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[color=6E8E67]Location:[/color] Sharon, Shalador[/center][hr][hr]

Fatima heaved a sigh.  [color=6E8E67]"Jandar, we can discuss these things with the boy later.  For now let us return to camp, hmm?"[/color]  She turned her eyes on the boy.  [color=6E8E67]"Why don't you go with Mikhail.  Stay close to him.  And don't let the words of my boys bother you too much.  You and I shall talk soon."[/color]  She reached out to pat his head, like Jassen would have done when she was a child, but stopped as she remembered the boy was afraid of her.  She retracted the hand with a thin smile and went back into the camp.

Xandar surprised her with his talent.  She could smell the beginnings of something delightfully delicious.  She did not have the time to sit with them just yet though.  She spared only a moment to praise the Eyrien male.  [color=6E8E67]"You've got me absolutely astounded,"[/color] she told the man.  She briefly laid a hand on his forearm and offered him one of her lopsided grins. [color=6E8E67] "A man of the world.  I'm quite impressed and excited to give it a try."[/color] She did not linger though.  Passing Dareen and the Sceltie, with a slight nod to both, Fatima approached the place where Faeril slept.

It was dark inside as the beginnings of daylight crept through the broken windows.  Her feet stirred up dust that had settled on the floor.  She could see where Faeril and Xandar had passed through the house before her.  She followed the trail, the scent of rotting wood growing stronger as she reached the center of the house.

Stairs creaked as she ascended them.  She kept close to the wall, nervous they might give way to her weight.  It was not long before she reached the place where Faeril curled to rest.  Her wings covered her and she actually looked just as pissed off in slumber as she did waking.  Fatima giggled and approached the woman.  Crouching, she gently reached out and brushed a hand over one of the fingers of her wing.  [color=6E8E67]"Lady,"[/color] she said softly.  [color=6E8E67]"I must speak with you."[/color]

The stirring was slow, rippling over the leather surface of the wings. One blue eye tiredly opened, as Faeril looked at the Queen. [color=SlateBlue]“Lady… I hope this is serious.”[/color] She whispered, her voice hoarse as her wings moved to fold against her back. Sitting against the fireplace, she studied Fatima. The Hayllian was looking like she fell into a bush.

[color=6E8E67]"Would I dare wake you otherwise?"[/color] She asked in a teasing tone, her lips twisting into an uncertain smile.  [color=6E8E67]"We have visitors.  Or intruders, depending on whom you ask."[/color] She paused to look out the balcony doors.  [color=6E8E67]"A boy and his dog.  Did you see them in your web?"[/color]

Faeril yawned sleepily, turning what she was told over in her slowly working mind. [color=SlateBlue]“I did not see Jandar, nor Mikhail, but they are drawn to you and you to them. Can you deny that?”[/color] The Black Widow pointed out. [color=SlateBlue]“The only concrete thing I got was power. Dark power that makes me think we have a chance to stop this madness.”[/color] She sighed and shrugged with a slow lopsided smile. “The tangled webs we weave rarely give a straight answer.”

Of course they didn't.  That would be too damn easy.  Her mention of dark powers sent trails of ice and fire through her veins as Fatima remembered the touch of the dark jeweled man. The Queen killer.  She rubbed her temples, attempting to massage him away.

[color=6E8E67]"They want you to wipe his mind, make it so he doesn't remember us.  The dog too. It talks.  While that may keep us safe it won't keep the child safe.  You know what I mean, don't you?"[/color]

Faeril gave a groan and shook her head. She hated admitting weakness, but she could not lie to the Queen she served. [color=SlateBlue]“I don’t have the strength.”[/color] She admitted, then her eyes narrowed. [color=SlateBlue]“A talking dog?”[/color]

[color=6E8E67]"I thought that might be the case,"[/color] she responded with a nod of her head.  She lowered her hands to her knees and allowed her bottom to touch the floor before stretching out her legs.  She leaned back, propping herself up on her hands behind her. [color=6E8E67]"Yes.  It… er… He can speak, as on a thread.  We can hear him."[/color] She tapped her forefinger against her temple.

Faeril’s eyes narrowed. [color=SlateBlue]“Have you heard of Kindred? The goodly spirited creatures of legend?”[/color]

She shrugged, [color=6E8E67]"In stories.  Books.  I didn't think there were any in Terrielle."[/color]

The Black Widow raised a pointed brow. [color=SlateBlue]“Do you have a better explanation?”[/color] She asked softly. [color=SlateBlue]“My Lady, even if I could I would not lay that sort of spell upon a child’s mind. It is… damaging if it is not done right. Mikhail’s own mind is being healed from one such and he suffers from it.”[/color]

[color=6E8E67]"I only have two choices before me then.  We take them or we kill them. What would you do?"[/color]

[color=SlateBlue]“I cannot condone the killing of children and certainly not Kindred.”[/color] Faeril stated softly, [color=SlateBlue]“But you are the Queen, not I. In all that I know, of what my ancestresses wrote on them, Kindred are… upfront generally in their intentions. Though to be fair, those passages were few and I have not looked at them in many years.”[/color] Hesitating she gave Fatima a pleading look, conveying her wish that Fatima would not seek their death yet that was not the question she asked. [color=SlateBlue]“What does the overgrown rooster say on the matter?”[/color] She questioned in reference to Xandar.

In earnest, she didn't want to kill the child or the dog.  But their safety, the safety of those in her charge, could be jeopardized if they were to tag along.  [color=6E8E67]"I do not know what Xandar thinks.  And you should be nice to him.  He's a good man."[/color] Yes a Queen killer but a good man.  [color=6E8E67]"I suppose.. I should speak with my Court and get their feelings on the matter."[/color]  Kindred.  Child.  Would she be forced to enact violence against them?  Would she be a monster to keep her boys safe.  She rubbed dirty hands over her face.

[color=SlateBlue]“Fatima, Lady.”[/color] Faeril gripped her wrist in an iron grip. [color=SlateBlue]“I will watch the boy closely myself if that will weigh in your decision.”[/color] There was deep pain there in her voice, in her eyes of some long ago loss. Not that Faeril would share it.

She jerked her face up to meet Faeril’s eyes at the touch of her hands.  She gave the woman a watery smile.  Her words did help.  [color=6E8E67]"Let me think on it a bit.  I'll talk to the men.  Come down to breakfast when you are ready.  I would like to leave soon."[/color] She removed herself from the woman and made her way back down to the campsite.