[center]At first Kieran didn't respond. Esther turned to him and paused, Lye falling silent as well. His expression was vacant, his eyes were dull and almost lifeless. Esther moved toward and stepped up on her tiptoes,  her now glowing eyes on her friend. “Kieran….Kieran….Kieran!” Her voice rose with each time she said his name, her hands fisting in his shirt. The other didn't respond and with a gulp, she raised her hand and slapped his cheek. His head whipped to the side, Esther shook him and spoke his name once more. “Kieran.” 

Kieran blinked as he felt a sharp pain before he was being shaken. His gaze focused on a tree trunk for a moment before he lifted his heavy head, Esther and everyone else save a few were before him. Esther was the one shaking him, her glowing eyes drawing his attention as his mouth opened to respond. “The fuck?” He bit out, before pulling away from Esther. He regretted it when she flinched and her head turned to the side, he swallowed and turned his attention to the left. 

Clara and Christian were there as well, Kieran didn't say anything beside nod his heavy head. He began to walk then, his hands limp at his sides and footsteps feeling like lead.  

[i]A young Kieran walked beside his mother with a smile on his lips. Raven-black hair swayed in the breeze around them as they continued down the street, the townspeople waving as they passed. A squeeze of his hand had Kieran turning to face his beautiful mother, his head tilted to the side in question. 

“What shall we do today, love?” Her voice was soft and smooth, Kieran blinked and turned his head to the streets they walked. His free hand lifting to fiddle with a necklace he'd been given by his friend Esther a week ago. The emerald was warm from the sun's rays, he hummed softly and shifted closer to his mother. 

“The Shops?” He questioned with a blink of his eyes, his mother's musical laughter filling the air in answer. His father hadn't been home for a few days  and Kieran noted how his mother rarely allowed them to spend time at home. They were always out and about, Kieran’s mission to keep his mother happy. 

Those days ended on the night of a moonless sky. Keiran awoke to a scream that had him lurching from his bed, his footsteps leading him to his parents room. A iron grip encircled his neck the moment he entered the darkened room, the smell of blood thick in the air. 

“Mommy…?” Kieran asked hesitantly as the hand tightened it's grip, blazing silver eyes met his wide sky-blue ones. He'd grown and with the time that passed he noticed his mother was acting strange. His father hissed and pinned him harder into the wall behind him, Kieran didn't put up a fight. 

“She's dead and it's your fault.” Were the words that filled his young ears, Kieran’s eyes widened as his head shook in denial. He could smell the blood on his father's hands, his eyes frantically searching the darkness for his mother. She was on her bed with the covers thrown away in disarray. Her mouth was open and her eyes were blank, her hair fanning out around her almost as if representing a halo. 

His young mind snapped. Before he knew what he was doing, his father was across the room and clutching his missing arm. Kieran snarled a feral-souding noise and lurched himself forward, only to lurch away with a pained cry. A silver dagger was embedded in his arm, he glanced up and found the room empty aside from his mother. 

He didn't move from where he collapsed against the wall. When morning came he began to dig a grave and settled his still mother within the wooden box he'd created. Kieran had cleaned her as best he could, his movements mechanical and stiff. She was in her best dress and her hair tied into a low ponytail, Kieran placed a bouquet in her arms and settled the top on the casket. He buried her with a silent goodbye, before turning to his childhood home and returning inside. He'd packed a bag and grabbed a lit torch from the wall, he lit the house ablaze. 

He never looked back. Though the ache took a long time to disappear. [/i]

Kieran picked up his pace and headed towards the mansion. Esther following behind with Lye and Vox at his heels, his mind going blank once more.[/center]

[@earlymorninstar]