When Triver woke he was staring up at the ceiling. Everything felt numb as if he had just taken a dip into the garden fountain during the middle of winter. There was no way that Inaris had just up and left with some of the most valuable things in Danycia. He wasn't going to believe it. Inaris was a good man, a bit twisted and hard to understand, but he was good. Triver [i]knew[/i] that this was some sort of mistake. Maybe the books were misplaced and...and- 

[color=a187be]"Prince." [/color]

The sound of his sister's voice caught him off guard. 

[color=a187be]"You called for us- me." [/color]

That's right, there would never be an 'us' anymore. The mage had grown used to talking about herself and Inaris as one in the same. 

[color=0072bc]"I didn't call-"[/color]

[color=a187be]"I heard you calling. It must have been when you were asleep."[/color] There had been times in the past when the Prince would call for the mages in his sleep. Inaris had been plagued by those calls, as his mid magic was the strongest and the hardest to control. Ser'deni slumped next to her half-brother and wrapped her arms around him loosely. They stayed like that for a few moments. Broken and afraid. Inaris was a marked man; there was nothing that they could do to save him. Triver was reluctant to let go of his only source of comfort. She pulled away and wiped the Prince's face dry before standing and looking towards the twins. 

[color=a187be]"Thank you...for ensuring he is fine." [/color]

Her tone was dead. Even Triver had lost the spark in his eyes. 

[color=a187be]"I have some supplies waiting. I was to be sent out on a small mission in two weeks’ time, so we can use the equipment I prepared."[/color] She and Triver knew how to guard themselves against Inaris well enough but the knights were a cause for concern. 

[color=a187be]"If we come across Inaris,"[/color] she had pulled the twins aside as the prince went to gather some supplies. [color=a187be]"Only think of the mundane - a rock, your childhood pet, a fish, anything other than your next move or your feelings."[/color]

[color=a187be]"Inaris is highly skilled in mind magic and he can and will turn your thoughts and emotions against you. If he does something like what we had done at the trials - the voices - do not focus on them. I can supply two talismans if needed. They offer minimal protection but they would be better than nothing."[/color] Ser'deni ran a hand through her dark hair and she sighed. This was a hard task, to kill a former lover. She was worried about what this was going to do to her brother - he had never experienced the death of one so dear. Triver and a few servants came carrying a few weapons and bags of supplies. Soon their horses were prepared and they were sent out. 

Above them the vulture and two crows circled overhead while one rode on the mage's shoulder to provide her with information about their surroundings. 

Triver was staring blankly at the horse's mane. He should have been happy. This was his first time outside of the castle walls but he couldn't bring himself to smile about it. All he could think about was Inaris. 

He searched everywhere in his memories for any hidden clues or something that would allow him to make sense of their current situation. Maybe deep in some memory there was a time when Inaris was acting a little differently and his mind had simply filed it away without a second glance. 

Their first stop was a small village just a few miles from the capital. It was on the very edge of the great forest and there were bound to be bandits.