Change of Heart

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WHAT?! NO!

A sigh. Oh, refusal. How original. Nik, darling, do you know how many times I've done this? I've made mother's kill their children. Making you kill an elf you've known for barely three months shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Nik's fist clenched, his teeth clenched in a snarl he didn't voice out loud. You can't make me kill her! The red presence laughed, making him flinch with the pain it caused. Oh, Niklomaus, you have no idea what I can make you do, the things I can make you see.

He didn't know why, but his eyes were suddenly drawn down to his hands and Nik nearly jumped out of his skin, seeing the blood that coated him and his eyes flickered around frantically, watching as the puddle beneath him spread out in thick, red waves upon the field, flooding over the bones he sat upon. It was over as soon as it had begun and she said nothing more, point made, leaving the halfbreed to tremble with the after affect, fear a cloying darkness around him.

He didn't note Amara at his side until she spoke and he looked up, confused and scared, and desperately trying to hide the latter as he attempted to breathe. Nik forced a smile, standing slowly and he looked out to where Lyra was, feeling that crushing fear grow tighter around his heart. He couldn't kill her. He couldn't! The halfbreed closed his eyes tightly for a moment, trying to gain some equilibrium before he opened them again and looked to Amara again.

"Amara, I love your daughter. I would do anything for her and I think we both know it. Now please, how is she?"
 
Fondness touched her lips though she wasn't so blind not to notice the boy seemed shaken up about something she could neither see or sense. Putting a hand to his arm giving it a tender squeeze before she exhaled hard. Brows pressed tight together. As much as it pleased her to hear him state he actually loved Lyra, she couldn't help herself but feel a bit of tingling sadness behind her heart. Lyra needed to open herself up to the idea of her feelings for this man, and she was no slouch not to take notice that her daughter's affections where there.

It was minor, hard to see to those who didn't know her but it was there. "Better than she should be, but that is to be expected when she has been taking matters into her own foolish hands." Amara wasn't sure how much Nik knew about it being dangerous to heal one's own self. It was almost a poison, pure and heavy and it held a risk of causing death. Healing was meant to be to others, never to one self. It was selfish and if the goddesses allowed it they weren't giving a blessing but it was being forced. Lyra had tempted dangerous magic. "She has been healing herself, when and where I am not sure and honestly I know she won't tell a soul about it. She's about as difficult as a old mule set in its ways. But I think she will be alright for the time. Of course she'll be fatigued easily but if she can start moving in simple tasks then her strength will return."


A palm pressed to her side, "Stubborn child." Olive eyes looked up to him again giving him a gentle squeeze. "You look distressed my son, are you alright?"
 
Nik looked almost stricken at the news Amara delivered. Lyra had been a good teacher. He knew about the different aspects and dangerous of healing as part of his training and he knew very well what Amara was saying Lyra was doing was dangerous. He felt the frustration with the blond elf bubble up and he brought his hand up, pinching his nose tightly for a moment before he let out a long, deep sigh, feeling overwhelmed. He couldn't even get her to stay seated. How was he to get her to stop doing something that could harm her so severely? Did she not realize what it would do to him, what it would do to everyone, if she were to decline again!? Did she have no effing sense?!

Nik forced his fists to loosen and he shook his head, white hair brushing his eyes as he finally looked up and back to Amara. "I will do what I can to make sure she's looked after." It was all he could promise. It's not like Lyra would listen to him anyway and Amara was not stupid, she knew that as well as he did.

While his focus had been on Lyra and her condition - and his irritation toward her for being such a moron - the fear that the red woman had caused had been put on the back burner. Now, however, at Amara's words it came back full force, seeming more than happy, giddy even, about plaguing him and the halfbreed gave a shaky sigh, swallowing hard. Between her gentle touch and caring words, he was more than tempted to just tell her, but those red eyes appeared in his mind again, clearly threatening.

If you speak, I will make sure she's next.

Nik willed himself not to shake and he made himself nod slowly, looking down at the priestess only when he knew that his expression was neutral. "I'm fine. Just worried for Lyra." It wasn't an outright lie. It just wasn't the full truth.
 
Amara tilted her head to him her gaze narrowed softly considering him carefully under a mother's gaze rather than a priestess, she hummed. "She's a fighter dear, and it shouldn't be your concern to look after her so thoroughly. Don't try to do so much by yourself. You need to rest as well child, why don't you see if Jak or Zen will come put up with her attitude a little while?" she nodded, "Get some rest Niklomaus, you need it. You look exhausted."


Turning her head around to see Lyra a fair distance away, she was sitting out in the field with the horses the red dun plopping itself down to laze close to its owner; the gelding seemed content to poking around looking for grass to graze upon under her. "I'll check on you both in a while, please don't over exert yourself." she grinned warmly to him, bidding her own farewell before yelling something at Lyra which only had her doing something that was easily stated as not listening and being mouthy. Typical.
 
-----

He kept waking in places he could not remember traveling to. The forest. The middle of town at 3:00 am. The sparring ground with a sword in his hand. The field outside the house, now scorched with the fire that had erupted from his body in a dream state - and hell, he'd had a hard time making excuses about that one to Lyra. He never knew when he'd gotten up in the night or what he might have done before waking where he did. And it was terrifying Nik.

It was a week of that, just that, before he started seeing things in his waking moments, things he shouldn't have. Blood dripping from his hands. The town on fire. People with half their faces missing, showing bone and rotting tissue beneath. A mother stabbing her child. Warriors slaughtering each other in a sparring match. Objects in his way that never were actually there at all. Worms in any food he tried to eat.

Nothing was making sense anymore and it seemed the better Lyra got, the worse he got. She was back to her cocky, stubborn, infuriating ways. If she was sore and still a bit stiff, she didn't mention it, already griping about wanting to get back in training and then the front lines. She seemed determined that this new enemy not beat her, wanting to face them again to prove something to herself and to them both. She took to any and every activity she could to get her strength back up and left many wanting to strangle her with her antics to get her way. But she WAS getting better and no one could deny that THIS was the Lyra they'd all wanted to see.

Nik couldn't have been happier to see her light up again, even if it was just in anger and mischief. He'd missed it and often he found himself bickering with her again, leaving her things that made her roll her eyes at him as she used to and spending time with her just doing every day things that neither of them seemed to note as being progressive steps in their interactions together. Those were happy moments for Nik, things he treasured because the rest of the time....

He was wary of his own shadow - and that had done some disturbing things too - wasn't eating, tried actively not to sleep and the more time passed, the more withdraw he became so that by the end of the second week, his entire demeanor had shifted. He was quiet again, avoided being too close to someone - especially Lyra, but it wasn't just her and that was obvious - and tended to stay away from prolonged interactions. He hadn't gone to the town in four days, finding it too overwhelming and horrifying to do so. And all the while he had HER in his head, taunting, whispering, threatening and always, always reminding him that she'd get her way. She would make him kill Lyra and there was nothing he could do to stop her. She was wearing him down, plucking the thin, taunt cords of his sanity to a breaking point.

It was during one of these malicious, whispered conversations inside his head that Nik stood from the table, food untouched and without a word, left the house. He could feel the darkness throughout him spreading and the urge to grab a knife and just end it - he wasn't sure if the blade would have ended up in Lyra or himself - was overwhelming. He knew he needed to get away before he did something stupid and Nik took off as soon as his feet hit the grass, sprinting for the forest.

He couldn't hurt anyone there.
 
Something was wrong and it was nattering like a mad chipmunk at her; constantly nagging and insisting. And it wasn't with her for once it was with him. Everything seemed to have snapped in his skull. Not only had she seen the odd antics he was playing around with, Jak was hearing about it. Citizens talking about the strange interactions with the once upon happy to help Sidhe to the one that was screaming and jumping around like a lunatic that just lost his mind. Which she wasn't so sure he wasn't.

And she had enough.


Where the hell he went today, she had no idea and she was quite sick of it. Rooting around in the forest, she sighed. "Marsin? Come on I know you're out here somewhere, please?" Lyra rubbed her neck sorely, when would this just go away all together?, "Something's wrong with Nik and I... I need help." She didn't know really whom else she could turn too other than the one who was always around and the one Nik always seemed to flee too in the moments of greatest terror.
 
Werewolves pledged to Sidhe were curious creatures. When a pack or an individual wolf swore a blood oath to a people or just one person, they were subject to that person's commands. Refusal to comply ended in the werewolf's death. It was an honor to have a werewolf, much less a pack, sworn to a someone or more than one someone. The Sidhe had possessed the loyalty of werewolves for centuries, often the blood oath going from generation to generation. There were always loopholes, though, especially with a pack and if that pack was sworn to a group of people. They could latch on to one person above others and in that way could have more free will, but in latching on to that one person, they were far more susceptible to that person's will.

So was the reason that Marsin and the pack would not challenge Nik when he was in his Elemental stage. They could not harm him, could not fight him. It was against the oaths they'd sworn to all Sidhe. Nik's state recently had forced them to worry and watch for him, but when he coldly told them to keep away, they had to. There was no choice in the matter and though they chaffed at it and did what they could to go around the command, they were subject to his will even if his will wasn't quite his own anymore.

Marsin came to Lyra willingly - very much so - and the rest of the pack did as well. Six wolves in all, two females and four males and only Marsin and Nyaisah shifted up into their humanoid forms after they'd appeared out of the forest like mist. The other four growled and paced amongst themselves, hackles up and teeth bared in their agitations as they watched the forest and Lyra both. The black werewolf spoke heavily.

"Yes, we know something is wrong. We just haven't been able to help."

The gray wolf at his side nodded, snarling softly in her speech. "Whatever is causing this in Niklo, we can't fight it and he won't speak to us. He won't even let us near him." Silver eyes pinned azure. "It's about time you showed up."

"Nyaisah!" Marsin snapped at her, but the female pinned her ears and shrugged him off, arms folded and her tail stiff behind her. She wasn't going to apologize. The black male growled, exasperated and looked to Lyra again with a neutral gaze. "Perhaps you know of someone who might be able to help?"
 
"Ugh!" she drug her hands down her face hearing his response when she came searching for him. Well that did a fat lot of good for nothing! Though with the smaller gray wolf making a comment, Lyra shot her a loot in return. "What the hell do you want from me!" hands pressed to her chest, "It's not like he is coming to tell me anything either, you guys are his family not me. What lot of good does it do for me to come out here," she narrowed her gaze to the snarky female sighed out of sheer frustration, her own ears pinned back out of annoyance and lack of ability to help. She was angry because she didn't know what do to. For once she didn't have an answer. "He isn't himself. Not like I know exactly how he is all the time but this," she shoved her hands forward as if pointing to something, "This isn't it. The whole city knows something's wrong. And I'm expected to know what to do! I'm nothing in all this got it. Nothing!" Lyra growled at herself, "Friends aren't suppose to keep secrets like this from each other!" shoving her hands brutally though her loose bangs, Lyra shook her head. Shook it as if it was going to give her some sort of information.

"Marsin, I need help here. I'll plead for if you want, Nik didn't ask for whatever the hell is going on and I will be the first to admit I am probably the problem behind it. But how can you say you can't help asking me to look for another. He is your family! Family doesn't give a crap what the other says if they tell you to go away, you don't listen. Something's wrong and I am asking for help. Do you know how hard that is to do?" she was mulling people through her mind tirelessly but honestly they weren't going to anything. Something! Anything!


Pinching her nose keeping her own emotions locked behind shut eyes she turned away from them. She was hurt, angry, distraught and yet they weren't going to do anything. "I'll keep looking for someone to help but please," she turned looking to the dark male, pressing her lips tight ignoring the tears bristling hot in her eyes looking at him, "Do something. Do you want to loose him to whatever the heck is going on in his head, in his heart cause that's what's going to happen. Screw whatever rules you have, you know he needs you, don't turn your backs on him because of some pact you have that says you shouldn't. Quit being cowards to face him cause honestly, that's not family!" Lyra was ranting, she hated seeing this, she hated all of it and not having an answer.
 
Marsin let her speak her mind, knowing very well what she was feeling - at least most of it - because he'd constantly felt that way about the halfbreed they'd adopted from a young age. He kept the other wolves from saying anything through the bond they shared, the one where an alpha could control another wolf or more than one if their will was strong enough. Marsin's will was forged in steel. The other canines had shifted up to their humanoid forms, many of them bristling, but while they growled viciously, none of them spoke. None but Nyaisah, but then again, she'd always been a very strong-minded werewolf. She could have led a pack of her own if she'd been a bit older and probably would someday.

"How dare you! You have no idea what we have endured for that child! We have never turned our backs on Niklo! Who are you to tell call us cowards!? Where were YOU when he was beat or when he cried himself to sleep?! Did you comfort him when he was sick and bandage him when he bled!? You have no right-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH, NYAISAH!!" Marsin roared it and the other wolves crouched, whining, ears back and tails between their legs at the anger in his tone as he towered over the gray she-wolf. She growled back at him, not ready to relent. "She-"

"She has every right! She is Nik's mate and he claims her. You would do well to remember the laws of your own pack, Nyaisah! We do not strike out at our own and Lyra is just as much ours as Nik is because she's his. Now hold your tongue!" he snarled out and this time the she-wolf kept silent, seething, but knowing her place once more as Marsin turned to Lyra and like a gear was switched he spoke gently. "It is not through any cowardice or lack of desire to aid Nik that we keep away from him, Lyra. It is because we do care so much for him that his will is so strong over us, that he's able to command us away. We swore a blood-oath and sometimes it backfires." He sighed.

"Fortunately, despite what you've said, you are not nothing, not to Nik, and because you ARE family to him, there is a loophole in the oath now that you've come to us." Now Marsin did smile and it was a devious smile. "See, as his mate, your word is just as good as his and if you command us to help you, then his command is void." The other wolves' ears perked and they looked at each other, not having known this. The black wolf looked at Lyra directly. "Now, I ask again, is there anyone you can think of that might help us because if you can, we will bring Nik to them, whether he wants to come or not."
 
She was more than ready to fight with this female wolf, and actually welcomed it but hearing Marsin snap, well... she cringed back herself expecting his ire to come flying at her next. Though deeper down past the hurt, past the anger frothing readily in her belly, she didn't blame him for a lecture.

But it didn't come. Actually quite the opposite, carefully looking back up to him she nodded to him. Anger fueled words thrown around in a hazy tiff, she didn't want to fall to her knees and beg but what else was she suppose to do. Though she didn't know they were blood sworn to the sidhe, that little information was very interesting. But within that same breath it meant trouble if they could not rally against Nik's command to see them sit on the side lines. Chomping down on her bottom lip drawing blood into her mouth just keeping her mouth shut from all the flustered emotions rolling dangerously in her body, she hummed at his final word about her coming to them.

Perching a brow to him as if he just sprouted two heads, was he really saying she had the ability to defy Nik's ruling. She was dumbfounded by that - not to mention being called a mate to the sidhe, that seemed just weird- Lyra cleared her throat trying to think of someone, anyone close enough to handle Nik.

She knew many great and talented mages in the human territories but a two week walk was not in the cards. Then like a thump on her head from a cane, she jolted upright straightening her back. "Arrah!" Lyra looked up to Marsin, "Arrah can, she's the strongest seer not to mention the most mulish woman ever in this city of Faradar, she should be able to help. Even if she can't she should be able to do something for Nik that we can take him into the Human lands. The mage guild there, where I apprenticed would be the other choice."

Rolling up her sleeves Lyra nodded furiously quick, "Please Marsin, grab him kicking and screaming if you have too, and bring him there. Whatever is wrong with him, we need to purge him of it." Lyra turned around stopped on her heels and reverted right back to look back up to the looming furry creature. "Thank you, honestly."

She didn't wait to hear his response, no she took off running back towards the horse. She could go running all the way across town but she stopped to fling herself up onto Heaven knowing she was more of a fleet foot than Noble was.

~~~~~~~~


Squishing into the ground as Heaven continued to trot without her getting the mare to stop, Lyra cursed herself for the tight pull of agony through her core but it was quickly ignored. "Arrah!" She turned around looking all over the woman's yard for her, 'Please no cane, please no cane...'
 
The cane came out of nowhere - as did the seer herself - and how the small old elf managed to use it when Lyra was so high up on Heaven was a mystery never to be solved. It thumped down on Lyra's head and Arrah's cracking voice came after it. "What has taken you so long?! I mean, really! Everyone dawdling about like we have all the time in the world! Get down here now, Little Lyra and help me with this." Not waiting for a reaction, the old elf shuffled back to her house, expecting to be followed.

"Hold this."

A spoon was shoved into Lyra's hands as the seer scurried about her home, a place of hanging herbs and beads and feathers. It seemed eclectic and cluttered and in some sense dangerous, as if you didn't want to touch anything for fear of what it could do to you. It fit the old elf well as she stooped over a kettle and pinched some herbs in, holding at her hand without looking up for the spoon.

"Eh, should have been better prepared.....moved faster than I thought.....Lyra! Just what have you been doing with your body, child?!" Furious green eyes pinned the she-elf to the wall. "You know better than to do self healing. Of all the foolish things..." She muttered off, not finishing the lecture and instead ladled the brew she was making into a cup, looking out the window. "Now, where are those damn wolves? Oh."

Shuffling out of the house, she grabbed Lyra's shirt and pulled the younger elf after her. "I will be looking your over after this, so don't you go skulking off." With that warning, she moved to where the wolves were, holding a very unconscious Nik between them. Marsin shook his head at the look he received. "We didn't do it. We found him thus."

"Can you help him?"

A thump on the head answered Nyaisah and she yelped like a scolded dog and the seer scowled. "If you would all use your brains, I would have been able to do something sooner, now bring him." She waddled her way to a makeshift bed already laid out near a fire and the wolves were quick to do as she wanted before they scuffled away.
 
Rubbing her head she scowled at the woman from receiving the whack to her head. "I am going to break your cane if you do that again!" the old crone was gone into the house in a flash though she doubted she didn't not hear her comment. Probably would another good knock to her skull at this rate.

Barely being able to walk into the house, a spoon was shoved at her while she was chirping and ranting at her without a word edgewise. Was this really such a good idea then? "Don't," she started to say about her giving her crap about self healing, stopped and was tugged brutally out of the house by her shirt. "Could you at least buy me dinner first before you start accosting me!" she pouted ardently, plopping herself down on the ground. She wouldn't be allowed to get near Nik anyways with this insane woman being so out of her mind! She'd sulk here then.

Finally she stood again following them into the house as she actually out right laughed at Nyaisah getting a pelt to her head, "Doesn't feel so good does it." she was being mean but teasing.


"Arrah what is going on, you seem to know more than the rest of us do," Lyra pushed through to come up close, "Could you know maybe stop being so eccentric for once and tell us what's going on then maybe we would have known to come sooner." She glared at her.
 
Another thump on the head answered that glare and the seer hummed softly to herself after that, saying nothing at first as she carefully poured her mysterious concoction down Nik's throat, making sure he swallowed as she moved his throat. When that was done, then and only then did she look at those around her, expression very stern and solemn and even angry. "Should have known to come sooner anyway. Especially you." She pointed to the wolves and they pinned their ears and some whined softly, but they didn't comment and Arrah turned on Lyra then.

"And you! Taking so long to care!" She turned away, grumbling to herself about stubborn elves who didn't know what was good for them. Honestly! Did these two not realize how much they needed each other! Stubborn she-elf and him! Still too hesitant to just speak the words out loud. Well. Perhaps it better that they go through this, the stubborn, exasperating children who didn't like to listen to the wisdom of their elders.

"Lady Arrah?"

Marsin's voice was respectful, but questioning and the seer looked up at him calmly. Her formidable cane stayed where it was...nowhere in sight. "He's got a dream-caster in his head. He's been fighting her for a little over a month."

"What?!"

"Do not be shouting at me! Honestly, making an old female's ears ring." Marsin's ears went back, her own pitch enough to almost hurt and Nyaisah mumbled something far from flattering under her breath. Yep, there went the cane again. Arrah was rather liberal with it today. "Be polite to your elders." she reprimanded without faltering and the she-wolf rubbed her head again and this time backed away a safe distance, scowling as the rest of the pack snickered a little.

"Now, she's devious this dream-caster, but I trapped her inside Niklomaus's mind so she couldn't spread out and gain secrets about his environment. Unfortunately for the poor fool himself, I could not push her out. She must leave of her own free will. Had to figure out what she wanted first."

"And that is?"

Arrah frowned. "The future is hazy, shrouded in a fog to me concerning this." She huffed to herself and then pointed at Lyra. "She does want him to kill you, though, so good thing you finally caught on, eh? I do think it's time to get her out of there. Goddess only knows what she's put him through. Nasty little witches, dream-casters."
 
She was growling rubbing her head again, "I am going to shove that cane somewhere that it shouldn't grace!" Lyra snapped not backing down not, "And screw you! Just because your all seeing doesn't mean you're all knowing you old bat!" teeth gritted, "Hit me with that again and I'll won't be responsible for my actions." It was a full on threat now and one she dared Arrah to test her limits. Yes she cared and it was killing her to know that she was on this impasse being struck like a child.

Whipping right around to have her back facing, she was listening glowering hating the very thing they were talking about, seething pure and rich. Oh she was going to kill him after he was freed of this witch, how can he not trust her to find a way to let her know not to mention his wolves. Yes he was in a whole new whole of trouble. She could understand wanting to figure things out yourself but there was a point and time that you had to realize you weren't going to win and needed to find help elsewhere. At any means.

Hearing the cane strike out again, Lyra whipped around actually grabbing the damn thing from Arrah and throwing it across the room. Tension built thick in her shoulders, "Don't. You . Ever. Hit. Them!" She was shaking mad. How dare she, how dare she! She knew about this and said nothing to any of them and now had the gull to lecture them about this. They were all frantic and wanting answers they didn't know. How else were they suppose to react when the two people who knew about this had kept it silent. Selfish! Entirely selfish and she was done playing nice with anyone. By her the grace of her lips and the purity of her blood, theses wolves were more family than she knew Nik had and Arrah knew better than to push her limits. Lyra gritted her teeth, a tone dark and murderous filled thick through her; "Fix this then. And if this bloody dream caster thinks I am that easy to kill, it's got another thing coming." Reason? No it wasn't there.
 
Well. It was about damn time.

Arrah looked at Lyra rather calmly, not startled in the least by her ranting and raving, and actions. She was hardly moved by the young elf's threats. She was far more moved by her emotions and how Lyra was now expressing them. It was good. Overdue. Sitting down tranquilly by Nik's shoulder, the old elf set her fingers to his temples, concentrating on her task now, but also speaking just as easily into the silence Lya's temper had wrought.

"Yes, child, you are not easy to kill. Hence why the dream-caster had to break Nik down over time to even get him to a point where he might start to want to do as she demanded. He has not reached that point as of yet, hence the running away."

"Why didn't he tell us?" Marsin intoned quietly.

"He wanted to. He almost told your mother, Lyra, two weeks ago, but the dream-caster knows every weakness, every thought in a person's head once they have gotten a hold. She threatened your mother and so Nik remained quiet for all your sakes. And *I* remained silent because I can see more than any of you the benefits in doing so." The old seer glared at them all and Lyra especially. "Do not think that just because I do not speak that I do not care or that I do not know when to act! You can not see the great pattern like I can, you do not know how your threads are woven around each other. So be silent in your judgement of such things."

She held out her hand then and her cane flew into it before the seer set it down beside her once more and she turned her attention back to Niklomaus, frowning severely as his lids started to move and his body shake. She pulled back quickly, mumbling to herself, and he stilled again. "I can not push her out. She's in too deep."

"Then what are we to do?"

Arrah sighed, looking very reluctant about what she was going to say. "In order for the dream-caster to leave, Nik must kill Lyra. Of course, we can't allow that, so since today is a day of loopholes.." She muttered a bit more to herself as she stood to retreive something and Marsin growled, his temper fraying as well. There was no thump this time and in fact Arrah set her hand on his head gently when she came back. "Patience. The loophole is thus; if Nik believes he's killed Lyra then there is a good chance, not a complete one, but a good chance the dream-caster can be fooled into believing he has as well and will leave."
 
She was listening, furious to a whole new level but listening. Hands ran down her face cupping around her nose and mouth, while Arrah was defending herself, she was not believing her. Her stupid careless actions could have prevented this! Could have! Her mother was strong and she got that reasoning why he didn't say something but she was better. She didn't have a tie to the dream person creature thing! What she said was invalid.

"I will not be silent in my judgment." She seethed, "You had no bloody right Arrah, none what so ever! Damn your tongue, damn your visions and damn you. I won't forgive you for this, you could have helped us avoid this, helped us find something so he didn't have to suffer alone. Damn you! You have no heart, none instead you follow your path of tendrils and hope we see if before it's too late." She welled, cursing colorfully clenched her gaze shut letting the tears run over her freckled cheeks. "When this is done Arrah, that's it. No more meddling, nothing. I'm done with your patronizing ways and risking everyone's feelings because you can't seem to think with more than your stupid visions."

She wanting nothing more to storm out, to lash out at something anything. She could have cared less about the idea of slaughter herself to spare him and set his mind free of this damn plague. "Just get this over with so we can split ways permanently." Her heart felt as if it wanted to crush into itself, the bubbling furious of her own abilities striking wildly out within the realm of herself, and all this because of someone not willing to speak the truth.
 
The seer had gone quiet and she nodded slowly at Lyra, eyes sad, but proud in some way also. "You are right, child. I do think with my visions far more than I do with my heart. I always have. And you can now see the road it has led me down. Be wiser than me, Little Lyra. Do not let fear or your mind always overrule your heart."

So saying, she spoke firmly afterward. "Now, this will take some time and I can not be interrupted during it. Lyra, you will have to be gone before he wakes, as will you wolves. He must believe he's done something terrible and he must see none of you. However, Lyra, you must not be far away once the dream-caster has departed. He must see you then or I fear we will lose him." She spoke very factually and ignored the growls her words elicited as she got to work. The very first thing she did was take a jar of blood - no one asked where she'd gotten it - and pour it strategically over the male, rubbing it up and down his arms and over his hands, streaking some on his face so that it would be dry by the time she was done.

It took hours. Messing with someone's mind was not easy. Messing around when they already had someone in there and you couldn't let that someone know you were poking around? Arrah wasn't even going to try and explain how difficult that was. She simply went about her task, having the werewolves hold the male down when he his body would grow taunt with pain and his back would arch, mouth opening in a silent scream that didn't have a voice. His own subconscious fought her just as much as the red presence did and when Arrah finally pulled back, she looked very ashen, but stern as she pointed to the door. "Leave and do not be seen."

The wolves filed out and Marsin went after Lyra, wishing he knew how to comfort the elf, but not daring to touch her. They didn't go far, still close enough to hear everything that went on the in house - they were not very trusting right now - but out of view.

--

Nik woke feeling like his head would explode. The white-haired male groaned, feeling how raw his throat was and he blinked, not recognizing his surroundings in the least. A frown marred his features as he searched around, feeling a cold pit of dread in his stomach that he didn't understand. Something had happened....what was it? Sitting up and then standing slowly, he took note of the blood as soon as his clothes crunched a bit. For a moment Nik simply stared, almost like he was waiting for it to disappear, but after a moment a trembling hand touched the fabric and he knew it was real. The cold feeling in his stomach turned to ice and plummeted a few hundred feet.

Where? What?

"I'm sorry, Nik."

The voice made his eyes whip to Arrah, seated in a chair and looking very solemn.

"W-what did I d-do?"

Those green eyes just looked at him with a deep sadness, no a deep grief, and Nik felt his heart freeze as an image flickered up from his mind, like a dream but far more real. He stared at the old elf in growing horror and disbelief. No. No, that hadn't happened! That wasn't true! It couldn't be! Pale blue eyes looked down at his hands, covered in blood and Nik struggled to breathe, gasping and finding no air whatsoever. He didn't know when his knees hit the ground, feeling nothing as his body started to shake violently in shock and denial. NO! He looked up again. "I-I-I didn't...I didn't mean to!" It was a desperate plea and Arrah didn't move, voice soft. "I'm sorry, Nik. I was too late."

It took a moment to truly register. How could he accept something like that? But the proof was on his hands, in his own memory, in the fact that the red woman inside his head was chuckling in a rather satisfied way.

A sound of pure, raw despair pulled from the depth of Nik's being then as he brought his head to his hands, fingers curling in his white hair. He rolled to his side with a moan that turned into a cry of grief, sobs following soon behind that tore at him, threatening to break him in half. Broken words whispered into the void of crushing guilt around his heart. "No...no...Lyra...sorry, so sorry...L-Lyra..."

He was lost to the world as Arrah approached the crying male and placed her hand on his head, eyes closing in a conversation between just her and the dream-caster. You got what you wanted. Now depart from him.

Oh, but it's so much more fun to stay and watch! You're taking away the fun part.

You completed your vile task. Leave him to mourn in peace at least!

A sigh. Fine. Do tell Nik when he's coherent enough that I look forward to seeing him again very soon. With those parting words and a chuckle, she fled the halfbreed and Arrah couldn't detect her anymore. Giving a sigh, the seer moved away from Nik and instead went to the door. "It is safe now." she called out wearily.
 
Leaving with Marsin she knew he was concerned, how? Just something about his demeanor said he was, not that she could blame him. This was a horrible trick to do to anyone! No one deserved to have this sort of false image put upon them. It was cruel, horrid. Downright monstrous.

Yet she left, walking a bit away that she could be hidden away as much as she hated the very idea she did it. If this wanted to work, she couldn't be seen. That she understood but it didn't make her feel any better, no it only encouraged her to feel far beneath terrible.

Crouching down, she shook her head gritting her teeth. "This... this is immoral." she muttered clear enough lifting a side eye to glance over the black male. "I can't even begin to imagine all the hell he has gone through before but now this. It's a disgrace." she wasn't fueled as righteously but her anger this time but it was there. No it was anger directed at herself. She should have been more aware, more attentive to notice that he was plagued by an unseen curse. All this, she could have done something more instead of subjecting him to believe he committed a crime. Killing to protect was one thing, dirty and horrible in its own rights but this... this was an act of hell.

She cringed hearing the calamity rising from the house, the sobbing and she damn near lost it. If it hadn't been for the large wolf looming around, there was no doubt in her mind she would have stopped this before it came to such a scene. Her gut clenched, heart wrenched as she cursed time and time again. Punching to that of the ground, Lyra shuddered, 'These dream creatures... murderous monsters, they'll regret ever harming a single person.' she swore that behind closed lips, privately for herself.

Hearing the creak of the door, she looked to Marsin firstly uncertain if she could just suddenly appear and act like this was an alright thing to do. She knew it was for his sanity but at what cost! For slaggin sakes, she adored the stubborn mule more than she thought. This was crossing a line, they had hurt someone she had an affection for and they'd be sorry for it. That was a vow she kept close to her heart.


Rising slowly brushing off her pants, letting the wolf take the lead first tossing a curious look around to see if the rest of the pack would return - not that she expected any less- she stopped before the steps towards the front door. She wasn't going in there, not to see him like this. All this caused because she posed a threat, no... that place was hell, sin in its finest.
 
Marsin agreed with every word coming from Lyra's mouth and when the sounds of grief came from the house, it took every inch of willpower for the wolf not to rise up and take Nik away from all this. It didn't help that he had to impose his will on the others to keep them in place as well and by the time the seer told them they could come back, the black wolf was seething with rage toward everything and everyone. The only people not included in that were his pack of which included Nik and Lyra. He stood swiftly and his towering form went into the house without a word. Once there, he picked Nik up as if he were a child, letting the sobbing halfbreed curl into him like he'd done time and time again as a youngling.

Without a word to the seer, he walked out of the house and looked to Lyra, silently telling her to follow. They'd all handle this on their own from here on out. As they melted into the trees with the she-elf in tow, the rest of the wolves came around them, snarling and unhappy as they listened to their 'youngest' member grieve. Marsin was already speaking softly to Nik and had succeeding in quieting the halfbreed somewhat by the time all the wolves stopped and Marsin sat, Nik still in his hold.

A clawed hand ran through white hair. "Nik, Cub, you need to listen." A shake of the head against his fur was the only answer as Nik's body trembled and Marsin growled softly. "Yes, you do. Lyra is fine, Cub. She's right here."

The halfbreed's body immediately stiffened and the sob in his throat hitched as he slowly looked up into the wolf's face, eyes wide and red-rimmed, tears staining tracks through the blood on his face. Disbelief and the faintest traces of hope lingering in his gaze, struggling to overcome the grief that sat upon his expression so openly. "Wh-what?"

Marsin only looked toward Lyra and Nik slowly followed his gaze until pale blue eyes met azure ones he'd never thought to look into again. This time Nik's shaking was not in grief, but shock as he stared, lips parted, unable to comprehend that what he was seeing was true and what he remembered was false. He could hear a buzzing in his ear and a roaring in his head, and was unable to control the tears that still slipped down his face.

"...L-Lyra..." He hardly dared to breathe it.
 
Tussling her hair vigorously watching as the wolven pack came back without hesitation and into the house without a secondary thought. She had to awe at that.

With Arrah leaving only to look at her, she glowered back to her. She was true in her words about not relenting this woman a moment of forgiveness. Everyone had a point in which they had to decide what was more valuable to them, their career or their heart. Arrah spoke wisely many times but her actions today did not rectify any of them.

Stiffening to straighten her back, she lingered back still letting the wolves see to their kin before wanting or willing to interrupt it. But she did come in eventually holding back watching the big furry black one trying to sooth the sidhe like a wee child. It was actually quite sad and funny all at once. How did she managed to cause that much grief in one person. She knew in her heart why she had been furious and admitted it to herself without need of worry but as far as she knew it wasn't mutual.


Holding still, she looked over the disgusting bloody self of the sidhe before shrugging somewhat to his beacon of her name. "I'm not that easy to kill."
 
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