Here to Stay (Private)

[Blink]

As Lanister pulled his shirt from over her head Nevayah stared him down for all it was worth. The hunger she had for him multiplying with each passing second. As soon as she went to reach out for him though a rhythmic knock could be heard on their front door. Embarrassed and shocked Nevayah dressed as quickly as she ever had in her lifetime. Throwing on her usual skirt and stockings, blouse and sweater. It was obvious though the time was not taken to dress properly as the blouse under her sweater was slightly uneven from being buttoned incorrectly. Pushing her hair back a bit and tugging at her sweater she gave Lanister a peck on the cheek before rushing to see who it was visiting. Nevayah knew that if it was this early in the morning it was most likely a customer needed an urgent dose of tonic.

Just before her fingers touched the handle of the door Nevayah closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, only then pulling it open. "Nevayah! So sorry stopping by so early but that customer I was telling you about.. the one who would pay anything for your tonic. I talked to him late last night and he said it was an urgent case. So I just wanted to give you a heads up that he may be stopping by later on this evening." It was Emria, all smiles and cheerful and quick to the punch on telling the family why she had interrupted them. Nevayah simply smiled and nodded at her before ushering for the woman to come inside. "Of course Emria, I can never deny someone who is in dire need."

Nevayah meant it too. From the beginning her sole purpose in mixing her blood with her signature tonic was to save lives. She always wanted to share her gift with those who needed it most. Emria stepped inside the door before taking a quick look around the Tainted's house. She had been inside of it many times, but I guess it would never compare to her beautiful home.

From the children's bedroom the knocking on the front door could be heard as it interrupted the silence the two twins were sharing. Izayah gave his sister a nod as if expecting the no face man to be the one his parents invited into the house. Peaking open their door the boy saw the giant of a woman and then turned back to his sister. "It's Emwia" his smile a reassuring one.

Stepping out of their bedroom and into the living room Izayah walked up to stand behind his father (assuming he was in the living room by now). Izayah had always been hesitant around anyone who was not his parents, even if he had known Emria since birth. "Hi Emwia" his voice only slightly on the shaky side as he pulled at his fathers pant leg. If his father looked down he would see Izayah holding his arms out wanting to be picked up. The boy only wanted to be in the safest place he could think of, which was in his fathers arms.

Nevayah eyed her child for a moment, her heart warmed by the fact her son looked up to his father so much. Breaking her silent stare she looked back at Emria only to reassure her with a glance that Izayah was simply a shy child.

[Salzem]

Lanister's breath began to quicken as Nevayah's hands reached out for him, ready to clasp around his cheeks before 3 sharp knocks, only 3 sharp knocks, shattered their moment, causing both parents to blush heavily in embarrassment. Red streaks flushed across their nose and cheeks as they scrambled for their clothes as if they were caught in the act. Of course, Lanister was never ashamed to be seen with Nevayah. He wouldn't dream of such a fate! He loved every little microsecond he spent with his wife and would (perhaps not gladly), stand in front of a crowd of people naked, declaring his love for her (if they didn't have children of course). However, with such an abrupt interruption, it was something akin to a mother catching her kid and his girlfriend about to kiss for the first time, a very intimate moment shattered, the void of awkwardness in it's place. Of course, his wife was at the door first as Lanister struggled with his pants, seeming to forget what leg went in which hole. By some divine wisdom, however, he was able to get fully dressed and slipped out the door to the living-room, smiling in relief as it was only Boss on the otherside, leaning down so that her head wasn't cut off by the door.

"Heya, Boss." Lanister waved from a few feet behind. She noticed the gesture, smiled at him, but then continued her conversation with his wife, talking about a new customer, one that would pay anything for one of her tonics. She explained how he might be along later tonight. It was then that he felt a presence at the back of his legs as little fingers clasped at his leg. With a grin, the happy parent scooped up his baby boy, kissing his cheek before walking up closer behind Nevayah, leaning his head gently on Izayah's shoulder.

Emia followed closely behind her brother as they made their way to the front, but instead of going up behind daddy, she slipped up beside mommy, reaching up and tugging at her skirt, raising her hands to the sky in an effort to signal that she wanted up too. If Nevayah complied, Emia would smile widely, snuggling into her mommy's neck before greeting the woman at the door in unison with her brother.

"Hi Bwoss!" She greeted, using her father's name for her. Of course, Boss laughed and patted Emia's head if Nevayah let her, the family friend just loving their children.

"Good! You picked up on it, sweetheart!" Boss laughed, looking from Izayah to Nevayah, a playfully demanding look in her eyes. "Better take after Lanister and Emia, you two... Soon, I might buy your services and you'll all be calling me 'Boss' anyway!" She laughed before walking back down the road into town, Lanister reaching over and shutting the door a moment later. He smiled softly at his children, kissing Izayah on the forehead and hugging him gently before letting him down again.

"I love you two... so much." Lanister said, seeing no other reason to declare his love for his children beyond the fact they were standing right there. Emia laughed and blushed a tad before running over to her brother (assuming she was set down) and holding his hand, her fingers intertwined with his in a way that was just...... something else...... If only Lanister had a device that allowed him to save this moment forever....

"Hey..." He said, putting a hand on each of the kid's shoulders on the outside. "Mommy and I have some things to talk about in private, but afterwards, hows about we all go play in the back yard! Maybe we can teach Izayah to become the best swordsman ever!" Emia's eyes sparkled with wonder as she stared up at her wonderful dad, so glad she was making them smile like this... Especially her bro. After the many sleepless nights and horrors they have shared, he was so happy to see him smile. With that, Emia would wink at her parents before dragging her twin back with her to their room, awaiting for the time Lanister would call them.

The instant they were alone, Lanister planted a firm kiss on Nevayah's lips. Wasting no time, he pushed his wife back into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him with a swing of his leg. He'd pull away only when he ran out of breath, undoing Nevayah's blouse and allowing it to fall to the floor in a heap on the floor.

"We're gonna need to make this quick..." He whispered, his breath snaking behind her ear. "I need to go play with the kids..." The moment he finished with that statement, Lanister pressed his lips to hers again, kissing her with everything right off the bat, a blitzkrieg erupting between them.

-x-

It was a long day, but definitely a fun one. Between his wife and the kiddo's Lanister's day was just... Just the best one... He had taught little Izayah a basic over-hand chop with the blade, even managing to help him keep them level and rhythmic. After he and Izayah practiced for a bit, he spent some time with his daughter, telling her long, detailed stories about all sorts of things from talking snakes, to spiders.... two a pair of former servants who escaped bondage to live forever, in love for as long as the other lived (a retelling of how he and Nevayah first met).

It was late afternoon as the kiddies laid in Emia's bed together, worn out and taking a nap. Lanister sat on on of the kitchen chairs, worn out himself, rubbing the side of his head as if there could be such a thing as too much fun.

[Blink]

Reaching down Nevayah picked up her daughter and held her to her chest as she said her farewells to 'boss'. After she had left Nevayah held Emia just a moment longer before setting her down and planting  a kiss on her forehead. From there Lanister sent them to their room and Nevayah knew it was game on. Nevayah could not help but giggle as Lansiter pushed her back into the bedroom closing the door behind them. His comment on making it quick heightening the joy of it all.

-x-

The day went on without any further disruptions. Nevayah managed to whip up a few different bottles of her tonic while the children were outside with Lanister. It truly was the perfect distraction so that she could draw some of her blood undected by her children and work in peace. Minutes turned to hours and before she realized it the day was already almost gone. Lanister had brought the kids in for a late nap that would likely result in them sleeping away throughout the night.

Izayah himself was completely worn out from the day as he practiced with all his little might to perfect the trick his father showed him. He had such determination in his eyes while he was being taught wanting to be nothing less than remarkable all for the sake of his father. Somehow though his parents had tricked him into sleeping, no doubt the reason they played so long and hard that day. Yet this did not stop the nightmares from creeping in on the child.

In the kitchen Nevayah leaned against the wall her arms crossed over her chest as she smiled at a very tired Lanister. "Tired?" she asked before pushing herself off the wall and walking over to her crate of tonics and home remedies. Pulling out a vial she popped off the lid and handed it to her husband. "Its a mix of quilted lavender flowers and nutmeg for flavor... to help with the headache."

Once again though their moment was ruined as another knock on the door rang through the house. "That must be the gentleman that Emria sent."

Walking to the door and opening it Nevayah greeted a very tall and muscular looking man. Something about him immediately caught her attention. Perhaps it was how large his muscles were or that he in some way seemed familiar she was unsure.  "Come on in while I grab what you need." As she always was with new customers her voice was very monotone, yet knowledgeable in a way. Leaving the door open she turned her back and made her way to the kitchen to grab the special bottle of tonic she made earlier that day. A small thought lingered in the back of her mind as she tried to piece it all together. With her back still turned she pulled out the bottle from her crate as she asked the man a question. "Have we met before?"

Meanwhile in the bedroom Izayah's nightmares were now at full force. This one was however different. He could see his home, the lights through the window, the smoke rolling from the chimney. Even though it was a normal if not relaxing image something about it seemed eerie... frightening. The nightmare caused him to wake up from his slumber, his mothers voice heard in the kitchen just outside their room. Sliding out of bed careful not to wake up his sister Izayah cracked open his bedroom door and slid out, careful not to make any sounds. Originally all he was planning to do was sneak into his parents bed and sleep there for as long as they allowed it. He had made it as far as under the kitchen table before he saw the figure in the doorway and froze then and there. He did not need to see the mans face... the outline of his shoulders was enough, it was the no face man. Completely overtaken by fear the color drained from Izayah's face and his small hands trembled along with his knees. He couldn't scream, he couldn't run, he couldn't even cry with how afraid he was in that moment. So afraid in fact that a of liquid began to form around his feet, starting from soaking part of his pants and trailing down to his socks.

[Salzem]

Lanister sighed and snickered a bit as his wife leaned up against a wall as she observed his exhaustion.

"Was it that obvious...?" He murmured, already craving his lips to press against hers once again, just wanting to make out with her for hours on end. He might have proposed the idea, but Nevayah handed him a little vial of her tonic instead, explaining that it was made with lavender and nutmeg to help with his headache. He stood slowly, taking her chin in his forefinger and thumb, staring into her azure eyes with his Sanguine before slowly closing the gap between them once again "You're too good to me..." He whispered. Just as he was about to kiss her again, a heavy-fisted knock rang across the house, once again ruining a moment that might have become something far more... Annoyed, Lanister himself as about to answer the door, but Nevayah got there first, leaving an exasperated Lanister to sit back down in his seat, sipping the (wonderfully made) tonic given to him.

He glanced up from his drink only when he overheard his wife talking to the stranger/customer, asking if they had met before. Slowly, the boy got up from his seat, cautious, wondering what this was all about... Yes... he did have an oddly familiar face and bodystructure... it was as if they were once familiar with this man, but a name just couldn't reach their tongues.

"Oh thank you.... thank you..." He whispered as Nevayah let him in, ducking back into the kitchen to grab his order. "I didn't know what I was going to do... I.... I...." Suddenly, Lanister was sent flying across the doorway to their home by a killer backhand, slamming his head on the table to the kitchen on his way down, dazing him. Before Nevayah could let out a scream or even realize what was happening, a second arm would extend at an impossible, unnatural length, claw-like fingers wrapping around her throat and squeezing before she could make a noise.

I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS REAL! the man's voice morphed, along with the rest of him, his legs shortening but his upper torso extending along with his arms, becoming more ape-like in appearance. His chest grew far more bulky and the expression of satisfaction/sadism melted into his flesh, leaving only a flat canvas of flesh for a face, not a single facial feature in sight. I told you FOOLS before, you didn't leave Eyssrn, you didn't hide your powers and now... here.... you do it all over again! YOU TWO ARE JUST TOO MUCH! Lanister spat a glob of blood from his mouth where it dribbled forth, the fluid landing on the demon's arm not far from Nevayah's throat. There it sizzled, burned its way through the monster's flesh, but it simply laughed, reaching out it's damaged arm and wrapping his fingers around Lanister's neck too, keeping him from doing that again.

Golly, Lanister... There's no crowd of innocent people for you to poison this time! What an inconsiderate young MAN- He threw the parent into one of the china cabinets, a piece of shattered shelf digging its way into his side, causing Lanister to gasp in pain as it poked out the other side, already sizzling as a red smoke rose from the devoured wood. His eyes bugged from his head as he slowly peered down at the wooden stake through his side, shaking as he started to fall into shock. -you've been. And you... Nevayah... healer and submissive slave-girl... I can only begin to guess how little you really care for this boy... I mean... he's just an excuse to feel, now isn't he...? You couldn't care less if he lived or died... The demon began to glow with a pinkish aura as a large pink bubble encompassed the house in a dome-like shape before disappearing, placing a ward around the land that muted any noise from inside and made it all seem normal from outside.

Before Izayah could do anything stupid, beit scream, cry, or run at the demon, Emia reached out from behind her twin, pulling him back inside the room and shutting the door so the demon wouldn't notice them. She had been awake from the moment her brother had been, only now getting up once she had heard the noise from outside. Now, as she stared at her brother, tears flowed down her little pale face, unsure of what to do, unsure if any of this was real at all.

"Izayah..." She whispered, on the hair's-edge of sobbing in pure terror. "I'm scared...... Mommy.... Daddy........ please......"

[Blink]

Nevayah was about to turn before a loud thud rang through the room and then before she could react she felt a large hand grasped around her neck. It was when she heard the demons voice she realized what had just happened and who was in there home and she was simply beyond a doubt mortified. Helplessly she watched as the other half of her heart was wounded only to be picked up just as her. The demon then continued to taunt the two as he made it a point to show them just how weak they were to him in comparison. With eyes full of fear and hatred she clawed at the demons hands with her eyes darting towards her children's door across the kitchen. Nevayah hoped with everything she had that they would simply remain asleep and therefore nonexistent to the demon.

Making it her new and only mission she had to keep the demon's attention, keep him occupied. "Lies! He is the other half to my heart! Your a fool if you could ever think that I do not love him with every fiber of my being!" It had been so long since Nevayah had to scrap her way out of a situation. Things were different now, she had more to fight for but almost more to lose. "Why are you so concerned with us!? We are mere mortals in your eyes, nothing special other than being a tainted! You don't even care that we have special blood so why!?"

The mother then continued with her futile attempt at pulling herself from the demons grasp. Ripping at his arms with her fingernail and kicking with everything she had she was determined to get away, determined to lead him as far away from their home as possible. Seeing an opportunity she reached as far as she could with her arm to a little knife sitting on the counter just a few feet away. By the time the demon would notice what she was doing it would be too late. The moment she had the knife in her hand she plunged it into the demons arm hoping it would be just enough to make him let go.

Izayah saw the majority of the action begin. He heard his father hit the table that was shielding him from the demon's site and he saw him laying in the ruins of their cabinet. It broke Izayah's heart in a million pieces and yet he still could not bring himself to react, could not bring himself to do anything other than stand there in a puddle of his own urine scared out of his mind. He was so lost within himself he didn't even notice his sister had pulled him back into their room. It wasn't until she said his name that he snapped back to reality completely terrified. "Emia daddy is hurt! I don't know what to do!"

So badly did the boy want to run back in their and attack the demon with everything he had, but in reality he had nothing. So Izayah did the only thing he knew how to do. Grabbing his little sisters hand he pulled her under his bed and there he hugged her as tightly as he could. "M-mommy always said that if something bad happens to h-hide." It was so hard for him to speak and try not to burst out crying at the same time. If Emia would begin to cry he would simply hug her tighter with his eyes squeezed shut trying to make everything just go away.

[Salzem]

"Izayah......." Emia was unable to hold in her tears anymore as she fell into her despair, her brother holding her ever tighter as she sobbed quietly and hopelessly into his chest, her sadness and fear spilling out of her eyes as she clung to her twin.

Oh.... did I hit a nerve or two? The demon asked as the woman in his grasp engaged in a futile struggle for her freedom. You really ARE dumb, aren't you...? This isn't about your blood or the fact you are mortals, stupid girl. You humiliated me in front of hundreds and then.... you killed me. Something so scandalous cannot go unpunished. There are rules, you know. The demon suddenly hissed in agony as Nevayah plunged a knife into his arm, causing the appendage to twitch and flop around abnormally, but refusing to lose it's grasp on Nevayah's neck. Ugh.... BITCH! He growled before slamming her down upon the table, causing it's legs to give way and the knife's blade to fall out of the demon's arm, clattering to the floor just out of reach. Slowly, his fingers began to contract around her throat, tightening and tightening until... they retracted, giving her just enough room to breath again.

Actually.... I have a better idea.... He hummed to himself, turning his faceless head in Lanister's direction just to see if he managed to pick himself up yet. There he still lay, his eyes locked on the scene playing before him as his blood ate at the stake still embedded in his stomach. He coughed in agony, blood spilling forth from his mouth and over his chin, and onto his shirt, more dark-red gas rising up as his blood wore away all it touched. His jaw shakily opened as if he were going to say something, perhaps something defiant or profound, but all that came out was an inaudible series of gurgles, noises that only showed the true weakness of his position. Laughing, satisfied, no-face withdrew a small rod with the tip broken off, jagged points on the end revealing a cruel and painful edge. If he could smile, the demon would have been doing so right at this moment, his face very close to Nevayah's as he showed her the rod.

Remember this, girly...? He asked, chuckling to himself before turning back towards Lanister, pointing the rod's cruel edge at him. What about you, tough guy? Remember this? As the demon spoke, Lanister's body jerked and twitched as he gurgled, moaned and coughed, agony of a horribly familiar level raking itself across every nerve-cell in his body. The demon flipped the point up and Lanister fell forward on his chest, the eaten remains of the stake falling out across the back with a cloud of dark red mist, the stuff starting to coagulate at the top of the ceiling. He was barely conscious by the end of the torture session, The demon forcing Nevayah to watch her husbands torture before turning to her, a content edge in his voice.

I think he remembers... But we never got to try this on you.... did we...? What was the game we played.... "There are 5 Lights", hmmm? Heh heh heh.... I got a new one for ya... its called "How long can you last." The rules are very simple... Since you're obviously well acquainted with the first level of the rod... we'll kick things up a notch. If you stay awake... I'll spare you're little friend's life a little longer... If not... well... lets leave that for later... And with that, the demon lowered the rod upon Nevayah, demonic levels of agony and suffering flowed through the girl's veins, every last bit of her body screaming and clawing to get itself away from the ungodly suffering before the demon raised the rod, ending the pain and leaving only a VERY vivid memory in its place. Lanister only looked on helplessly as his wife suffered the pains he should have been right now, his acidic blood pooling upon the floor around his mouth and torso. More red mist floated into the air, the tint of which fading into a light red.

Oh.... that looks like it hurts a lot... Are you okay? He asked, feigning concern.

Emia sobbed harder as her mother's and father's cries of agony rang out through their household, her brother being her only source of strength. Unable to bear it anymore, the little girl pulled away from her Izayah, her eyes still flowing with a seemingly endless stream of tears.

"We have to do something...." She whispered, flinching as the noise started up again. "We have to help mommy and daddy, Izayah, we HAVE too!"

[Blink]

Nevayah threw an accomplished smile at the demon as he called her a bitch. When he slammed her into the table though it caused a scream of pain to escape her mouth, even as the piece of wood buckled under the pressure. "Is that all y...." Not able to finish her statement by the demons tightening grip on her neck she struggled to breath feeling the oxygen leave her body. Just when she thought she would pass out the demon loosened his grip just enough for her to take in a big an inhale as she could. Coughing she tried to push through the pain from being slammed into the table and then choked as best she could... but then the demon spoke once more.

Asking her if she remembered the demonic rod was foolish all in its own. Of course she remembered it, and what it did to Lanister. Then he brought up the five lights game and how he was going to change it up a bit, instead just as long as she stayed awake Lanister would live. That alone was enough motivation for her to fight the urge of losing consciousness. Just before the rod touched her stomach Nevayah managed to spit out a final statement, only to show the demon she was far from giving up. "FOUR LIGHTS!" she screamed as the rod touched her causing her body to be engulfed in unimaginable pain. The pain was so severe in fact the screams that escaped her mouth were something she herself did not know she was capable of. The muscles on her stomach tensed, her arms flat at her sides, hands in very tight fists as she tried to fight the pain. Even a tear managed to make its way from the corner of her eye and roll down across her cheek to her ear.

When the demon finally removed the rod from her stomach Nevayah took in a deep breath of relief. Finding what little resolve she had left she once again spat words at the demon between gasping breaths hoping to get her point across. "You seem to have forg..." a leftover pain in her stomach surged causing her to stop for the briefest of moments and wince before continuing. "...forgotten who I am." She paused once more to take in a few more breaths. "I... I am Nevayah of the Tainted. Slave who has been bought... sold... and traded since birth." Lifting her head just a bit to be sure the demon could see in her eyes she shot him a look of pure hatred. "I have been tortured... I have been starved....I... I have been..." Ironically she began to laugh at the next part, finding it humorous that he thought he could break her of all people. "I have had my own blood consumed before me for christs sake!"

In all honesty her front was just an act. She knew her small body could not take much more from that rod, but she would not let him onto that. She had to be a diversion for as long as possible not only for Lanister, but for her children. So far it seemed the demon had no clue there were others in the house. Even with the children's coats hanging by the door and the fact that there was four plates sitting on the counter. Not even the tiny pair of boots and flats laying on the mat below the coat rack tipped him off. "So I say again.... just so you know that I never forgot. There were only four lights that day... FOUR....LIGHTS!"

Izayah held his sister with everything he had as she began to sob. He really did not know what to do or how to save his parents. Trying to console her the best he could despite he was just as upset and sobbing as she was he held her close. All up until she raised her voice about helping them. "Shhhh!" she half whispered to her as he put his hand over his sisters mouth. "Mommy and daddy will get him, they did before and they will again." Izayah wanted to believe with everything he had his parents would make the bad man go away, but based on the noises coming from the other room he was scared to admit the truth.

[Salzem]

Silly, silly girl... no-face tsked, turning his attention back to Lanister. We aren't playing that game anymore... With words like that, the delirium must already be taking over your mortal senses. He held Nevayah there on the ground among the shattered remains of their table as he walked back over to the one who had killed him, crouching down so that the rod's edges were hanging just a tad over Lanister's center back. The former slave glanced up at his wife, staring, enraged at the arm that held her by the throat against her will... He traced that long, extending arm back to the body who possessed it and his hatred magnified, his sanguine eyes seeming to glow with outrage, his pain only throwing more fuel on the fire. He glared at the demon defiantly, extending neck before chomping down on one of his fingers that held the rod. With a chuckle, the faceless monster ripped Lanister from the spike he was stuck on, holding the broken body out in front of Nevayah, pulling her from her place on the table so that the two lovers were only a few inches apart, Lanister's acidic blood just a few inches from Nevayah's vulnerable lips.

We wouldn't want Lanny over here to suffer, would we....? Look at him... Because it'll be the last you ever see of him if you don't play by the rules, Nevayah. The demon dropped Lanister, causing him to fall to a crumpled heap on the ground, gasping and clutching at his stomach as he landed on his bad side. He curled up tightly in a ball, desperately trying to remain conscious, to work through the pain, but it was so.... hard.... Nevayah, meanwhile remained suspended by no-face's hand as he jabbed the rod into Nevayah's stomach again and again, laughing all the while as he cranked the severity of the weapon's magic up again. If the girl thought she knew what pain was, her horizons had just been broadened substantially. New levels of pain wracked her senses, almost as if her veins were filled with a slow-acting acid, eating her alive slow enough for her to be completely aware of her situation. no-face snickered and laughed as Nevayah's state deteriorated.... before he heard a noise... quiet, soft, muffled... near the back of the house... the demon dropped Nevayah to the ground and the moment her skin touched the floor, chains of wood and stone erupted from the floor-boards, entangling the young tainted and her husband, leaving them pinned to the ground, unable to move.

There's someone else here....? no-face asked himself, glancing around the house as he tried to pinpoint the source. Naughty, naughty, little tainteds... we can't just exclude your guests from all the fun! That would be rude! But I am a gentle-demon... You two just wait right there and I'll go introduce myself, alright? All Lanister could do was struggle feebily against his confinements and and moan as the demon stalked closer and closer to their kids' room.

Emia still sobbed into her brother's chest as he attempted to soothe her, unable to get a grip on her fear and terror as heavy foot-falls made their way towards the door, each one making the little girl flinch. And then... the door opened and the blank face of the demon peered into the room, his head turning in the direction of the kids. Emia's eyes widened and she gasped in horror. He was real..... and he was standing right there......... It was as if her heart had stopped in her chest.

no-face seemed equally surprised, taking a step back as he saw Emia and Izayah. Children....? Why would they have.... unless it was their children....

Mommy and Daddy are waiting for you... The demon coo'ed, grabbing Izayah and Emia by their hands, very nearly crushing them in his grip. Will you not go to them?

[Blink]

Even as the demon continued to taunt her Nevayah tried to hold up the best front she could. A front that was practically shattered when no face walked over to Lanister next with the rod. "No!" was all she could get from her lips before Lanister himself bit the demon causing it to rip him up from the spike that was impaling him. From there the demon was only amused and held the broken Tainted before her as he also lifted her up. The way the demon spoke to her about following the rules sent some kind of message to her subconscious, one that made her realize she had indeed been defeated. When Lanister was dropped and crumbled to the floor it was as if no face himself had broken her heart. Another lone tear streamed down her face as the rod was jammed back into her stomach over and over again.

With each touch of the rod Nevayah's body grew weaker and weaker, barely able to hold onto consciousness any longer. The first few times she was still able to let out a curdled scream as her body recoiled from the pain. But the last, yes the last time was what did her in. She never closed her eyes, and her body seemed to stop curling up from the pain. Even as she dangled there in the demons grip her body tensed purely on instinct when the rod touched her stomach, each muscle flexing beneath her skin. The light from Nevayah's eyes had been fading after the first few blows but now... it was completely non existent. As her body was dropped it hit the floor with a thud shortly accompanied with the sound of chains of stone and wood erupting from the earth. But as the chains made their way around her body holding her to the ground she did not move, barely even blinked. Her expression was cold, emotionless... nothing left in those blue eyes as they stared at Lanister. It was as if Lanister had a corpse staring at him from across the room, her gaze stuck on him but dead.

With each footstep Izayah flinched alongside his sister, scared to death of what was approaching them. No Face's voice searching for them caused Izayah to place his forehead on Emia's one last time, thinking he would never be able to do so again. Then two large hands reached for the children grabbing each of them by the wrist with no mercy. Izayah screeched in pain from both being pulled apart from his sister and by the tightening grip on his wrist. Whether it was adrenaline or a bit of his mother's spirit running through him Izayah's attitude turned very quickly. His eyes were now full of the same hatred his mother wore only a few short moments ago, intensified when the reality of the situation came to light. It was the image of his father that got him the most riled up, how the man he thought was invincible was practically a pile of mush on the floor.

Whether it be divine intervention or just fate the knife that his mother had plunged into the demons arm moments ago was laying right there on the floor within his reach. As if watching a replay of minutes before when his mother performed the same action Izayah reached for the knife with his little hand and plunged it into the arm of the demon as hard as he could causing no face to fling the boy across the room in the direction of the closed front door. His little body crashed into the old coat rack causing the contents hanging upon it as well as the broken pieces to fall in a heap over the boy. On any other occasion Izayah would have broken down into an 'I'm dying' fit right there, but not this time. Determined as ever the boy managed to get himself onto his hands and knees, his fathers jacket sliding off of on top of him. Izayah bore a deep cut on his forehead, blood dripping down over one of his eyes and down his cheek dripping onto the floor. With one hand holding him up he used the other bruised and most likely broken one caused by the demons tight grasp to wipe at his face.

It was when he opened his eye that he saw his father only a few feet from him, laying on the ground practically choking on his own blood. Crawling over to him causing a little red hand print trail behind him Izayah was determined to spend what he thought were his last moments with his father. Looking to his sister one last time as if to tell her it will all be over soon, that surely they would all die and it would be done. Izayah closed the distance between himself and his father showing the same gesture of love as he did with his sister pressing his forehead to Lanister's... and then he felt it.

At first Izayah did not realize what was happening, all he could feel was a strange pull leaving his body through the cut above his eyebrow. But then slowly the realization set in that this was the gift his mother and father passed down to him. He remembered now how sometimes he saw his mother mix in her own blood with other items to create her special medicine. He knows now why it was all a big 'secret'. It was all the story of the Tainted his father had recited to the two children many times, except it wasn't a fairy tale.. .it was all true and it was his parent's story.

Somehow he knew in his heart that the weakening sensation he was feeling was somehow helping his father. "Daddy... its gonna be all otay now." the little boy whispered closing his eyes to concentrate further.  Almost able to visualize the energy transfer from his body through his cut into his dad Izayah pushed at the feeling with all his might, giving every last bit he could manage, even bringing up his little blood covered hands to place on his fathers cheeks. What Izayah did not know was that with every action there was a reaction and that although he may have been giving his father some of his own life force, he was losing his. He felt his eyes growing heavier, his breaths falling shallower, his skin getting colder... his heart beating slower. He would have continued if he could have, but the draining of it all quickly tired out the boy causing Izayah's forehead and hands to slide downwards off of his father and onto the floor leaving a streak of his own blood down his father's face. But before he had completely fallen he managed to whisper one last thing. "I tried to be a soldier for you daddy...." the statement barely even audible. From there Izayah's body was limp, almost dead looking laying on the floor in front of Lanister's shackled body.

Nevayah's dead eyes watched the scene unfold as her son was practically dying before her in front of his father. All she could feel was her heart grow even colder in that moment... but that was it.

[Salzem]

Lanister watched helplessly as the demon before him ripped away Nevayah's humanity with each poke of his blasted rod, the light that signaled the presence of the woman he loved fading by the second. It was when she was dropped to the floor beside him, chains pinning them to the floor did he get the misfortune to assess the damage done and the results....... they chilled him to his very soul. He was just like she was when he first met her... that first day in the cages... Her eyes were so blank, her body so compliant to the restraints... even impaled and bleeding out, he put in more strength to escaping this situation than Nevayah had in this moment... From her mere presence beside him as his blood began to pool did he truly know how far she had gone inside herself. It was as if she had given up on everything... Life, their kids.... him... they all seemed to lose their importance in that void of apathy that circulated around his wife. But, instead of such utter despair spreading to him... it empowered the former slave, at least, enough for his adrenaline to kick in. Lanister struggled and grunted against his confines, rattling the tight chains and even managing to splinter some of the weaker wooden links, but his strength gave out quickly, leaving him heaving in a decrepit ball.

"Damn you...." He hissed as the demon went about to check the house. "DAMN you...!" Lanister watched in horror and outrage as his little girl and boy were dragged into the center of this horror show, and everything that happened since.

Emia squirmed and struggled against the grip of the demon, digging her heels into the floor to stop any kind of advancement, but she was hardly even an inconvenience for No-Face's superior strength. Tears now flowed freely down her face as she screamed and ripped at the hand that held her still, trying desperately to do something... ANYTHING that would get her away from this image: Her parents bloodied, battered and broken on the floor, the smell of blood everywhere... on her, on her brother... It was all splattered across everything.... Their bodies thrown about with her daddy's impaled torso chained to the ground as he glared at the monster that held her and mommy dead, but still dying right beside, her eyes as blank and lifeless as any corpse. Perhaps that's what scared her the most... The mother she idolized, the parent she wanted to grow up to be just like... The woman she wanted to emulate right down to the profession was lying there as if nothing even mattered...

You see, children... The demon laughed, squeezing their hands tightly, making an already unbearable grip even more unbearable. We were just having a pleasant discussion and- AUGGH! Izayah had plunged a familiar knife into the demon's hand, causing him significant pain and discomfort as the steel pierced into his flesh. With a wave of his hand, Emia's twin went crashing into the coat rack, bringing down a good majority of everything that hung there with her. The little girl stared in shock and awe at the horridness of this act... the witnessing of her brother get brutalized in just one stroke. She stared at the demon, then back at the ruins of her family, seriously considering dying as her mother was now, losing everything else but her life first to make the process of it all the less painful.

Lanister stared in disbelief as the demon slammed his son into the coat-rack, gashing his head on the way down. Surely, he thought his boy might've died on impact but by some grace of the gods, he managed to survive, crawling his way on his hands and knees over to him, pressing his bleeding forehead against his, tears welling up in his eyes as his son began to fade away, his parting words cutting him right down the core of his heart. As Izayah fell unconscious, Lanister froze, staring as his son flopped over beside him.

"Izayah...." He whispered. "Nevayah....." He glanced over at his wife, still as dead and emotionless as a door-nail. "Emia..." His voice grew more edged as strength that wasn't his flooded through him, wrenching his arms free of the magically constructed chains and throwing himself at the demon, managing to catch him around his neck with enough force, it caught the monster by surprise and he dropped the child.

WHAT!? The demon hissed, losing his composure as Lanister attempted to smash him with his fists. YOU WERE IMPALED AND BLEEDING OUT! WHERE DID YOU GET THIS STRENGTH!?

Emia fell to the ground hard, landing on her arm, her fair, pale skin scraping against the floor. She winced and yelped in pain as she lifted her arm off the floor, what was supposed to be blood dripping from the wound onto the floor. It was black, soupy, far thinner than blood was supposed to be and smelled of death. It flowed from her body, but she felt no weakness, the ground around her turning to ash wherever the blood touched. She stared at her blood, wide-eyed and mystified, unsure what this all meant... But she felt strong as more of her blood flowed from her body.

Lanister, however, didn't last long against the demon, even with his berserker's rage and acidic blood. With each blow he dealt, the demon delivered three more, all in or around Lanister's wound. Although his acid made quick work of the demon's flesh, it seemed to grow back a moment or two later. The tainted was just unable to keep up as the demon smacked him to the floor once again, a chain wrapping up around his throat, choking him and threatening to snap his neck if it grew any tighter.

DIE..... No-Face growled before a hand was thrust through his lower stomach poking out the other side... Emia's hand coated in a black, thin substance. Instead of blood, ash spilled out from inside the demon, the skin surrounding the ash starting to fade and so on, his body beginning to fall apart at the seems as a flaming purple aura began to engulf the little 4 year-old.

N-NOOOOO! No-Face snarled, attempting to rip himself free, but found he didn't have the strength. NOT.... AGAIN.......! His body crumbled beneath him until only his faceless head rested upon a while pile of ash. Emia's eyes glowed a sinister red as the demonic energies that once belonged to this thing were at her command. AS.... MEDDLESOME..... AS YOUR ANCESTORS....... Not knowing and not caring what this meant, Emia pressed her blood-soaked palms into the demon's head, it's skin fading away to nothingness as it fell back to hell once again. The chains around Lanister and Nevayah crumbled to nothing as Emia stood there in the center of the house, heavily breathing as she attempted to contain this immense unholy power. With a scream, a pillar of pure dark pink erupted from around the little girl, blasting through the ceiling but without causing any visable damages. Dark red voltage sparked through Lanister's red mist, causing it and the blood on the floor to disappear as the pillar of raw demonic energies blasted forth. The Barrier set up outside was struck right at it's peak, it's center, the energies cracking and conflicting before the dome shattered as if it were glass, disappearing before the shards could fall to the ground. But Emia fell backwards, landing on her rear as her eyes drooped, staring at her hands as if trying to figure out what just happened. There was no evidence of a scratch, or even the blood... just her skin as the last of the demonic energies faded away.

"M-mommy...?" Emia said, stumbling over to her mother. "D-daddy....? Bubby...?"

[Blink]

As the demon faded away Nevayah's eyes slowly re-lit, the presence of the demon seemed to be what caused her to stay emotionless for so long.. even as her children were drug around. Sitting up she whipped her head from one direction to another as she took in the state of her family and home. Her daughter calling to her is what caused her to completely snap out of it, to completely realize what had happened. "Emia..." her voice horse and on the brink of breaking down as she half sprinted half crawled to her daughter. Scooping her into her arms as if she would never be able to hold her again she pressed her sweet Emia into her chest with her palm on the back of her head. "Thank the gods you are okay." Nevayah had since allowed her daughter to sit back in her arms so that she could look her over. Sweeping a hand over her daughters head and down her hair she set Emia down and frantically made her way towards Lanister and Izayah.

Both of them seemed way worse off than she initially thought. "Emia sweety..." Nevayah tried to sound as calm as possible but the urgency in her voice was still something that could not be ignored. "I need you to run to mommy and daddy's room and get a towel. They are folded in the basket by our bed. I know your really tired but please try for mommy okay?" From there she knelt down before Izayah first looking him over thoroughly but as quickly as possible. The boy's right arm was bruised, no doubt broken, and the cut above his eyebrow was deep but not life threatening. He was pale but still alive and breathing. Thanking the gods once more Nevayah gently as she could set him back down and went to Lanister next. She felt guilty leaving Izayah there but his life was not in danger, she could not say the same for her beloved.

"Lanister..." she whispered kneeling down in front of him as tears began to fill her eyes. He was in bad shape, bleeding out from his side and already bruises had begun to form where the chains once were. Delicately she lowered herself even further to where she was now just above him, one hand next to his side while the other ran its way through his hair, her knees a few feet above his head. "Don't die okay... I can't do this on my own. I can't live without you here... so hang on just a little longer." The way she spoke was similar to the way she comforted her children when they were in distress. Her voice so full of love and compassion for the man laying there almost dead beneath her. Sitting up just a bit she took in a deep breath before biting down on her lip as hard as she could.

Her own blood now dripped down her chin as her lip began to bleed. She could taste the copper on her tongue as she lowered her face to just above his before closing the distance between their lips. Passionately she kissed Lanister with everything she had allowing for her blood to flow into his mouth. Only coming up for short breaths she would keep her lips locked with his until she could feel him coming to life beneath her.

Izayah's body just a few feet away began to slowly show color again. First a slight shade of crimson flushed his cheeks before he opened his eyes and sat up. Looking to his side he saw his mother kissing his father and crawled over to them grabbing his fathers hand. Understanding now what Nevayah's blood did he figured out what she was doing and wanted to help but couldn't. He knew that if he were to somehow push more life force into his father that he himself would use what little he had left and die.

[Salzem]

"I wove you mommy....." Emia sobbed into her mother's shoulder as she picked her up, holding her to her chest for a few moments. "I wove you so much....... I do...." Tears stung her eyes as the fear of imminent death passed, replaced by relief that the horror-show was almost over. It was when Nevayah set her down was she given an order: to go to daddy's room and grab a towel. The urgency in her voice was such that Emia didn't waste a beat and immediately ran back to her daddy's room, ignoring the overwhelming exhaustion that plagued her tiny form.

Meanwhile, Lanister's breathing began to slow as the hole in his side continued to leak his valuable life-blood, the crimson fluid flowing about atop the floor-boards, not even burning them away anymore. With the slowing of his heart and the reaper at his door-step, Lanister's blood had begun to distill, becoming merely normal as his condition worsened. His vision began to fade as the ghost-of-a-feeling of his son clasping his hand shot through his system and the lips of his beloved pressing against his, her bloodied saliva entering his mouth and being forced down his throat by her tongue. He was so sleepy... so tired... but he kissed her back completely on instinct, far slower and much less passionate than his other half, but he was doing the best he could. Every time she pulled away for air, more and more life was breathed into his system, his heart-rate picking him, his strength very slowly returning, but he didn't open his eyes until the 5th kiss. Of course, he could have done so around the third or fourth, but he was enjoying himself a bit too much for her to stop now... Nevayah hadn't kissed him like that since the first day they met and he was craving more of those kisses as she delivered them. He raised his free arm slowly and wrapped it around her neck, pulling her on top of him and pressing her lips even harder against his, the hole in his side completely gone, only leaving a small pool of distilled, normal blood where it once rested. Only after they both ran out of air would he allow her to pull away, a long trail of saliva falling out, connecting their tongues before it fell away. Lanister smirked softly, tiredly, before raising his head and kissing her cheek softly.

"I'm alive...." He whispered, pressing his forehead against hers, before turning to his son. He tugged him over and wrapped him in a hug as well as they lay there on the floor, kissing his cheek lovingly before staring into his deep blue eyes with a level of love never before seen. "Oh, Izayah.... You were the bravest soldier I've ever seen... I owe you my life, little man..." Suddenly, his face grew as serious as he could make it. "But that doesn't mean you get to skip the vegetables at dinner, young man." He burst back into his smile before holding his family close, feeling more alive than he ever had before.

Emia returned to see her daddy embracing her twin and mommy, smiling and laughing as if he weren't badly hurt a moment ago. Their eyes locked and Lanister's smile grew as Emia ran quickly at her dad, jumping into the family pile with the last of her energy and wrapping her arms around them all.... before comically falling asleep right there. Lanister's eyes widened in surprise at how quickly she fell out, noting the towel in her hand. Had Nevayah sent her for this...? Still, He held them all to his chest tighter than he ever had.

"I love you all.... I love you, I love you, I love you...." Emia's only response was a soft, dreamy smile in her sleep.

[Blink]

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

A few weeks had passed since the near death experience for all of them at their home. Thankfully no one in town even got a hint of an idea at what had happened. The only person who was informed was Emria, only because Nevayah had to discuss with her how to keep something like this from happening again. Of course she still wanted to save lives, but it would now be a lot harder to find the 'miracle' tonic she was infamous for.

Standing outside Izayah swung his sword back and forth at the air envisioning an enemy before him. Pretty much every day since the incident he began training himself as hard as he could, refusing help from everyone. Izayah had decided that he needed to be stronger so he could protect those he loved most and not be worthless other than to give people strength. He really felt like he had gotten the short end of the stick when it came to his abilities, he hated them and resented his sister for hers. It was not fair that she did not even have to try and she was able to take down a demon with one blow. A demon that had not only defeated his mother and father, but himself as well in a matter of minutes. Izayah saw his blood as worthless and a waste.

"Izayah! Time to come inside before it gets too dark!" His mother's voice as sweet and concerning as ever.

The boy did not even realize how late it was getting, even with the sun setting in the distance. Without responding he tucked his small sword into its holster and walked towards the cottage opening the door to his family inside. Kicking one boot off and then the other he placed them in front of the door and placed his sword against the wall. Nevayah reached down and picked him up setting him on the edge of their new table before walking over to the counter to grab a rag. Izayah had grown used to this, his mother checking the wound on his head to make sure it was healing properly. "Mommy I'm fine..." an irritated tone escaping his mouth.

Nevayah simply shrugged off his remark and was now standing in front of him holding a bottle of astringent and a cloth. Tipping the bottle onto the rag she soaked a bit of it before reaching up and carefully pealing at the bandage on Izayah's forehead. Setting the old bandage aside she pushed at the wound a bit with her fingers, a very serious look in her eyes. "Oh my Izayah! It seems it is ready to take out the stitches! No more bandages for you my little soldier."

Izayah simply rolled his eyes at his mothers enthusiasm and did his best not to show his concern for having the stitches removed. First his mother cut through the stitches before carefully pulling them out one by one. The boy simply wrapped his fingers around the edge of the table and squeezed to hide his discomfort. When Nevayah pulled out the final stitch she took the wet cloth and dabbed it on his wound to ensure it was clean. "There you go! All done!" His mother then bent down and pecked a kiss on his cheek before helping him down from the side of the table.

Crossing her arms in front of herself Nevayah watched half brokenheartedly as her son walked off into his bedroom. Ever since the incident she had felt completely devastated she could not save her children and that she allowed herself to fade away, even if it was for only a moment. It seemed as though Izayah had not forgiven her for it either as he had been very cold towards her. It was even worse with Emia, Izayah refused to even play with her anymore. He had told his parents that she was "in his way" when they sat him down and asked why. The only person it seemed that Izayah had not changed towards was Lanister. In fact he was probably more attached to him than before.

[Salzem]

Emia had grown more sorrowful in the weeks that had passed, her brother's neglect weighing heavily on her own heart. No doubt, her parents loved her just the same, if not moreso after that incident with the demon, a love she wouldn't trade for the world... but she might have just traded it to have her old brother back. He had been nothing but cold and ignorant to both his mother and herself, but he hardly acknowledged her anymore, declaring that she was..... in his way... What did that mean? Did she wrong him somehow? Did she misplace his favorite toy? Did he find out she had been using his sword without asking him? (Mommy and daddy had given permission of course) Who knew? He certainly wouldn't tell. All he would ever give her is a glare that demanded she stand aside whenever she tried to confront him about it, barely tolerating their shared room as it is. Little Emia just couldn't understand how the close, love-packed relationship with her twin could have fallen so low, hallowed so quickly... She couldn't see how he could treat mommy this way, showing her nothing more than the respect she was due. Emia peered around the edge of the door leading to the bathroom, watching from behind as Izayah got his stitches removed finally, how stoic and uncaring he had become. The only thing he seemed to show any concern with was his capability with a sword, practicing seemingly day in and day out, only coming in when it got dark like it was getting now. She had silently cried herself to sleep many nights in a row, thinking that she had hurt him in some way, that she had somehow stamped out the fires of their relationship on that day the demon came into their house. She watched as Izayah walked past her without even sparing the twin a glance before disappearing into their room. Emia slipped out only a second or two later, running up to her mommy, her eyes watering, her lower lip trembling. She raised her arms up, signaling she wanted to be held, desperate for the love and comfort only her mommy could provide.

"Mommy...." She whispered, burying her face in the shoulder of her parent. "Why........ why does he hate me..... what did I do....?" She asked all these questions, praying to every god she had memorized that he didn't actually hate her, that he was just angry at something else, that she couldn't have been the target for his spite... Lanister was gone, working later that day that he usually did. They were still paying off repairs for the house after that horrid night and he needed to make as much money as soon as possible to pay off that debt. He wouldn't be home for another hour yet, leaving the three tainteds alone.... 2 more alone than others.

"Mommy... can we go shopping...? I..... I want...." She took a deep breath, already envisioning what her mother was going to say. "I want a sword like bubby... He won't talk to me.... he only wants to fight... Maybe.... with a sword.... he'll talk to me again...."

[Blink]

Nevayah without hesitation picked up her daughter to console her in her time of need. Patting Emia's back she listened to her question not really sure of the answer herself. "Bubby just needs some time honey. What happened effected us all in different ways and he is just dealing with it the only way he knows how." Continuing to pat her daughters back Nevayah walked with her to the living room before sitting down on the couch, her daughter still in her arms. It almost broke her heart when Emia asked if she could get a sword of her own. Pushing Emia down so that she was sitting on her lap Nevayah tried to find the best way to word her response. "I think that if we got you a sword just like bubby's he may get more upset. "How about instead we get you a small dagger or something... in case you ever need it to protect yourself.... how does that sound?"

She knew she was pulling at strings with the suggestion of something else for Emia, but it was the only thing she could think of. Plus even if she really wanted to they did not have the financial means to purchase a sword like Izayah's. Ever since the incident they had been doing anything possible to get the money to repair their home. Glancing over to the wooden bin she kept her completed tonics Nevayah figured she may have enough extra to sell of the head ache and fever tonics to at least buy her that. Since Lanister would be at work for another hour or so she could not leave Izayah home alone. He would have to come with and perhaps she could drop him off at the bar to leave with Lanister while she had some mother daughter time with Emia.

"Let me go tell bubby we are leaving and you put on your coat." Giving her daughter a kiss on the forehead she lifted her off of her lap and set her on the floor. Nevayah then made her way towards the twin's bedroom to get Izayah.

"Knock knock" his mothers voice came from behind the door before she opened it. Inside Izayah had been sitting on his bed just staring out the window. He sighed not taking his gaze from the image outside of his room. "If your coming to tell me I made sissy cry again I don't care." Nevayah practically gasped at what her son had just said. Looking back into the living room she gave Emia a reassuring nod before stepping inside the room and closing the door behind her. "Now listen here young man I am your mother and you will not talk to me like that." Her voice was stern as she continued to walk towards his bed, sitting on the edge of it. "Sorry" was all he said, but it lacked any meaning behind it. Nevayah was slowly growing frustrated with Izayah, tired of trying to get him to understand that you cannot help what your born with.

"Izayah... we are going to town. I will not leave you hear by yourself so get your shoes back on and sweater so we can go." Nevayah then began to get up from the bed but Izayah's response stopped her dead in her tracks. "No.... I don't want to go anywhere with you and sissy..." Sitting back down on the bed Nevayah reached out and grabbed Izayah's shoulder making it so that he had to look at her when he spoke. "Listen I know your mad at the world right now but we need to go for sissy's sake. Deep down I know you still love her so you WILL get up and go with us."

Izayah's eyes turned apologetic for a mere second before turning back into their bothered state. A part of him deep down really did still love his sister. That's why he had to keep her out of his way, so that he could get strong to protect her one day. "Okay mommy" From there Izayah slid off of the bed and walked out of his room and to the door where his boots and jacket were. Silently he slipped them on, refusing to acknowledge Emia only a few feet away.

Nevayah took a moment to muster up the patience to deal with him before standing up and accompanying her children. Grabbing her bag from its hook she placed about 6 small bottles of her headache tonic inside before clasping it shut. "Let's go" she said as she held open the door for her children to go on out.

It took about 20 minutes to walk to town and it was the longest 20 minutes of her life. The entire time they walked in silence, only the crunching of foliage to accompany the sound of their breaths. "Izayah go on ahead and go to daddy's work. Tell him sissy and I are shopping and that I want you to wait with him until we are done." The boy practically took off sprinting at the mention of being able to hang out with his dad... and at work too! Nevayah simply reached down to grab her daughters hand as she made her way towards the local medicinal shop to trade in some of her tonics.

Izayah was not afraid to go into the bar, he had done it already a few times before. Pushing open the large wooden door he walked inside and ignored the patrons that were staring at him. One patron even going as far as walking up to Izayah and picking him up. "Well if it isn't a small clone of his mother!" the man, also know as Max, yelled holding little Izayah in the air. The boy simply shot Max a look of pure hatred at the way he was being handled. "I am not like my mommy" he scowled as Max obliged in lowering him back to the ground. Max could not help but to pat him on the head, bending down so that he was at eye level with Izayah. "Oh my boy you have no idea how much you are like her." Max then simply stood up laughing, walking away to finish whatever it was he was doing.

[Salzem]

"Okay, Mommy...." She murmured, giving her one last hug and receiving the kiss on her forehead with a smile. She always knew how to make a little girl smile... She loved that about her really... she was so gentle, but also commanded so much power, it only made her love her mommy more and more with each and every one of her declarations.

Emia had the fortune to not overhear her twin's insensitive remark, too busy trying to find where she stuffed her jacket. It was remarkable that she hadn't figured out until it was time to go that it had somehow found it's way between the couch-cushions just like all the times before. Honestly, the article of clothing must have just enjoyed the cool space between the cushions because otherwise, Emia couldn't fathom how it manages to get there each time. She wrapped her little coat over her dress and slipped on her shoes, smiling at her twin despite everything he had put her through before heading out. It was a LONG 20 minutes from here to the town square where everything was, a normally short trip once.... when they were just one big happy family. Believe it or not, there was a time they were happy to go into town, when they talked and laughed and had fun with one another... a time when Emia and Izayah were as close as any two siblings could get. Those were the times she had longed for, the ones she wished stuck around after everything... Weren't families supposed to get closer in times of crisis? Like.... didn't struggles make them realize how much they all mattered or was daddy only making up stories again...? She hoped that this one was true... she wanted all this to just go away....

Izayah disappeared into the crowd of people, heading for daddy's shop as Emia and Nevayah began dropping off their tonics. It was only afterwords did Emia say anything, making sure that Izayah was completely out of earshot. She didn't want her brother to hate her more than he already, most obviously does... She wouldn't even be able to sleep in the same room with him if he somehow caught wind of this.

"....He's jealous of me..... isn't he....?" She asked, her head down-cast. She may have been young, but she wasn't ignorant. Izayah wasn't exactly going far to keep his emotions a secret though either. The real question was.... why did he hate mommy so much?

Lanister was busy all night with people coming and going, drinking and eating, but he always had time for his little boy. He would have laughed, seeing his child being picked up by ol' Max, but it was his response that kept his mouth shut. Izayah declared that he was nothing like his mother, something he hadn't said, implied or anything in between before now. Whatever humor was in Lanister in that moment died and was resurrected as nothing but concern. With a mere gesture, the bar-keep signaled his son over to one of the only empty stools, even helping the little child into it if needed. From there, Lanister would stare down at his child, a gaze both intense, but also caring.

"What was that about?" He asked, his voice HEAVILY implying he wasn't taking no for an answer.

[Blink]

Nevayah was slightly taken by her daughters question, one of many difficult inquiries she has had to answer lately. "Don't be ridiculous Emia... like I said bubby is just going through something right now." She looked at her daughter with concern in her eyes, hoping that one day everything would truly get back to normal. "So lets go trade these in shall we?" Nevayah reached down and patted her bag causing a light jingle from the glass bottles.

At the medicinal shop Nevayah was able to get plenty enough money to take Emia wherever she wanted to go. Counting out the coins she shoved them in her pocket... "So are you sure you want a weapon? Or maybe we could get you a new doll... or a dress?" Honestly she knew that if she did indeed get Emia a dagger that Izayah would probably still be upset.

In the bar Izayah smiled when he saw his father happy to finally be with him and not his mother and sister. Having been helped onto the stool he grabbed at the edge of the bar with his small hands. But when he caught his father's eyes he knew he was serious. "I am like you daddy because I don't....." he pursed his lips and avoided his gaze before continuing. "... cuz I wont ever give up. Not like mommy did." Truthfully Izayah was hurt that his mother gave up on them during the incident in their home. Even if it was only for a moment he saw his mothers eyes, he saw how she did not care that he was hurt.

"Im sposed to tell you that mommy and sissy are out shopping together and they didn't want me to come so I am here with you." Of course that was not exactly what Nevayah said, but it's how Izayah took it. "Mommy says that the only reason I had to come to town was to make sissy happy..." From there the child fiddled with his fingers as he tried to push back tears. He knew he had been cold lately, but he never expected to be pushed out like he was. Everything was always about Emia lately when it came to his mother. He felt like she did not love him anymore and he really didn't know why. "I think that mommy is buying Emia something to try and cheer her up. Cuz I'm bad and I make her sad all the time now..."

Pulling his knees up on the stool he wrapped his arms around them still averting the gaze of his father. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

[Salzem]

Nevayah's question went unanswered as the little girl truly thought about what she wanted. In truth, she didn't require the sword or dagger or whatever else she claimed she did. All Emia really wanted was her twin, the one she cared about above all others. She wanted to hold him, hug him, laugh and talk like the old days...

"I want my bubby back..." She nearly cried, running to her mother for support of any kind. She wrapped her little arms around Nevayah's waist, hugging her tightly as she truly felt the loss of her sibling. It was as if half of her had been scooped out, leaving Emia with a vague sense of emptiness that haunted her every second of every day. She wanted them all to sit at the dinner table and not have the children avoid eye-contact for fear of starting something. She wanted to just hold her twin as they slept, helping each-other through their nightmares that plagued them separate and alone now... She wanted her bubby... She wanted him so bad... All this buying and gifts Nevayah offered didn't matter... It was just a toy or a piece of clothing that would only hold her attention for a week or two before she started taking it for granted...

Ironically, this was exactly how Izayah was feeling right now as he poured his heart out to his father: Weak, ignored, taken for granted. Lanister's gaze softened a bit before he stepped out from behind the counter, pulling his son into a hug before picking him up gently and patting his back.

"Mommy never gave up...." He whispered, kissing his cheek softly. "She was a big help, you know... without her, I'd be hurt real bad..." He paused for a moment. "Mommy got hurt... very badly when she was just a little-one... things like what happened.... they hurt her too and make her remember..." Lanister paused, however as his little boy exclaimed how he was here because both his wife and his sister didn't want him to come with them, that the only reason they were going was to make Emia happy... that couldn't have possibly been the reason.... Lanister's brow furrowed as he examined his son, the grief and regret obvious on his face, some kind of self blame dancing along his features as if his and everyone else's misfortunes were his fault. Still, he chuckled lightly as Izayah guessed mommy was out buying something for Emia because he was bad.

"You couldn't be bad if you tried, you fruitcake..." Lanister snickered before hugging his son close before kissing his cheek. Lanister was aware that Izayah was acting out, that he was paying his twin less and less attention as the days passed, but between work and... more work... he had little time to actually consult with Nevayah on what to actually do... "You know... Mommy and Emia love you... Just as I do." He smiled softly at the little boy, stroking his cheek with his fingers. "I know that Emia wants nothing more than for you to talk to her... to be her friend again... I know that Mommy cares about you just as much as your sister... I know that we all care about you so much, little Izayah..." He set his son down gently on the stool once again before returning to his bar duties: currently cleaning glasses.

"Would you like some juice...? Water...?" Lanister asked, winking lightly. Of course, this was all on him, he was just playing around.

[Blink]

Her heart nearly split in two as her daughter simply stated that what she wanted more than anything really was to get her bubby back. Feeling heartbroken for her Nevayah picked up her daughter and held her there, in the middle of the street not caring who was watching. She could not help but cry a little too, both of the girls expressing their emotions to one another. "Sweetheart bubby never left, he is just in a hard place right now. Don't worry... everything will go back to normal soon."

Nevayah couldn't help but feel like part of this was her own fault. If she had just kept to herself and never begun selling her tonic the demon would have never found them. And yet here she was again selling it. "Emia.... Mommy is gonna fix this okay." Nevayah wiped at one of her eyes with a free hand while the other still held her daughter to her chest. Instinctively she kind of bounced Emia as she did so just how she did when her children were babies. Mustering up the best smile she could she stared into her daughters beautiful eyes, a reflection of the eyes she fell in love with four and a half years ago... the eyes that saved her and made all of this possible. "Let's go... I don't think there is anything here we really want to buy today."

Keeping her daughter in her arms Nevayah began to walk towards the bar where Lanister worked. "Let's go see daddy and then go home."

Inside the bar Izayah listened as his father told him of his mothers past and a vague description of the things she endured. It sent the boy into deep thought as he reflected on how he had been acting towards his mother and sister. Izayah was beginning to regret being so cold and mean, but he still couldn't completely shake this feeling he had in the pit of his stomach towards his sister. When his father called him a fruitcake he perked up a bit. Lowering his knees from the stool he sat up straighter, trying to act as big and tall as he could to make his father proud. But then he was asked what he wanted. Even though it was just a request on what the boy wanted to drink Izayah looked into it much deeper. "I want you to not work all the time daddy..."

If he had upset Lanister it was not his intention at all, he was simply speaking about the first thing that came to his mind. Izayah knew his mother was working a lot too... always mixing together herbs and testing them in order to make more money. He had also noticed that she didn't stick herself as much as she used to be. In a sense they were all working hard.. making up for things lost on that dreadful day.

By now Nevayah had made her way to the bar with Emia in tow. Greeted the same way as Izayah was Max appeared once more instead holding his arms out for Emia. "And here is the little Lanister now!" but instead of letting Max grab her Nevayah turned a bit. "Hi Max... I don't think she is in the mood for it tonight." She then gave him a half smile before pushing past him and towards the bar.

Izayah had heard what Max said to Emia and it caused his mood to shift to a bitter one once more. He wanted to be the one that was like his father. He wanted to be the one that when he did something everyone was going on about how much he acted like Lanister. But no, since he looked like his mother he was immediately the image of her. What the boy did not know was that he really did act just like his mother, he really was almost a carbon copy of her before she had children. Stubborn, strong willed, always wanting to help save someone no matter how small she was.

Nevayah could see that Izayah had perked up a bit when they first walked in, but now it was gone again. It hurt her heart to know that being compared to his mother was what bothered him... it had to be. Silently setting Emia down on the stool next to her brother Nevayah gave Lanister a lost look, like she didn't know what to do anymore. Her son hated her and he was jealous of his sister. Walking around the bar to where Lanister stood not caring about protocol or other customers Nevayah grabbed Lanister's arm and pulled him far enough away so that their children would not hear her. "We came to town because Emia wanted a sword. I managed to talk her down to a dagger but before we even got a chance to buy it she changed her mind. Anyways, I am going to take the two of them home and put them down for bed so they are asleep when you get home. I need to talk to you... we need to fix this."

It was so hard for Nevayah not to break down right there and tell Lanister everything. His presence alone made her want to talk about everything bothering her, but she could not. He was working and still had a good half an hour left in his shift. Reaching up to wipe away a stray tear she took in a deep breath. "I love you and will see you soon.", and then she pecked him on the lips before taking off towards the children. "Let's go home and let daddy work guys."

At first Izayah was thinking about refusing to leave, but then he figured he might as well ease up on his mother. The short talk he had with his father did help him a little more about understanding, but he was still confused. Sliding off of the stool he looked back at his dad one more time before following his mother out of the bar. Nevayah ushered for Emia to follow before leaving, overall not looking forwards to another silent walk home. If either of her children wanted to hold her hand as they walked Nevayah obliged, of course Izayah did not want to.

When they reached home Nevayah helped each of her children take off their boots and coats before following them into their bedroom and pulling out their night clothes. First she held out a white night gown for Emia, slipping it over her daughters head before picking her up and setting her in her bed. She then pulled the covers over her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I love you so very much my precious angel" she whispered before turning to Izayah.

Of course Izayah had already slipped on his night shirt without waiting for his mother, a habit he developed all on his own over the last two weeks. But then he did something out of character compared to the last few weeks. "Mommy?" his voice surprising her. "Can I talk to you?" Seeing the concern in his eyes Nevayah simply nodded before walking to the door and holding it open for him to follow. Obliging Izayah followed and found himself standing in the kitchen with his mother. Closing the door behind them so that Emia was not disturbed Nevayah then walked over to her son, crouching down to his level.

"Mommy... I'm sorry that I have been a bad boy. Daddy said some things to me about you when you were little. Can you tell me more?"

Nevayah was beside herself that Izayah was apologizing, but then mortified by the question that followed. Trying her best to make her story as appropriate as she could for her four years old's ears she began recounting a few things from her past. "Well you see baby when Mommy was very little I did not have parents around. I had these people that passed me around a lot... they took advantage of my special gift." Izayah nodded hoping she would continue. "Well mommy used to make her mind go blank so that I did not have to feel all the horrible things that were happening to me. But then I met your daddy and he saved me. Your daddy made me feel again and I will always love him so much for that. But then I had you and sissy and that made my heart even bigger."

She knew her explanation was a mess and VERY filtered but she didn't really know what else to say. Izayah on the other hand seemed to understand the majority of it and nodded when she was finished. "Well Mommy I want to be big and strong so that you never have to feel that way again." And then Izayah did something that caused Nevayah to almost melt away. Lifting his small hand he placed his palm over her heart looking at her with a very serious face. "I will protect your heart too otay?"

Completely overtaken with emotion Nevayah scooped up Izayah and hugged him tightly. "I love you so much!" she whispered as tears began to fall from her eyes.

Izayah hugged his mother back, tears streaming from his face too as they embraced one another. "I still have nightmares mommy. Can I lay with you for a little while?" Immediately Nevayah walked Izayah into her bedroom and laid him on the bed. Kicking off each of her boots she then crawled into the bed with him holding him as tightly to her as she could allow. Izayah was relieved that the tension between himself and his mother was finally over. He felt so at peace in her arms that he did just as he did when he was a baby and held a small strand of his mothers hair in his hand, playing with it until he slowly drifted off to sleep.

Nevayah on the other hand was wide awake even though she held her eyes closed. Her son's head just below her face she could smell his hair and feel his little hand playing with her hair until it slowly stopped. She was so happy and content in that moment that she did not want to move him. Eventually though she would have to, but decided to wait until Lanister came home. When Lanister did come home he would find his wife and son curled up together on their bed. A doting mother watching her son sleep. She would then get up carefully from the bed gentle enough so that Izayah did not awaken. From there Nevayah would quietly creep out of the bedroom and closing the door leaving Nevayah and Lanister alone in the living room.

[Salzem]

The male tainted only grinned at his son's response, ruffling his hair softly before taking out a small glass and filling it up with water and setting it in front of him.

Lanister smiled softly as his wife walked into the bar, always happy to see his family frequent his establishment. His smile, however, grew a bit strained as Izayah's chipper attitude fell back into a pit of bitterness once again, overhearing big-ol' Max note Emia's similarities too him. Lanister had no siblings that he knew of and that made the understanding of his children's sibling rivalry a bit harder to comprehend... The older tainted just couldn't quite grasp why Izayah felt this way towards her sister, why he even felt this way towards his mother... Why the little boy couldn't reciprocate the feelings for him onto his own twin and parent... Still, Emia was set upon a stool besides her brother and Nevayah pulled him off to the side, forcing him to abandon his post but with very little resistance from him. All the other patrons were finishing off their drinks and closing time was in a few minutes... He could afford not the be behind the bar for a few moments. What he expected to be a half-way decent conversation quickly took on a dark tone as Nevayah explained that they were out shopping because Emia wanted a sword (being down-played to a dagger) before she changed her mind entirely. Lanister didn't know how he felt about his little 4 year-olds having access to weapons like this and Izayah was ONLY supposed to be practicing with his sword when one of them was watching. While he was somewhat relieved that Emia had decided against wanting such a thing, he was somewhat angry that his wife had decided to comply with such a desire. Self defense was one thing, but with a defensive tool in the hands of someone who didn't even know who they were yet... such a thing could very quickly turn into a disaster.

"Alright, honey..." Lanister whispered, kissing Nevayah softly after she explained her plans at home. "Give me about 15 minutes and I'll be on my way... Say good night to the kiddies for me..." And with that, they were gone again. With a big sigh and a crack of his fingers, the male parent went about his duties... but he couldn't keep his mind of his children...

Emia was carried home by her mommy with Izayah walking besides, the little girl far too tired to make the trip back on her own. Between the late hours and the exhausting act of crying twice in one day, Emia was just completely wasted. Half asleep by the time they got home, the little red-eyed girl slipped into her white sleeping gown before being tucked in by the mother she loved, staring up at her with the sweetest red eyes Nevayah might've ever saw.

"I wov you too...." She whispered before dozing off, unable to resist the call to her sleep, even if she so very wanted too.

Lanister arrived home about 5 minutes later, tossing his apron on the coat-rack before flopping down at one of the kitchen chairs, just trying to recuperate some of his energy before the inevitable talk they had schedualed. Both the kids were now sleeping soundly in their beds, at least, that's what he expected before he saw his gorgeous, if exhausted Nevayah sneak out the door to their bedroom.

"Izayah's in there, huh...?" Lanister asked, nodding in the direction from which she came. "Nightmares again...?" Although this may have been the most logical reason he was sleeping in their bed, it was also likely he simply didn't want to share a room with his twin anymore. Both thoughts heavily disturbed him... Lanister patted the table beside him, gesturing for his wife to take a seat, eyes heavy with seriousness. At any other night, he might have jumped at the chance to have sexy-time with the woman he fell so deeply in love with.... but this was not the time for that and she knew it.

"So what's going on, Nevayah?" He asked, taking her hand gently in his.