put two pieces of fish especially for the cat as a way to say thanks for watching over his child.

He was the last to be served and made his meal light.  He tossed a fish to the cats that emerged from upstairs, meowing and sniffing the air curiously.  Ghanon sat down to eat and did so, slowly carefully.  He was quiet for a long time, despite things looking up.  He knew he couldn't put it off for long.  He looked up at Ba'ast and sat up in his chair.  "I don't know if it's the right time for this," he murmured slowly.  "But I think there is a place I should show you both.  And the sooner I take you there the better."