Where Lies and Truth mingle

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Waiting patiently for the darling young woman that had requested privacy for a moment to easily brood over the words spoken and dress accordingly for the palace; the pull of the door inwards was no surprise to the personal guard.

Rather he drug a thumb over his bottom lip, pushing himself off the wall with his heel to turn and look over the woman. Dressing down in a long sleeved tunic, braced with a black wide leather belt on her waist, the black leggings with the soft leather boots suited her well. But not so much as the uncertainty that laid in those curious eyes. "Ah." Cesar lifted his chin, "Pretty as a flower."

Eryn offered him a side glance, far too deep in her river high thoughts to be embarrassed or outraged by the comment. "If the lady would be so obliged, perhaps I can show you the personal garden? A personal favorite of our late queen. I do think you are a woman who enjoys the scenery of nature."

Her head turned, "What of... prince?" she swallowed slowly.

"I-" Cesar looked to the corner of his eye letting the smile brew, "Trust the King will want his company for some time. Worry not your head over him. He is a busy man needing the deepest guidance from his uncle in ways of the throne. To plan the battle for upcoming ways and of course attend to things that he was so rudely ripped away from yesterday." His finger waggled at her, "The life of royalty is a difficult busy one. We as mere folk are blessed not to experience such a fate."

Straightening her shoulders, she nodded. "Yes... seems so." blue eyes glanced at him again, nervous and out of sorts. "What do city need with more?"

"Mmm, now that is a good question. The city is expanding, and so we must expand our boundaries as well. And honestly, marrying off the prince just isn't the styling of the shifters." now came out a brilliant scoff as he scooped a hand around Eryn's waist, leading her forward. "Our prince is a scheming man. Always detailed in ways of claiming lands without war but it is never a sure thing. I am sure you noticed how smooth of a talker he is. Retains his diplomacy with a tame manner that rivals mountains age."

Brows tightened into another, her breath rising slightly. "He is good speak. With grace, yes." she agreed.

If this wasn't so easy, he might delight more in the fact he was corrupting the girls mind. Poor diluted little thing. By the time Roman came back, he'd have one angry harpy on his throat and possibly if everything went right, she'd tear out his throat in turn. His uncle would proclaim the death as an act of heroism and the king would hold rule on the realm longer than expected.

It was perfect.
 
Anali had not know what to make of Roman's guest. Yes, he'd said she was the woman who'd helped him escape and while she did not doubt that, her cousin had said nothing more on the matter. No land from which the seemingly half-elf hailed, nor how they'd met, not even how long the poor girl had been a captive. Nothing and that was highly unlike him....at least to Anali who knew him best of all. Still, she'd said nothing, respecting his silence for the time being.

But that didn't mean she turned a blind eye, nor that she remained ignorant of clues and signs; such as the city going into an uproar the very day the new girl came to be here. Coincidence? Perhaps.

Not likely.

Still, disruption or not, no one deserved to be on the other end of Cesar. Anali grimaced to see the fox Shifter, sly and devious as his animal form might suggest, and she moved toward the two with confident command and all the grace of her station. Offering a smile to the male Shifter, the female Shifter with the light head of hair and green eyes much like her fathers, only softer, warmer, looked from Cesar to Eryn and spoke to the male.

"Cesar, if you might permit me to steal Eryn from you, I did promise to take her bead shopping today." She lied through her teeth, but her smile dared the oily Shifter to call her on it. She knew he wouldn't. Of the two of them, her father would believe her word over any of his spies. He might be hard on Roman, but he was nothing less than doting to her.

Not even waiting for a response, she gently looped her arm though Eryn's, resisting the urge to flinch away at the coldness of the other female and instead gave a soft tug. "Come, Eryn, I know the best shops closest to the palace."
 
Her mind was swimming with the deceit that came from the prince. She had given him-

"Why Lady Anali, do be careful with the young woman." Cesar chuckled once Eryn felt her arm being looped through and her body going to the tug. "I do have orders to make sure she is as comfortable as all else." Giving a languid wave to them in return, the man stood smiling though what even the princess could not see was the mocking crimson behind his mask.

Oh she was a sly one. Just as he.

Eryn jerked her arm away once they were out of eye shot of the man, from this woman and put distance between them. "Lies." she shook her head, "Is all shifters are? Is lies?" Eryn asked the heated question as well as she could, giving this green eyed shifter a stiff look. Pained and tormented in ways only another harpy could ever understand. "You. Him. He. King. Lies." Eryn pointed to her eyes and then made a lavish gesture outwards, "Sense. Feel all. Cesar perfected in his. He see truth. Speak it. Others, spit lies. No want. Escape now!"
 
Anali blinked in some surprise at the spirited young woman who'd been so shy and quiet the night before, but she listened and when the other female was done, the Shifter made a thoughtful sound to the accusations, not rising to the heat of them, not feeling the need to. She simply waited until she could have an opportunity to speak.

"Every creature that I know of lies at least once in their life, Eryn. Yes, I did lie. I lied to get you away from a bigger liar than I. I assure you, Cesar speaks no truths to you at all. He is in service to my father and has been for years. He would sooner take you kicking and screaming by your hair to the King's feet and tell him all he's learned of you. And I do suspect there is a great deal to learn."

The blond Shifter took a seat on the bench they'd happened to stop by, but she didn't invite Eryn to sit, suspecting the offer would be denied anyway. "Not all Shifters are liars, no, but many do lie, yes. Even the best among us lie. Sometimes what you lie about is far more important than the lie itself, though."

Anali smoothed her skirt with her palm and looked up, gentle green eyes meeting Eryn's pale-sapphire. "Now, you can believe me or not, but I am not lying to you when I say that Cesar is far more dangerous to you than I could ever be for I don't wish you harm."
 
All the deceit. All the torture. All the hatred that built on the foundation of lies and betrayal by mortal hands. And it seemed so fitting just to accept it as it was. She'd much rather have her life taken because she was truthful in what she was, who she was, what she did than listen to all the extortion passed through lips.

The harpy worried her bottom lip as this Anali spoke and seemed to calm. Just like Roman. Just like Cesar.

His buzzing words hot in her head.

"You say best lie too. What believe? What know what what. This. That." Eryn was entirely confused, hurting for it. Cesar said one thing, Roman said another and Anali said a third thing that went to contradict the other two. It was so much to take in!

"Shifter not know own truth when they live on lies. No justice..." Eryn voice broke at the end, turning to look around her at the palace that enclosed her. "Anali know... know less truth than another. King lies... Confusion." she shook her head and bit her lip again.

"Need safe." Eryn motioned with her hands together, "Return. Limitless boundaries. Cannot say what right, wrong if one no know. Release.... release me from here? Must go... me-" her hand moved to a window, "Out. Leave... find own way. Not shifter way."
 
Poor thing....and yet mouthy thing.

Anali sighed, showing freely her exasperation, so very unlike Roman with his careful masks and she stood, crossing her arms and raising a brow, not threatening, but firm. "No one is holding you here, Eryn. If you wish to leave, if you think us so horrible, you are free to go. But I think you're living in a fantasy world that can never be if you think that the world isn't full of lies. People lie to save lives just as much as they lie to ruin them. Just because my father and Cesar do the latter does not mean I do or that Roman does. I know plenty of truths, enough to know what a lie is for truth can't exist without it."

The Princess pursed her lips for a moment before shaking her head. "I am not saying it's right to lie, I know it's not, and Roman is far better at keeping to the truth than I am, but I don't lie unless I have damn good reason to do so." Green eyes narrowed. "Like you. I'm not going to tell my father that I know a Harpy is under his roof and if he asks me, I am going to lie through my teeth to him to make sure YOU don't die."

A brow rose, questioning.

"Would you like me to instead tell him you're here? That you'll be leaving soon and that I have a very good idea where your people are? Or would you rather I lie and say I don't know? The world isn't perfect, Eryn, but there are good people in it who will do the wrong things to do the right things. I know that is confusing and I know that the line Roman and I walk is very thin, but you don't know the lives we lead, nor the sacrifices we've made and are willing to make. We may not be like your people, but do not presume to think that means you know us."

Taking a deep breath to control her irritation, though, it was clear it was there, Anali spoke solemnly. "You are free to go, but if you would stay, I would like to be your friend. I think we both could learn much from each other and I know Roman would miss you if you left. I've never seen him so protective of anyone before. I will give him message of your departure if you choose to go, though."
 
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Eryn stared at this woman as if she might sprout horns and a tail. She spoke in circles honestly but only a few things stuck out. Such as how did she know of her own race when her cousin who would be the new King did not and where they were lying in crumbling waste? New lies and betrayal was blossoming and now Eryn was honing in on the irritated ripples of vibrations on this woman.

Drawing a look that was more famous for slaughtering than befriending; irises turning paper thin and dangerous; Eryn came up close to the woman, mere inches from her nose. Now the harpy was a threat and even Anali would be wise to be careful with her tongue. "Then say truth to king. I will die to save others. How you know what is I before Roman, raises much question." Eryn drew back instantly taking Anali as a new enemy. She spoke of how Roman would miss her and how this Anali wanted to be friends. For what?

This woman was equal poison and she was playing her own cousin as a fool. Mar'luin had known that only the royals who would proceed the crown would know of their existence. Where they sat in their dusty cold hell.

Walking a thin line was right.

Putting a wide birth of distance between them both, Eryn trudged away making her decision clear. "Go, tell King that I live. Not coward. Rather have truth and die with honor than live with lies and die with no soul." Eryn made that clear, she was not afraid of being discovered out in such a way. If Anali wanted to tell her father she was here then so be it. It would expose Roman as well, but at least in Eryn's righteous heart they would be in the gods eyes rather than the god's shadows.

Jumping up on the window sill, looking around, she jumped and disappeared from sights.

She couldn't trust anyone.

They were all against each other. No unity in this palace, no family. Nothing but cold heartless creatures who made false pretenses over another.

It was a horrible place.
 
Anali watched the Harpy depart and stood there for a moment before she let out a huff out the side of her mouth, causing her side-swept bangs to scatter in every which direction. "Roman's gonna kill me." And it would be a slow, painful death, Anali knew. She groaned and rubbed at her forehead for a moment, wondering at her next move. THIS was why Roman was going to be King and her not Queen. She spoke before truly thinking and sure, she had passion in abundance, but Roman had patience and a strategic mind.

And Roman made an effort not to lie while Anali, who'd been raised in much closer proximity to her father, had been suckled on them. It was thanks to Roman she wasn't just as evil as her father.

Still, her cousin was going to kill. her.

Speaking of which, though....where was Roman?

--

His Uncle's studying, calculating gaze was like fire across his skin, but Roman didn't falter and eventually it stopped, the King giving a nod and a slight smile, almost seeming to be satisfied about something. "Good. I am glad, for who can we trust if not each other?"

The Prince didn't respond instead moving toward the map his Uncle had been studying on and off. "What is this?"

"Ah, plans. I intend to find where these creatures are coming out from and put an end to them."

Roman dare not react, but his mind flashed to the Harpies in their caverns, to the Spectre Dragon who wanted war just as much as Sione did and in that moment, the Prince saw them cut from the same cloth, but the Harpies, much like the Shifters, were blindly following a leader, loyal. That was their only crime in all truth. Too many generations had passed for his people to be guilty and too many years had passed for the Harpies to be confident about winning a battle without the scales to help them.

"Have you found anything yet?"

Sione moved closer, Roman resisted the urge to move back. "I have managed to narrow it down, but no. Their entrance continues to elude me. But I shall find them."

"Is war really the only option we have?" Roman spoke it casually, pushing away from the table, looking thoughtful. "It has been many years, perhaps they have changed as much as we have. Perhaps we can negotiate."

"No." The King's answer was swift and Roman knew better than to press it....but he did, a frown flitting across his face. "No? Uncle, what do we even know about these people that hasn't been passed down for years, misconstrued? How do you know peace can not be achieved if you don't even try?"

"Watch your tongue, boy."

"It is a simple question, my King."

Cold green eyes regarded him with piercing intensity, but Roman didn't feel it this time, his own gray ones equally as challenging. Sione's voice was low. "You sound as if you defend them." The warning there was clear and Roman acknowledged it...but he only backed up a little. "I am merely pointing out that our information is lacking. Decisions such as war or even slaughter should not be decided upon so lightly and on the backs of stories."

There might have been an answer and judging by his Uncle's darkening face, perhaps nothing less than a physical one, but a knock on the door interrupted and Anali peeked her head in, smiling at them both and instantly putting something of a lid on the King's anger. "Father, excuse the interruptions, please, but Roman promised to take me to the archery range and he's already woefully late. Might I steal him from you? Please?"

Roman could have blessed his cousin a thousand times over in that moment as his Uncle seemed frustrated, but smiled. "Of course, darling. Both of you run along and have fun." He dismissed Roman, but one look told the Prince they'd soon be talking of it again and the younger Shifter tried not to feel a cold shaft of ice settle in his middle as he followed Anali out the door.
 
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Whistling a low tune, his hands tucked deep into his pockets as he was making his way back towards the chambers of the King to relay what he had sewn into the harpy woman, while giving his report of his own personal findings; he stopped short in the long stretch of hallway to look before himself.

Two bodies that were easy to pick out in a crowd drew a sly smile on his face.

"Princess Anali-" Cesar waited until they were closer, putting on a flawless mask of concern on his face - years of practice made him almost believable- scouting his eyes left to right before stroking a slow worried hand down his face. He looked as if he might say something of importance, stalled to look to the prince with a sluggish smile to show his sudden change in events. "Prince Roman, I am pleased to see you well and back in the comfort of home. We worried greatly for your safety."

He could care less if the Prince seen his words as truth or not. It was for show, the royals and nobles played a game of wit in ways that were tedious but needed.

Returning his lavender eyes to the princess, he took another wide look around to signify he was looking for something. No... someone. Crossing his arms over, hunching his shoulders to lean forward working his bottom lip; the fox shifter held his gaze to her. "I thought you were taking Lady Eryn to the best shops in town. Surely she has not gotten lost somewhere?" he narrowed his eyes some, "Or has your passionate tongue worked it's magic already?" there was no doubt or single handed knowledge in the castle that Anali could talk an ear off with power and praise but it was heated generally. She was like her father but less apt to strike out in the psychical sense.

Taking her silence as an answer - though really he didn't give her time to answer him - Cesar looked to Roman. "I take full responsibility for this milord. Princess Anali had asked for Lady Eryn but I should have kept a tighter watch on your guest. I hate to think about what could happen to a recently escapee with yourself... lost in the big city. Filled with emotions that would lead to possible trouble." Cesar clicked his tongue in disapproval at Anali, "Oh our passionate princess..." Side stepping around them, moving at a hurried pace into a trot as if he was going to go searching for the harpy without a word requested, he smirked when he was out of sight.

And he thought Anali could be a hitch in the plan, seemed she worked for it instead.
 
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They'd just left the King's halls, both silent for they knew now was not the place to talk, when Cesar came and Roman remained calm, placing a hand to the small of Anali's back when she bristled, far less inclined or able to keep her emotions to herself. He noted that the sly Shifter addressed Anali first, purposefully done as he'd seen both of them clear enough, but Roman played the part to the welcome home, nodding with a touch of a smile.

"Thank you, Cesar. I am glad to be back."

He knew the male meant none of it and knew Cesar understood that Roman was aware of his oily tongue, but neither called the other out on it and indeed, Roman listened to what the spy had to say, knowing there would be a hint in his words somehow. A cruel one most-likely, but there. And it came in the most unexpected of forms when Eryn was mentioned, causing the ice in Roman's middle to twist violently.

Still, he remained calm and his grip on his cousin's waist tightened in warning as said passionate tongue wanted to lose its reigns once more, Anali's face closely resembling a withheld thundercloud. Roman murmured something about sending a search party out, but it was not needed, that he well knew just as Cesar did and when the man left, Roman rounded on the blond Shifter at his side.

"What did you do?" It was accusatory and it had right to be, of that the Prince was sure or he wouldn't have said it. Anali's cringe was enough to tell him he was right.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare her off or anger her....or make her think Shifters are the scum of the earth, but..."

"What?!"

Anali winced, biting her lip and avoiding those gray eyes that appealed to her to speak plainly, confused and worried. The Princess took a deep breath and grabbed her cousin's wrist, pulling him into an abandoned room, leaving the door open so there was no chance of anyone listening at the door and then she started to explain.

"I saw Cesar with Eryn and knowing how much of a snake he is, I pulled her away from him. It seems he'd been at her for a while, though, because she was already suspicious of me and every other Shifter, I think including you, and she was very.....upset about the lies she believes we've told her. She seemed to believe Cesar was the one telling the truth. I don't know what he said, but...I seem to have....made it worse."

Roman closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger, speaking evenly, softly. "You defended lying, didn't you?"

"I defended the necessity of it sometimes, yes. Just because Harpies are so holier than thou about it doesn't mean-"

"What did you say?" The demand was swift, merciless as any understanding in her cousin's gray eyes vanished, growing as hard and cold as the stone around them, and Anali knew instantly her mistake. But she squared her shoulders and answered, taking a breath, swallowing. "Eryn's a Harpy. I knew the moment you brought her to meet me."

"How?" How had she known?

Anali shook her head, smiling sardonically. "I've known the secrets of this family since I was young, Roman. I found them first and then my father told me more when I asked and over time I distinguished what was truth and what was lie."

"You didn't tell me." The betrayal there was clear and Anali bristled, hating it, not thinking before she lashed out with her words. "It's not like you did any different." she spat, arms folding. "What about when you brought Eryn in? You didn't tell me what she was or how you'd met."

"I didn't tell you to protect you, Anali. I didn't want you mixed up in something this dangerous. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you'd do something stupid, like you've done now, bringing her here! Do you think my father doesn't know exactly what she is?! He knows, Roman! He's waiting for you to string yourself up on your own rope! You're to damn honest, have too much desire to do the right thing and it's always going to get you in trouble! I was trying to prevent that."

They both went silent, watching each other, one outright glaring, the other withdrawn until finally Roman sighed and shook his head. "I don't have time for this. I have to find her before she tries to get the scale on her own." With that, he turned around and walked away, uncaring if Anali followed him or not.

With a muttered curse, she did.
 
A hard bump to the shingles that clung on the vaulted roof, the battering of cloth flailing wildly in the wind - shifter garments weren't made for strength of flight. Not to mention she had to tear pieces of to stop it from getting all tangled up in her feathers, the harpy looked more like a creature of savage behaviour than sentient thought.

Not that she was caring to the view anyways.

She had long ago discarded the boots, tearing off the sleeves and length of the midsection to enable without hindrance; she tucked the perch of the great white wings to her back. The cathedral was the only other thing tall enough that she could see around the city, letting the hawk like sight take hold so she could examine the air currents around the citizens below.

Sour duplicity bubbled in her stomach, bitter to know that shifters were so callous to one another. Like territorial dogs fighting for their lands rather than unifying as family to become strong. It was a sickening display, and it only cemented the harsh reality that harpies and shifters would be forever enemies. She had faith in Roman but now she didn't know what to think. They seemed so quick to say something about another, and then that other who had words committed about them would say something else. It was a vicious circle.

Even if they destroyed her clan, she knew... she seen that the shifters would destroy themselves as well. No one trusted another and if they did... it was false.

The sun appeared out of the cloud cover spreading the light to send a flurry of shadows down upon the ground, Eryn sat perched on the top like one of similar gargoyles upon the out edge of the roof, watching. She was trying to get a sense of the scale somewhere, something... anything.

But it was difficult when she was conflicted about so much. Perhaps she should return home and gather Yulin.... but then that would mean war. And as much as she didn't trust these shifters; she didn't wish for them to be bathed in blood. She'd have to do this alone.

Death at her door, as long as she could save lives somehow and keep the genuineness to herself, then it was worth the honor when her death came calling.
 
There was no finding Eryn. She did not want to be found and though Roman and Anali searched the sky for hours, the hawk and the sparrow flitting here and there, they saw no sign of their elusive prey. It was disheartening and when they landed, Roman was silent, unresponsive to Anali's attempts to soothe the damage. He didn't hate her, understood why she'd done as she had, but he wasn't happy with her and Roman didn't have the energy or heart to even be civil right now. So he remained silent and Anali finally stopped following him, left on her own to mull over the mistakes she'd made.

Just as Roman was left to contemplate his.

He knew he shouldn't have challenged his Uncle. That had been stupid and he would pay for it, of that Roman was sure. But what he couldn't figure out was why Eryn would believe he'd betrayed or lied to her. He'd done nothing but try to make her comfortable, try to protect her since she'd gotten here.

And on that thought, he was tempted to be angry and bitter about it...but a wiser voice took note of the fact that Eryn had not seen any proof of his truthfulness. He'd done nothing to truly help her in her quest yet and when everywhere she turned there were liars....why would she think he was any different, perhaps just better at the trade than others? He knew she had defense for being uncertain.

That didn't mean it didn't hurt, though.

The Shifter tried not to think of that, though, and instead he walked the halls, lost in far more complex thoughts now, like what to do with the dangerous game his Uncle was playing.
 
Time was hard to wait through. Patience driven to a point of frantic anxiety just to find a clue to anything that might help. Ears listened while she stalked around, lurking and sneaking into tight places that were not meant for her body to pry on others that spoke in contempt.

Shifters weren't happy people, she noted. They were loathing bitter creatures to their own neighbours and it seemed to all stem from the palace itself. The king was unforgiven, ruthless to his own and made errors in ways he treated his people.

Perhaps if she was more skilled in the ways of diplomacy, she could ignite a rebellion. Alas that was not her. Yulin was fitted for that, not she.

The day drug, tedious and long. But it seemed to give her notice as the crest of the failing sun was touching the horizon.

Guards, personal ones at that to the king himself recently relieved where making comments about the kings power. The strength that came from ancients and yet seemed so herald that not even the king was willing to see his own guards protect it.

She was taking a risk here but she had to do something. And it was her only lead.

Slipping back inside the palace proved easily enough, her body clinging to dark spaces and thatches in the roof to avoid sight, listening to all and growing a distaste even more so for these creatures. For beings who were so warm, they held ice in their hearts. It was a sad sight to see such beings fall so far from grace.

Night was dimming and torches were being lit as the harpy darted along the ceiling, the floor sometimes towards where she had noted the king's chambers were. A body passed by her as she hung to the archway of the hall, waiting until they passed to drop down with a soft thud and went racing along the carpet to the chambers.

"Must... hurry."
 
Sione was quite pleased with how his plan was working out. Cesar had been more than helpful with his devious ways, and though Sione brushed the man's work off as expected, tossing him his gold and leaving, the monarch was in truth very impressed with his best spy. He would not let Cesar know that so openly lest the male forget his place. But there was no doubt that the King was in a very good mood as he made his way to his chambers.

He almost had them. The cowering little Harpy would serve a usefulness the likes of which her people would not come to understand until much later. She would help him bring down his brother's brat and for that, Sione was almost tempted to let her live, to see the destruction that one act alone would bring. But no, she would be less of a threat dead.

Roman dead as well would bring the King nothing but joy.

The Prince held more power than he knew. His mother's people would follow him, only awaited his call and the Shifters themselves would see him on the throne. But oh, it was Athenae's people that had caused Sione some true fear over the years as Roman grew into adulthood. He'd despised that woman, but Raiden had believed her the most gorgeous creature in the world and he'd been unable to poison his brother against the entrancing wench. Not only had Athenae been beautiful, but powerful as well, with many connections that Raiden had been interested in. It had not been a marriage of love, but there had been respect and then influence of power and riches, land and alliance.

The two monarchs had made it work.

And when Roman had been born, Athenae's heart had softened considerably even as her strategic mind had sharpened to keep her son safe from the greatest threat of all - Sione. The two had been enemies since day one and though Sione had seen to her end and his brother's, Athenae had gotten the last word between them.

She'd predicted Sione's death.

Just the thought caused unease, anger within the King and he threw his goblet across the room, running again in his mind whether or not Roman had ever given any indication that he held his mother's accursed power. After a long moment of stillness, silence, he was satisfied the the answer was still no. Still, better to get rid of the brat before he had the chance to discover it or the influence he held over yet another Kingdom just as powerful as the Shifters.

No, better to kill Roman and blame the Harpies for it. Justice from Athenae's people would be swift and ruthless. Sione smiled to himself even as he took the scale from his neck, looking at the thing for a long moment, smile widening as he retracted the glamor placed over it, in turn taking away the inhibitor that had kept the scale from broadcasting its location. The Harpy would be drawn to it like a moth to a flame and then...then he would see if Cesar had come through for him with his own runes.

Setting the scale on a chain within a drawer and locking it, the King went to bed.

He would not sleep, though. Only feign to.
 
It was like a crack of lightning. Sharp and brilliant that had the harpy scrolling her demon like gaze towards the power that hummed in majesty to her.

As if someone had lit the wick of a candle, Eryn felt the power emitting behind the iron banded door. Suddenly so powerful, so familiar that she could not mistake it for anything else.

The Prism Scale was here. Just like the guards had spoken about so bitterly. Mar'luin's scale.... the king held it and now had so foolishly let it reveal and beckon to her in turn.

Hardness reached over her face, inching forward on the ceiling upside down to come crawling down the wall and swung herself around to drop soundlessly to the floor. There were no guards posted - the king evidently diluted into thinking he needed no protection- making her pity these creatures and their smug ways.

Throwing a cautious look around anyways, down each hallway, Eryn lifted her chin up. So be it. If they would make it this easy, she would not wait or give them another chance to do otherwise.

Pulling open the door, shifting her frame quickly through the slip of the crack to let it shut again; Eryn kept close to the walls. Inching and feeling the scale humming in loud vibrations, the frame of the king asleep in his bed like a fat hog on his riches and blood. Ears pinned to her skull, as she moved forward. It took no time at all for her to pin down what drawer the scale was in, not with it being so strong in its strength.

Another look to the frame of the king, talons reached up to grab the drawer. The scale was as good as hers!
 
Roman felt as if he'd been hit with the hilt of a sword as the images slammed into his mind. It was not like it usually was, this one being more powerful, more demanding of his attention and with the sense of importance so great he could not hope to ignore it. And Roman, for the first time in his life, didn't want to. Not when he saw Eryn.

Her talons touched the drawer in a room Roman knew. His heart jumped into his throat to watch her, knowing where she was. He wanted to call out to her, to warn, to reach out and stop her, but he could not move. Merely an observer to what was unfolding - would unfold? Was this even happening? It was the first time he'd wondered whether what he was viewing was more than a dream.

Touching the drawer was the only thing Eryn got to do before the King was springing from his bed with a roar like a bear...and then everything went hazy, jumbled, jumping around from reaction to reaction, noises and Roman was more than sure he heard his Uncle say something, saw Eryn's wings become useless to her and then there were guards flooding the room.

Everything went dark.

Roman came back to himself with his breath ragged in his lungs, his legs almost buckling and his head spinning with what he'd seen. He felt the ice within him intensify and his body lurched into action before it was ready to do so, his mind uncaring as it drove him forward. He had to save her. He had to do SOMETHING!

The instinct, the sudden and powerful need to change this swept over him like a tsunami and Roman almost drowned in it as he raced to stop this future...without understanding how he suddenly knew it was the imminent future.

--

She'd taken the bait, the foolish creature.

Sione waited, playing his ruse well, until the skulking wench went for the drawer, predictably so, and then he thundered out of the bed, a bear's roar in his throat as he beheld the vile creature that had invaded his chambers. He would find pleasure in her death and it was with a cruel smirk that the King uttered the word that would bind the Harpy's wings.

He hissed it and laughed as they took affect, an axe that had been near his bed now in his hands as he regarded the Harpy with cold, mocking eyes. "Did you really think it would be that easy, Harpy b***h? No, I have been expecting you." he revealed before yelling for the guards, ready to intercept any potential attack the lithe creature might pose until they got here.
 
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Vibrations suddenly jarred violently upon the air, like a maelstrom forcing her attention up in a whirling speed and eyes growing wide in the umbra. His massive body sprang up and she went rolling backwards to evade the attack from the bearish man. Wings went to string wide only finding an unseen net tethering tightly around her to bar her from doing so. Letting out a pained cry, skittering back to put the wall at her back; Eryn heaved her breath looking at the King and the glint of the axe.

It was a trap. A stupid trap she had fallen into. He knew what she was and she fell for it!

Gritting her teeth feeling the sting of failure and tears well up in her eyes; she hissed through her teeth at him. She wished she could be clever, stinging with her tongue but nothing came.

Not when the burst of the doors came rushing in with men in armor. Numerous men and they reacted heatedly to their King's outburst.

Lancets and swords drawn at the ready, thrusting at her forcing the young girl to scramble back into a corner with a protesting tweet trying to wriggle away with no success. "And here I thought harpies were clever creatures." Cesar chimed in, a thin sword in his own hand as he glanced to his King. "By your orders milord?" Eryn gasped as a shove of a lancet buried itself into the wall above her head forcing her down where another took an impaling drive to catch a slide of metal across her ribs that had her yelping in agony only to force her body to jump away and into a flourishing stab that went into the elbow of one trapped wing.

Blood deep in blue leaked forward as Cesar gave a demonic chuckle. "I've heard Harpies make great pets when their wings are removed, milord."
 
Sione laughed at the display the pitiful creature made and applauded the efforts of his spy, clapping the other Shifter on the back with his massive hand, still chuckling. "Oh, I don't doubt it. Perhaps I will rethink my plans to kill her." He smiled widely, slow and cruel. "Though, I do think I would cut out her tongue. To hear that screeching and cawing all day long would not be worth it, and we wouldn't want her revealing any plans to anyone, would we?"

It was a rhetorical question, not expecting an answer as Sione signaled the guards to take the Harpy into their custody. "Put her in The Cage." Assents were given, but even the soldiers shuddered at the mention of the special cell designed of brick walls with thousands of tiny, but sharp points that stuck out straight to discourage being leaned against or the walls banged upon. But those same points also had hooks curling upward, also dispelling the ability to climb lest they act as hooks in the skin. The Cage was always bitterly cold until the floor beneath was heated by mechanisms they could only guess at and the floor of the special cell became scorching for a half-hour or so, causing burns until one wanted to beg for the bitter cold to come back. It offered no sounds and only darkness.

It was evil devised by an evil mind.

Sione thought it perfect for the Harpy, but his gleeful thoughts were cut short by a breathless and bleeding guard - his face looked like some kind of powerful claws had just barely missed his eyes and ripping him to the bone - who'd come down the hall. "My King, the Prince approaches!"

The monarch scowled, both confused and angered. That wasn't according to the plan. Who had tipped Roman off? Nevermind, the brat would not be allowed to ruin this moment for him. "Keep him from this hall. I will deal with him on the morrow. He is to have no access to the prisoner. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sire!"

--

Roman knew he wasn't acting rationally, not in the least and somehow he didn't seem to be able to muster up the energy to care. He'd pushed and fought his way past guards trying to stop him, only fueling his NEED to get to that room. But his efforts were in vain. He knew it the moment the lance drew blood. He saw it, a split moment before it happened and Roman stumbled to a stop, weaving, wavering as the pain in his head threatened to split his skull.

He had her. Sione had Eryn.

The realization was like being stabbed and the cold inside him, the freezing shaft of ice twisted once more, driving the breath from his lungs. But the desire to change the future fled from him. The future was no longer changeable. Somehow, he'd missed his chance and Roman didn't even understand how that made any sense.

But rational thought was coming back and the Prince knew in that moment that if he went into that room, if he fought anymore guards, if he demanded Eryn's release...they would both die.

He had to wait. It killed him, but he knew he had to wait and Roman clenched his teeth against a scream of rage as he forced himself to turn away and race back the way he'd come.
 
She fluttered and yelped and screamed every time she felt one of the gruesome bites from the cold barbs digging into her flesh, renting and tearing pieces of her apart. Feathers were torn out and left to flutter. The only thing that didn't bother her was the heat. The cold was another story!

Luckily for her they had let her keep her tongue but probably only to hear her wails from heinous torture device!

Blood dripped down from the cage bottom to splatter on the ground; Cesar looked upwards to the cage remained stiffly still as the woman learnt her lesson quickly.

Taking a deep drag from the filthy habit in his lips, he hummed some. "And these's were the creatures that were the biggest enemies to our empire." he chuckled looking sidelong to another soldier. "Pathetic." A fresh yelp came from the harpy as the cage wiggled evidently stabbing herself again as a fresh feather fell away from the loft.

Catching it from the air, twirling it between his fingers before he handed it to the soldier Cesar laughed. "Give it as a memento for our princess as a gift. If not for her, I don't think the harpy would have taken my bait so readily." it was spattered with the birds cold blood but beautifully horrific.

The soldier paused looking at him and then the feather, "Won't she say something to the prince?"

"Not if she wants to risk her daddy's displeasure. Anali is a smart girl, if she says anything to that prince then she'll risk having the same faith extended to herself. Sione has great plans and he will not allow even his daughter to ruin them."
 
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When the feather came to her, Anali knew what it meant. It would not have even taken the blood. She would have known, did know as she took the offered thing from the guard with Cesar's message of thanks. The Princess accepted with a calm expression brought on by the numbness rising within her and the guard left with her murmured thanks as she stared at the blue blood now streaking her fingers.

Eryn's blood.

Harpy blood and there would be a great deal more to come. Anali could not say she knew her father's plans, but she understood they were not good, that they sought to entrap her cousin and if there was one other person Anali had every loved, it was Roman. Her father was the first, twisted as that was. She knew he was a monster, she wasn't blind to his faults, but he was still her father and there were times when she could almost forgot his heinous crimes.

Small, fleeting moments.

But not this. She could not shove her head into the sand about this. No, a decision must now be made and Anali did not want to make it. She wanted to walk away and why not? What did she owe the Harpies? Especially a Harpy who had made it clear that Anali disgusted her because she wasn't as 'holy' as Eryn was. Why would she risk so much for that?

Because there was truth in what she spoke.

There was truth in what I spoke, too!

And because you both disagree, she deserves to die? Are you truly ready to become your father?

Anali realized there were tears sliding down her face when her hand went to cover her mouth in horror at the thought. Just what WAS she becoming that she could even contemplate these thoughts?

No.

No, she'd go to Roman and they'd find a plan. They'd do something. They had to.

--

The day dawned bright, a mockery of the horrors to come, but Sione greeted it with absolute glee. He knew - KNEW - that Roman would have found out, somehow how his little pet was being kept. Whether it be from a servant, a guard loyal to the Prince or even one of Sione's own spies deciding to be malicious, the Prince would know.

Absolutely perfect.

The monarch dressed for the day, humming to himself before he summoned a messenger, telling the Shifter to bear an instruction to Cesar. That he was to have the Harpy ready to come into the throne room via the side entrance, in chains and gagged. She was to be brought in when the King commanded it.

He smiled when the Shifter left. Oh, today was going to be wonderful indeed!
 
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