On the Beach of Dreams

[MadEmperor]

Dan's surprise at that being true was evident on his face. "That... doesn't sound very advantageous to the human child. If a Fae child is at risk in the Fae realm, how could a mortal possibly be safe?"

"They do raise the stolen child?" he asked hopefully.

[DragonSong]

"Errrrr..." She blinked at him, opened her mouth—and realized quite abruptly that the whole "unable to lie" thing was also now part of her Whole Deal.

"Sometimes," she admitted on a sigh. "But the Folk aren't exactly known for being stellar parental figures. Some of the kids wind up as courtiers or wild folk—some actually make it back to the human world. And some..."

She trailed off, looking uncomfortable. "There's a reason people fear the Fae as much as they adore them." She frowned down at her lap again. "I mean, even in the best case scenario—someone's kid is getting stolen away. Depending on how good the changeling's glamour is they might never know but still..."

[MadEmperor]

Dan grew somber. "Yes. It's a terrible thing to do to someone. I suppose when you are ageless, the short lives of mortals might seem to have less worth."

"And what of the Fae child when grown? I assume the true parent comes to them and upends everything they've ever known. A better fate than their counterpart, certainly, but one I do not envy."

[DragonSong]

"Sometimes they do." She said quietly. "Sometimes they leave them to their own devices—and sometimes the faerie child is only told who and what they are so they can serve as an agent of whichever Court they should belong to in the human world."

She paused, then snorted suddenly. "Alright, when I put it in that sort of perspective, I guess Da hasn't been so bad."

[MadEmperor]

"He obviously cares what happens to you, and not simply because of some purpose he has for you," he said with a smile. "Which is a bare minimum level of parentage that even many mortals have trouble with. Especially those of noble blood; my own parents excluded."

"So, yes, we both could do worse. But I could do without the murderous sibling who's hated me since I was born." He tried to make it sound like a joke, but he was not as adept at hiding his emotions behind humor as his counterpart.

[DragonSong]

She exhaled a sharp breath that was half a laugh and nodded. "Yeah. I imagine most people would agree with you."

She glanced sidelong at him, then gave his shoulder a quick bump with hers. Neither of them had any way of knowing, of course, but it was very similar to the way her counterpart had first started showing casual affection to Grav. Not all that surprising--they were almost the same person, after all.

"C'mon. Let's head back and make sure Kit hasn't worried himself sick," she said with another small exhale.

[MadEmperor]

"Yes. Let's," Dan answered as he followed her back to the fire.


"So, that's the plan." With a hesitant expression, he finished recounting their rather insane plan to turn around and march back into the lion's den in the hopes of achieving some kind of balance with their alternate selves.

[DragonSong]

"That's not a plan," Kit replied bluntly. "That's a madcap idea standing on the shoulders of desperation wearing a long trench coat that looks like a plan."

"You got any better ideas?" Kiara demanded. When the dragon grumbled incoherently, she nodded once. "Yeah, thought so. Me either. So this is what we've got."

"I don't like it," Kit huffed.

"I don't think any of us like it," Kiara pointed out wryly.

[MadEmperor]

"Oh, I absolutely hate it," he chuckled ruefully. "After all, I'm the one he's really after. If we split right here, you two would be safe. But if we did, we'd never figure out what's happening with us."

"I don't know about you, but I've had enough of running from my problems."

[DragonSong]

"And I don't think running would do us much good, at this point," Kiara pointed out with a wide gesture between herself and Kit. "Looks like if we want to get this sorted, we've gotta face this shit head-on."

The dragon sighed, warm breath ruffling the flames of the campfire. "Fine. Guess I don't have any clever quips for that so..."

He looked between the two of them. "What's our first step?"

[MadEmperor]

"We find our way back to Eldridge. I know someone in town that can get us onto the estate unnoticed. She worked for the family until my brother had her fired; she never told me why, but my best guess makes my blood boil," he answered as if he hadn't just thought it up on the spot. He did tell her that the townsfolk liked hi, so it made sense that he could call on someone for aid. Well, unless he was one of those clueless fops that only thought he was well liked.

[DragonSong]

"Well. It's a start, I guess," Kit huffed grudgingly.

"You sure this woman will be willing to help us?" Kiara pressed, somewhat more gently. "I mean...it sounds like your brother could absolutely ruin her life if this all goes south."

[MadEmperor]

Dan sighed heavily. "Perhaps it is best that we find another way. I couldn't live with myself if we made her situation worse by involving her."

"Of course," he chuckled ruefully and a little madly, "if we fail, I may well not have to live with anything."

[DragonSong]

"Well hey, don't go there yet," Kiara said mildly. "That's losing the battle before you've fought it." She bit her lip and frowned. "What are our other options? If we don't have a stealthy way in, I mean--what are the estate's weaknesses?"

[MadEmperor]

She was right; no good could come of thinking of what happens should they fail. They could only push forward.

He stroked his chin in thought, going over the entire estate in his head. Maybe... "There is a spot along the east wall where a tree branch hangs over into the back garden. We might be able to sneak in there. Or, if we abandon stealth almost entirely, there's a crack in the north wall that Kit could likely break through. Or you could use your newfound oomph to blast our way in."

"Or, actually, what if you disguised yourself as a bounty hunter and brought he in through the front door?"

[DragonSong]

"That--" Kiara opened her mouth, shut it, frowned, then said slowly, "That...might actually work. I mean, some of your brother's men saw you leave with me, but they wouldn't have any reason to think I wouldn't bring you back if I heard about a bounty..."

She looked at him with a hint of concern. "Are you sure you're up for something like that?"

[MadEmperor]

Dan released a shaky breath as he nodded resolutely. "I have always thought I was brave, but it was not until I met you that I really understood what it meant to put your life on the line. I want to prove to myself, once and for all, that I'm not all talk. And I trust that you'll get me through this in one piece."

[DragonSong]

"Dear gods." Kiara rolled her eyes, laughed sharply, then stuck her hand out toward him. "Well. Here's hoping you haven't put your faith in the wrong thief."

Kit snorted, curving his tail around to cover his front paws as he sat primly behind her.

[MadEmperor]

Dan shook her hand once. "You could have betrayed me or just abandoned me multiple times already. I think I have faith in just the right thief."


Grav yawned awake, nuzzling against the back of her shoulder. "Mmnn... morning..."

[DragonSong]

Kiara murmured sleepily and turned her head back toward him, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead with her eyes still closed.

After a moment, more properly awake, she noted, "Well...it could have been worse."