Rebuilding

[Psychedelic]

There was nothing he could do. When Ulrich found Leliana it was already too late. They had been hunting a gang of thieves that should have been a fairly simple bounty. They had split up in order to ensure the escape route was covered, but they hadn't counted on the thieves teaming up with another band and using the cockiness of the hunters against them. They had kept the two of them confused and separated, and most likely would have destroyed them both, had the blonde male not heard the agonised screams of his lover and partner. If he had not heard that, he may well have given up, but unfortunately for the louts, they had let her scream, and Ulrich had whirled into action without a second thought.

Leaving a slew of bodies in his wake, the man had fought his way to his beloved, only to find her body tarnished and still, already beginning to go cold as her life had been drained so completely. She had been brutally killed by the scoundrels, but she had fought back without a thought, giving her life as she had always promised to do - not that either of them had ever expected it to actually happen. Ulrich held her in his arms, ignoring the blood that soaked his clothes, as well as the stiffening body that he eventually held as the hours passed. He wouldn't leave her, he wanted to hold her close forever, his tears falling onto her utterly still face as he refused to move a muscle.

-----

A year later, and Ulrich was taking a rare stop off in a large port city where he had heard rumours of a great alchemist that might be able to help him. He had become much sharper in both appearance and manner, his long hair now bone white, his skin terribly pale. The demon he had dealt with had granted him power, but not enough to bring Leliana back. So, he'd killed the bastard, though it had fused itself to his soul before he could destroy it entirely. But, at least he was stronger now, and so his trips to resupply were fewer.

Currently, the tall man was seated in a shabby old tavern, waiting impatiently for the alchemist to come and meet him. He wasn't certain that the man would come, but he intended to wait all night if need be. The alchemist was a master of the black arts, purportedly so anyway, so this clandestine meeting was unfortunately necessary. Even so, all this waiting had amber eyes narrowed to slits as he couldn't help but think about eviscerating everyone in the room - something he had been thinking about more and more in recent months.

 

[Jack Lillie]

Siya climbed off her horse, her feet landing lightly on the ground. The moon was high in the sky and it was chilly. It had finally stopped raining, but sadly her cloths were damp from the cold droplets. Siya pulled the hood to her cloak down as she stepped into the tavern. The warmth soothed her shivering bones. The small girl walked up to the bar and sat down. She could feel all the eyes that were on her. She was used to it. From ones eyes she looked small, weak, fragile. But the girl was diffidently not weak. She has spent many years training and learning to fight. From her father and a few others who were willing to teach the girl.

Siya had noticed the pale man, though she did not recognize him. Her eyes glanced over at him to get a better look. He reminded her of someone. But it couldn't be him. No he doesn't look like that, and he would't be alone. Concluding it wasn't the man she grew up with she ordered a drink and took a sip. Her eyes looked up as a few men stepped up to her. The one to the right leaned his back against the counter, the other sat down and faced her. "My my look who it is. It's Siya." They said the man behind her stepping closer. "What a surprise running into you. I don't suppose you have my money do you?" The man asked leaning in closer, "Of course you know we could forget the money." He whispered. No one else seemed to notice the scene before them. Sure a few glanced over at the girl surrounded b men, But no one seemed to care.

Siya looked over, her eyes fallowing on the strange man once again. "No I do not. Beside it wasn't your money in the first place." She spoke, her eyes fell on the blade the pale man held. That couldn't be right... "Excuse me gentle men." She said and pushed passed them and walked over to the stranger. Siya sat down in the seat across from him. "Expecting someone?" She asked him taking a quick look around, deciding he was alone.

 

[Psychedelic]

There was no need to pay attention to anything other than the door, as Ulrich was utterly certain that he was more than capable of dealing with anyone that was stupid enough to take him on. He looked odd, but he definitely didn't look as though he had any coin or other wealth on him. However, he was in possession of a relatively large sum of gold that was intended to pay off those that might aid him. It was all stolen, of course something he never would have done a year ago - but a lot had changed since then, and he was simply not the same person he had once been. With Leliana gone, there was nothing for him in the world, and his morals had fled along with her.

As he sat in the darkness, watching and waiting for the door to open, he of course saw someone he vaguely recognised from his youth. He was unable to completely ignore her, as he was sure he knew her from...somewhere. The connection was there, and he was reaching for it desperately, but he was struggling to remember who she was as he waded through the fogginess that his mind had so swiftly become over the last few months. It was a bothersome conundrum, but one that was easily solved when the woman spoke.

"Siya." The pale man spoke coldly as she sat opposite him, still as confident as ever. It seemed that she hadn't changed at all, but she would soon find that he was an entirely different person these days. "You need to leave, I haven't got time for this. I'm-" He had been about to apologise to her, but the part of him that was still raging at the death of his love forced him to harden his heart, even as he knew that Siya was not here to do harm, and was hardly in the way anyway. It was obvious that the alchemist would not be coming to meet him, so what harm was there in speaking to her, really?

 

[Jack Lillie]

Siya smiled when he said her name. "So I do know you." She said still not recognizing him. Well she sorta did, but that couldn't be right. He wasn't like this. Not only did this man look demon, but his personality was so much different. "That sword, where did you get it?" She asked him. Of course she recognized the weapon. It had been passed down from Ulrich's father, so he has had it for a very long time.

Siya looked him over as he started to apologize. "Time for what exactly? Who are you expecting?" She asked him curiously. He was so strange, the way he looked the room over. And she could tell he didn't have a lot him, but he diffidently looked to powerful. If he was an enemy she would be screwed. But if he was an enemy she would know, she wouldn't have forgotten his face.

 

[Psychedelic]

Knowing full well that Siya could be as dogged as they came, Ulrich very quickly came to the conclusion that it was probably going to be best to just give her what she wanted and hope she left it at that. "From my father. I'm Ulrich, don't you...oh. I forgot." He often forgot that he had changed so much physically, not to mention mentally. He was an entirely different man now, so it was no wonder that Siya had been suspicious of him. He wondered if Leliana would recognise him when he brought her back, hoping that she wouldn't hate him for what he had done to get her back.

"I don't think he's coming, anyway. So I'm going to go to bed." He wasn't fool enough to be staying here, as he felt it prudent to conduct business well away from the room he would hopefully be able to relax in. His room was half way across the city, and would require an annoying amount of walking, but at least he would be safer that way. "Good luck, Siya." He offered, standing and making as if to leave, having no desire to rekindle a friendship.