Taking Arahael, Protecting Arahael

Lae looked up into his eyes fearfully, remembering that it was he who killed Daechir and Dimaethor like it was nothing. However, to her surprise, he only warned her about being careful. Stiffening as he patted her shoulder, she watched as he left for a moment before coming to her senses and walking the opposite direction, hoping that there was somewhere that wasn't completely destroyed. She had a long day, and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. She could only hope that she would do that then wake up in the morning and everything would be the same as it was in the morning, when everything was fine. Finding a guest room in the northwest tower of the castle whose bed still was intact. Lying down on it, she looks up at the stone ceiling, trying to keep from crying. Too much had happened that day, and she couldn't stand the thought that everything had changed in one day. Pulling the bedclothes around her, she tried to fall asleep, which proved more difficult in practice.

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Once she had calmed Baldir and Gurdir down, and they had fallen asleep once more, Faerveren had was able to rest as well, not really falling asleep, too scared about what might happen if she did, but letting her eyes fall shut. Stirring slightly as she hears a chuckle, she instinctively holds her boys tighter, subconsciously recognizing the person the laugh belonged to.
 
Octavian was not a bad man he just did things that needed to be done. Yes he enjoyed killing Daechir and Dimaethor but he wasn't about to kill an innocent women or a mother and her babies, he knew where to draw the line. He was sure that he would have killed them in his rush to wipe out the existing ruling family if it wasn't for Cirion, "Tsk you're always messing with my plans." he said softly nudging the now sleeping second command. Octavian had checked almost every room and not a bed to be found, growling in annoyance he decided to check one more time. After checking two more times each time he grew more and more annoyed he finally found a room that he didn't completely destroy, though it looked like someone was already using the bed. He stood there for a few seconds deciding on what he would do and finally he thought of something, he slowly pushed the other person over just so there would be enough room for Cirion above the covers. Surely they will freak out in the morning seeing not only another person in their bed but a demon no less, but he wasn't going to let his second in command sleep on the floor. Octavian turned away from the bed and started clearing away any debris that happened to be laying beside the bed. Once that had been cleared off he grabbed an extra pillow from one of the chairs and lied down next to bed, it had been a long day and he was exhausted almost in an insentient he had fallen asleep.
 
Lae slept well into the morning. When she finally did awake, at first she thought she was in her bedroom, but as lucidity came to her, she found that she was in the guest room in the tower. Worse than that, she found that she was lying next to a man in the bed. It didn't take her long to recognize him as the demon who had led her through the castle yesterday. Sitting straight up, she screams before pushing him from the bed, probably onto the floor. Feeling herself panicking at the thought of what the demons could have done overnight, Lae felt tears beginning to sting her eyes. Her mind had instantly gone to the worst possible case, and it was practically unbearable.

Blinking through her tears, she was able to see the other demon on the floor as well, only furthering her fear. Sobbing openly now, she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to reassure herself that nothing had happened.

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Faerveren woke before Beldir and Gurdir, and, leaving the two asleep on the chair, she sat at Daechir's old desk. Taking a quill and paper, she began composing a letter, determined to get it to the capitol before that too became under siege by the demons as well. It wasn't anything of real importance, save for telling the king that Arahael fell to the demons, and that both Daechir and Dimaethor were dead, with the only available next in lines being Gurdir and Beldir, who are not fit to lead, being so young. Once she had finished writing the letter, she folded it as small as it would go. Placing the letter in a pocket of her dress, she sits at the other chair, where the demon had been last night, waiting for her remaining family to wake up.
 
Cirion had hit the ground with a start jolting him awake. He sat straight up look around very confused on where he was, once he spotted Octavian laying silently asleep only a few feet away he could guess that Octavian had took both of them here. But how did he end up on the ground? His question was answered as he looked behind him to see the woman from yesterday curled up and crying. Cirion turned himself to face her "Miss why are you crying?" he realized that that was probably a very dumb question. Quickly he realized what she might be thinking about finding him in her bed, his face became bright as he sputtered to try and explain himself. "N-no its not what you thing, we didn't do anything I promise!" he stood "See look my clothes are exactly how they were yesterday and I even have my boots on, same with the General." he turned around trying to reassure her that nothing did indeed happened, all the while Octavian was still sleeping through all of it.

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Octavian had woken up minutes before Lae so he heard all of what had happened and he couldn't help himself from chuckling. "Just because we are enemy soldiers doesn't mean we would stoop so low as to take advantage of a sleeping woman." he sat up and stretched yawning before standing up "Cirion keep an eye on her I'm going to go check on Faerveren.". "but sir-" Cirion's voiced died in his throat as Octavian left and walked down the hall and down the stairs. Octavian made it to the inner room and leaned against the door-less door frame and watched. Only clearing his throat to notify her that he was indeed watching her, he moved more into the room sitting in the same chair that Cirion sat in the night before "So are you going to comply? Or am I going to have to kill your children, which I would like to avoid.". He spoke calmly and smoothly no anger present in his voice, but one would still feel uneasy around him but he waited patiently for her answer guess that sense she is still alive that she will comply.
 
Only slightly reassured, Lae took a few minutes to calm herself down and stop crying. While she believed the two, mostly, she hated the feelings caused by the thoughts she had had. Wiping away the last of her tears, she hugs her knees to her chest, still on the bed, and rests her chin upon her knees, letting her hair fall over her eyes.

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Starting upon hearing the noise of the demon clearing his throat, Faerveren only looked up for a moment before instinctively standing up and moving to the chair where her children still slept at. As he asked her whether she would submit or let him kill her sons, anger burned in her eyes, with tears forming at the corners. "They're just children, they're not even four yet. How can anyone bear it, killing someone so young?"
 
Octavian simply laughed at the woman's question before answering her "You get used to it after awhile, sometimes things must be done and you just can not avoid it." he was frowning now no smile on his face or laughter in his eyes. It was like he had gone somewhere far away, after a couple of minutes he shook his head softly and closed his eyes. He spoke softly "Because I have kept you and your sons alive you will now be aiding the demon empire." Octavian stood and made a move to leave before turning around "Awh please would you find some craftsmen to make us some new furniture, I uhh...seemed to have destroyed all of the old ones.". He smiled at her before leaving to go help with clean up, there were many of his soldiers running around carrying broken tables and chairs. As well as paintings of the old ruling family and statues, he could only grin at what he has accomplished.

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Cirion was still siting on the floor for the past 10 minutes unsure about what to do. It is quite clear that she must hate him and his kind, finally he spoke up "So how long have you lived here?". It was a stupid question but he didn't know what else he could do, only the crashing of what sounded like a very large bust jumped him out of his thoughts. He instinctively got up to look out the door way he say two large soldiers picking up the pieces of what was indeed a bust, he only sighed and quietly watched them.
 
Gurdir stirred after the demon left, sitting up in his mother's arms. "Mama," he said softly, rubbing his eyes tiredly, "where's Daddy and Dimmy? Daddy said he was going to play with me today." Her eyes growing sad, Faerveren only hugs him close to her, trying to hold back tears.

"They...they're not coming back. Daddy and Dimaethor...they were killed fighting the demon that was here last night. Oh, baby, I'm so sorry..." she says, crying now. Gurdir starts crying, too, though he doesn't totally understand the concept of death. When she could get her tears under control, she held Gurdir back, and said softly, "You've got to be strong for your brother, you hear me? Even though you're twins, he looks up to you, and if you are happy, he will be, too." Brushing his tears away with her thumb, she kisses his forehead in a soft, motherly way, before hugging him once more. Trying to create a more happy mood, she smiles and says, "I'm sure you're hungry. Let's get Beldir up and we can go see if I can make something for breakfast."

Though she was putting one a strong face for her sons, in truth Faerveren was worried. Most of the craftsmen had participated and died in the battle yesterday, and all that was left was really only their children and wives. Unless some of the young men who were apprentices to the craftsmen and not old enough to fight were skilled enough to replace the furniture to a whole castle, there wasn't much they were able to do.

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Lae looked up briefly as the demon spoke after a while. Answering simply with, "Most of my life," she sighs before returning to silence, watching as he retreats to his thoughts. Jumping as she heard a large crash, she looked up with wide eyes, seeing Cirion move to the doorway. Leaning forwards slightly to look out of it as well, she sees the pieces of what used to be a bust of Daechir's great-grandfather being picked up by two demon soldiers. Her eyes growing sad once more, she leans back, resting against the wall. It saddened her to think that what was once treasured pieces of history and art were now treated as nothing more than trash.
 
Octavian was currently helping with clean up he had nothing to do and would have gotten bored just siting around. He had taken off the heavy jacket and the dress shirt under it leaving it hung on a chair, leaving him in half uniform as he hauled pieces of tables and chairs outside. With the help of some soldiers they were able to clear part of the main floor and decided to take a break to get something to eat. Octavian walked down to the kitchen and started to rummage through the cupboards, finding a few pieces of fruit he grabbed a working chair and moved it in front of a window. He sat and ate in silence watching the people roam about outside trying to get back to their lives. Sometimes he tries to remember why he joined the military, sometimes he can remember and others times its foggy and blank as if he has always been like this. Octavian could barely remember his mothers face and could only remember his fathers voice, they were long gone now he wondered what he would think of him now. He looked up to the ceiling speaking quietly"If you could see me now, what would you think? Mother? Father?" his voice had a taken a somber tone as he closed his eyes forgetting about the fruit in his hand.

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"Please be careful when handling things like these." Cirion was in the hall now speaking to the men who had dropped the bust, he did hate when art gets destroyed because of carelessness. He has seen it many times being around Octavian, always go go go with him he never stops to look around at what he might be ruining. He walked back into the room beckoning Lae with his hand "Say why don't we get something to eat, I'm sure you're hungry. Maybe we could go somewhere in town instead of staying in the castle hm? Doesn't that sound like a good idea?" Cirion smiled at her "Of course I can understand if you say no." he stood there with his arm out hand extended waiting for her answer. For he was quite hungry but he honestly could not stand staying in this castle another minute and he was hoping that if he took this woman out of here, just for a moment, that she would start to get used to the idea of the demons being around. And maybe show her that not all soldiers in this army were as bad as they looked.
 
Looking up as Cirion beckoned to her, she was silent as he asked if they should get something to eat. At the mention of food, she felt her stomach protesting in hunger. "Fine," she said, standing up from the bed. She sighs, straightening her clothes of wrinkles from where she had slept on them. Running a hand through her hair, trying to disentangle the black curls. "I've not much choice in it, do I?" she mumbles to herself, looking down at her feet. Straightening, she looks to the demon and says, "I'm ready..."

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Faerveren, after waking Beldir, led the two boys to the castle's kitchen. Once she saw Octavian sitting by the window, staring off into space, she held the boys' hands slightly tighter than she had been, a worried expression crossing her face for a moment. Not wanting to worry them, she ignores him, setting them each on the counters. "Don't move," she told them, knowing that as soon as she said it that they won't. Looking in the cupboards, she found some bread and butter that had been left out to melt. Spreading the butter, she gave each child some of the bread, knowing it wasn't much but that it would be sufficient for now.
 
Cirion smiled at her leading the way through the some what cleaned castle they made their way outside. The rain had gone and it was bright, warm day and the little town that surrounded the castle seemed not to have taken much damage, much to his delight. He stretched letting out a noise and a large happy sigh picking up his pace completely ecstatic to be out in the sun. "So what do you like to eat, it'll be my treat." he turned to look at her gently looping his arm around hers as they made their way through the courtyard. "You could have said no you know..." he looked away and focused on where they were going and what was left of the population milling about.

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Octavian had heard Faerveren and her children come in, he supposed she was looking for food to feed the two boys. With his eyes still closed he spoke softly "I found some fruit if you want you can have it, I seemed to have lost my appetite." he held up the bowl that was in his lap " I didn't try and poison it, they are perfectly safe to consume.". Octavian turned to straddle his chair and rested his head on one of his crossed arms and spoke again " I'm not some horrible man you know." he took a bite of the apple he was holding in his other hand looking at Faerveren and then to the boys giving them a smile.
 
Lae stiffened slightly as she felt him looping his arm in hers. Answering his question with, "I don't care," she saw some of the people she knew from town staring, probably wondering why she was with a demon, who didn't appear to have any problem treating her as a friend. Biting her lip, trying to tell them with her eyes that she hadn't been able to do much about it, she was startled when he said that she didn't have to be there. Looking up, she said, "People would have noticed my absence. Those same people would have thought the worse. They wouldn't have stood for it, killing an unarmed castle servant, and would have revolted..." Trailing off, she looks away once more.

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Turning to face Octavian, Faerveren said coldly, "That is extremely difficult to believe when you killed my husband and my oldest son. Before you try to convince me that you're not horrible, tell me how murdering members of my family isn't horrible, or how killing hundreds of people, most of whom hadn't had anything to do with the war, isn't horrible either. And then you threaten to do the same to the rest of my family?" she gestures to Beldir and Gurdir, who are silent, wondering why their mother was acting this way.
 
Octavian jumped out of his chair stomping up to Faerveren and shoving the fruit bowl into her hands "I'm trying to be nice so just take the fucking fruit. There are somethings one must do whether they like to or not." he growled walking out of the kitchen and back up to the main floor to continue with cleanup. after a couple of minutes he started to wonder where Cirion was, he hasn't seen him sense they had woken up. He stopped what he was doing and asked a servant who was trying to sneak past him. "I-I saw them going towards t-town sir." the servant said timidly, he thanked her and swiftly made his way out to town. It wasn't long until Octavian caught up to Cirion and Lae, swinging his arm around Cirion's neck he said "Hey if you guys were going out to eat why didn't you come and get me? There is barely anything to eat in the castle." he laughed pulling his second in command closer to him which in turn made Cirion pull Lae closer to him as well.

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"I though you would be busy seeing as you left me in charge." Cirion said trying to push himself away from Octavian's steel like grip "Plus I figured Lae would be hungry.". Finally getting away he sighed trying to get oxygen into his lungs he let Lae go. The three made there way to a small little tavern Octavian was talking about something only Cirion would know about as they entered. They grabbed a both near the back and ordered Octavian returning his attention back to Cirion. Cirion mouthed an apology to Lae before returning back to the conversation laughing at one of hid generals lame jokes.
 
Faerveren looked to Octavian defiantly, taking the bowl of fruit that he had forced into her hands. Once he left, she let out a sigh of relief before turning to her children and placing the bowl next to them on the counter. Taking out a pear, she retrieved a knife from one of the drawers and cut the pear in half. She wasn't entirely hungry at the moment, the stress of everything getting to her, so she didn't eat anything herself, instead handing both halves to her sons. "Eat up. I'll take you back to the study and begin your lessons for the day. I know Daddy normally does that, but I will from now on."

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Lae tried not to scream as the demon general came behind them, making her stumble as he looped his arm around Cirion's neck. Trying to get away as he explained why he was there with her, she was thankful when he finally let her go. Silent as the two spoke to each other, not understanding what they were talking about, she walked with them, trying not to look in the eyes of those she passed.

Once in the tavern, where she had never been, Lae looked at her hands, which rested in her lap, trying to tell herself that all would be well, given time. However, she couldn't convince herself properly, and only succeeded in making herself feel worse.
 
Once their food had arrived both men went silent deciding on enjoying their food then try to make conversation with one another. Cirion had chosen only a simple chicken breast and some rice with water, while Octavian chose only rice and plenty of beer to last the rest of the outing. Octavian,after drinking one to many, got up and decided to wonder off leaving Lae and Cirion to each others company. After fidgeting for a couple of moments Cirion finally spoke "What was it like here? I mean before we came, was it nice?Were the people happy? Were you happy?" he looked away blushing slightly "I apologize I know you already hate me and you might hate me for the rest of your life." Cirion looked at her again his eyes holding a bit of sadness in them. He never wanted any of this, when he was a boy he had dreams of working in his father's farm and raising a family. But this damned war ruined everything his father was killed because of it and joined only to look after Octavian. He hated it.

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Octavian stumbled about town for a good while before making it back into the castle. Where he trudged up the steps and into an office that had an available couch. Drifting off into a drunken sleep hearing voices in the distance but to drunk to care, he just wanted to fall into nothingness for the moment. Felling only happiness, feeling what normal beings felt not this eternal rage and sorrow that he carried with him. Octavian wasn't used to defiance or being blamed for other peoples pain, and having Faereven doing exactly that only brought pain and unwanted memories onto himself.
 
"It used to be beautiful..." Lae said, gazing in the distance wistfully. "Daechir was one of the best rulers that Arahael had in a long time. Everyone was happy..." Her gaze shifts to the window, watching a doctor's apprentice wrap a bandage around one eye of another young man with blood running down the side of his face. She wondered how long he had been bleeding, and if the apprentice had been up all night attending to other wounds. The apprentice was easily years younger than the boy he was bandaging, maybe eight or nine, but even he sported wounds; he had cuts on his face and a deep gash on his upper thigh, peeking out beneath his shorts. Forcing herself to look away, knowing that if she looked any longer she would begin crying. Ignoring Cirion's second statement, this one of apology, she sighed, looking down at her untouched meal of plain right rice.

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After eating, Faerveren led her sons to back to the study, where she sat with them on a chair and attempted to teach them to read. They were adept, for their age, and she had them reading aloud passages from it. After a while, they switched to mathematics, which Beldir thoroughly enjoyed, but which Gurdir struggled with. They continued on for a while, Faerveren attempting to keep some semblance of normality for them in order to prevent trauma for them. She wanted them to continue living as if nothing had happened yesterday and that everything would be fine eventually.
 
Cirion sighed and said no more for the rest of their time together, instead he chose to look out the window. Look what they have caused nothing but suffering nothing but pain. He left the money on the table and left with his head hanging low, Cirion was the most emotional man in the demon army. That is one of the reasons Octavian never sends him out into the field, he just wouldn't be able to stomach it. He knew he would never get these people to trust him just because he was in the enemy army, he supposed it was just another price he had to pay. Cirion walked out to the outskirts of the walls and sat in the field just enjoying the solitude. He really wanted Lae to trust him, if no other demon at least him. His face become bright red when he realized that he might have devolved feelings for this woman, not good not good at all. Cirion buried his face in his hands he would just have to ignore it and go on like nothing had changed.

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Octavian was thrown into a fevered nightmarish sleep reliving blurred memories of once upon a time leaving him a sobbing mess when he awoke. He wasn't one to cry but no one was around to hear him so he sobbed openly. Pleading to bring them back and that he was sorry, that he was so sorry he turned out this way. He was just a scared and lost little boy who wanted his family back. He cried until he burned himself out and all he could do was lay and stare at the ceiling.
 
Lae left the same time Cirrion did, but instead of following the wall, she went in the opposite direction, finding a makeshift hospital outside the doctor's building. There used to be three doctors, each with one apprentice, who shared the building with each other. As far as she knew, none of them had any family, and were able to live in the medium-sized building without much trouble. However, when the demons attacked the city, all three doctors had joined the battle, along with one of the apprentices, and now, aside from the boy near the tavern, only one person was helping to heal wounds. He had a few others helping, but they were mostly running to get supplies while he did all the work. Fresh blood was spilled upon the road, probably from a surgery that went wrong or a reopened wound. As the apprentice made a sling for a man who must have had his arm broken, Lae walked past the hospital, seeing more relief efforts at work to get the city back to the way it used to be. Staying out until late, helping where she could, she eventually returned to the castle, knowing that she had no other place to go.

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After the boys' lessons were through for the day, Faerveren led the two through the castle and the courtyard beyond. After securing a way to get the letter she wrote to the capitol, she walked around town for a while, knowing Gurdir and Beldir would quickly become bored of the castle and that people in town must be worried that Faerveren was dead. Hearing from a childhood friend that there would be a large gathering in two nights to bury all those they lost in the fight. She knew that she would be expected to appear then, as well. Daechir and Dimaethor would be buried in a small family cemetery slightly north of the castle, which would probably happen after the gathering, with only her, her children, and the proper priests there. Sighing, she returned to the castle after a while, the sun beginning to set, and went to sleep with her children in the study, like she had the night before.
 
Octavian and finally pulled himself together and got up, he moved to sit at the desk that was in the office and started writing a letter to a nearby town. He was writing not only to notify the change in power but to ask them if they had any doctors or craftsmen to spare. Once done with the letter he called for a servant to have it delivered, he threatened him that if he were to open the letter he would have his head cut off. The servant scurried away and seeing as Octavian finished what he wanted to do left the room. He was still feeling a little buzzed but not drunk like earlier, he sneaked his way down to the study where Faerveren and the boys were sleeping, sighing he realized that that sleeping like this was not right for a lady of her stature. He went and grabbed a couple of blankets from a nearby room and gently draped them over the three before blowing out the candles and leaving. Octavian made his way back out into town and decided before it got too late and the shops closed he would buy a little bit of food so they would have something to eat in the morning.

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Cirion had made his way back into the safety of the walls and spotted Octavian going into a small general store. He ran to catch up with him wondering what he was still doing out, he entered the small store and walked up next to him as he was examining the shelves of food. "What do you think they would like to eat for breakfast?" Octavian asked him "Who are you referring to sir?" Cirion asked. "Faeveren and her two boys of course" "Oh well I'm not sure but maybe some eggs and toast?" Cirion said picking up a few eggs and placing them in a basket as well as some bread. And for the next several minutes the two filled two baskets and were on their way back home, finally making their way down to the kitchen they restocked the cupboards before turning in for the night.
 
Upon returning to the castle, Lae went up to her old bedroom, changing into nightclothes. After setting out a dress for her to wear the next day, she goes back to the guest room she had slept in last night, and lies on the bed. Turning on her side, she pulls the covers around her, shivering in the cold of the castle. It might rain again tomorrow, she thought to herself, knowing that soon enough it would be cold enough for snow. Hoping she wouldn't find a strange man in her bed again in the morning, she dropped off into a dreamless sleep, breathing softly.

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Faerveren stirred slightly as she felt a blanket being draped over her and the children, opening her eyes a crack. All she could see was the silhouette of a man, and at first she thought it was Daechir, so she mumbled, "Honey, is that you? Come to bed, sweety." Then, she remembered what had happened in the past few days, and had to hold back fresh waves of tears. Burying her face in the arm of the chair she was laying on, she cried silently for a few minutes, allowing herself this small reprieve, before drifting back into sleep.
 
Octavian had decided on just sleeping on the floor in one of the cleared out rooms. First he would have to gather some blankets and pillows for both him and Cirion, for it had gotten rather chilly in the large castle. Once his hunt for pillows and blankets he set off on making a make shift bed out of his finds. Sighing and smiling in triumph he turned to Cirion with a questioning look. It was just pillows and blankets but it would have to do until he was able to get craftsmen to make new furniture "Awh it's great sir.." Cirion responded to his look hesitantly. With a yawn Octavian stripped out of his uniform and Cirion did the same and prepared to settle in for the night. The candles were blown out and the two men were sleeping soundly.
 
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