EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Gwindir gave a brief nod to Fendros. "Yes, Shevari was about to cook dinner for us all. We should have enough for all of you to join us as well." He answered, though Fendros' story regarding the fire did seem to have him concerned. Finally standing up, he walked over, knelt down next to Rhazii, and rubbed the top of his head. "By the Eight, that fire sounds like it was terrible. But you look like you're a tough little cub, aren't you? I'm sure you'll grow up to be just as strong and healthy as any other Cathay, maybe even moreso."

Ahnasha was glad that Fendros was able to come up with something quickly, and as he spoke, an idea came to Ahnasha, something that would let her explain away a detail that her family had not yet noticed. While her father spoke to Rhazii, she made her own comment. "Yeah, it was easily the most terrifying night of my life. I ran back as soon as I could, and the guard couldn't keep me out of the building. I was the one who found him, and I had to put my hand through the flames to get him. Most of it didn't get too badly burned; the fur has even grown back, but one of my fingers..." She began, holding up the hand with the missing finger. "The healers couldn't do anything for it. They had to remove it."

"Divines, what a tragedy." S'nashi exclaimed. "I'm just glad you are all okay. I...well, I would say to be careful, but I know you would do anything for your son."

Ahnasha looked down, rubbing her own hand. "Yeah, that night was what started my thoughts on coming back here to all of you. It gave me...perspective on what you must have went through."

Shortly afterwards, Vasiq returned with the pink-scaled Argonian woman in tow. She looked at Fendros and Ahnasha nervously as she introduced herself. "Um, hello. My name is Shevari. I'm Vasiq's fiance."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

With that matter settled, Vasiq exhaled deeply, then stood up from the table. "Well, I guess I'll head down and tell Shevari she can come back up. It is...good to see you again, sister."

Ahnasha stood up as well, though it was mostly just to stretch her legs and attempt to clear her head. Sitting at the table, she felt like she was being interrogated. Gwindir remained seated, but turned his attention to something he had noticed before, during his first meeting with Fendros. He looked at Rhazii, staring particularly intently at his face. Rhazii's burns were not quite as obvious as they used to be, but they were still plainly visible.

"I suppose it is settled, then. At the very least, we will have today." Gwindir said with a sigh, obviously disappointed. "Anyway, about my...grandson. Rhazii, I noticed those marks on his face. He looks like he is scarred; what happened to him?" He asked, looking at Fendros. Obviously, the truth was not an option, but Ahnasha did not know if it would be suspicious to suddenly interject.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

For a duration just long enough to be awkward, there was silence between everyone at the table as they all came to terms with the situation, as it had been presented. No one actually seemed satisfied with the way everything had gone, but at the very least, they all knew it could have gone far worse. Ahnasha's family were going to lose her once again soon enough, but they at least had the peace-of-mind to know that she was safe. Ahnasha regretted that she now had to keep up a lie, but her family was at least not outwardly angry with her.

S'nashi was the one to break the silence. "Well...at least I can know you are safe, and have a good life. That is really all a mother can ask for in life. I wish we could keep you here with us, but if you are happy in Bruma, then I will be happy that you are there. Just...can you at least stay the night here with us? And your husband and son? If I am going to lose you again so soon, I at least want to be able to spend that much time with you." She asked.

Ahnasha looked to Fendros questioningly. Off the top of her head, she could not think of a reason they could not stay. She had told Meesei of her intentions earlier that day, so it was not as if they would be missed if they did not return to the ship that night. Their sleeping arrangements might be crowded, but that was nothing new for them. "I think we can." She said, but she decided to wait for Fendros' answer before giving a definitive yes.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Tell us what?" Gwindir asked with some suspicion almost immediately after Fendros spoke. Ahnasha nervously paused indecisively. She did not want to lie to them, and it was evident that Fendros felt the same way, but she was terribly afraid of admitting the truth. She knew them; they were devout followers of the Eight, even her brother. There was no way they would be able to see her as anything but a monster, and there was no telling what they might do in response. Although it would probably cause problems later, and Fendros was likely going to be angry with her over it, she had to lie.

"That...we have already settled down somewhere else. I knew you would want me to return home, but I have a life of my own now, in...Bruma. We have friends up there, and it is where Rhazii has grown up. We are, um, starting a shop. We have the building and everything, we just need to finalize a few things. That's why we're going to Elsweyr, to secure a supply of exotic goods. Something to...set us apart from the others." Ahnasha explained, hoping her nervousness would be seen as natural for the situation.

Ahnasha's mother and brother seemed to accept the explanation well enough, though her father had something of a skeptical look on his face. If he did have doubts, however, he did not mention them. Vasiq, however, did manage to speak up. "So, this is it? Again? We aren't going to be able to see you again after just having learned that you are even alive?"

"I can visit, occasionally." Ahnasha answered defensively. "And we can exchange letters, once we get back." She added. That much, at least, was true. Even if they did not actually have a shop in the city, Ahnasha could still head into Bruma periodically to send and receive letters, as long as they actually ended up returning to the clan after this mission. She just hoped that Fendros was not too angry with her for refusing to tell the truth.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Once Ahnasha had composed herself enough, she tried to find some way to respond. Although, she did not know if there was anything she could say that could even come close to excusing her actions. "I...mother, I'm...so sorry. I had no idea; I knew it would be painful, but I thought..."

"You were a fool, Ahnasha." S'nashi interrupted rather harshly. But, after a moment, both her expression and voice softened. "But, you were young, and I think we were all fools at that age. You have grown so much since you left; it is almost hard to believe that it is still you. You're bigger and stronger, and it looks like more mature." S'nashi chuckled, even as she continued to cry. "I mean, just look at you. The Ahnasha I knew never would have considered settling down with a family of her own, but here you are with a polite, handsome husband, and a beautiful son. I think all that matters is that you have finally come home. No matter what you did, or how long it has been, you and your family have a place here."

Ahnasha could not express how grateful she was to hear those words from her mother, but even so, it also seemed that another worry had come to pass. It seemed that her mother thought she had returned permanently, but that obviously was not an option. "I...can't stay, mother. I'm sorry. We are passing through Leyawiin on the way to Elsweyr, and...we have to leave with the ship."

S'nashi did nothing more than lower her head in silent disappointment, but Gwindir was more vocal in his objections. "Surely, you cannot be serious, daughter? You have only just returned to us minutes ago, after nine years of a feigned death, and now you are saying we will have to go through losing you all over again?"

Ahnasha hung her head in shame, turning slightly to look at Fendros beside her. She did not want to tell them about her lycantrhopy, but she had to say something to put their minds at ease.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Yes. Yes I am, little one." S'nashi answered to Rhazii in a particularly calm and compassionate voice. Regardless of the actions of Ahnasha, nothing she had done was the fault of Rhazii. No matter what else happened, she would accept him just as any other member of the family. Once she turned her attention back to Ahnasha, however, her disappointment in her daughter started to show through in her expression. She had been overjoyed to see her alive, but the pain her actions had caused her family could not be forgotten.

"M'ahnasha...when you died, it was like a part of me died with you. A part of all of us. In the month after, we nearly lost the shop because we could hardly find the will to work. We thought you had died because we gave in to your desire to explore the wilds around the city. It was our fault we lost you. I had failed as a mother and you had paid the price." S'nashi explained, pausing as she deliberated in her mind whether she truly wanted to admit what had happened next. "After it happened...I almost took my own life."

Upon those words, both Gwindir and Vasiq looked to her in surprise. Evidently, it was not something that had been known to either of them. With her head lowered in shame, S'nashi sobbed as she spoke. "I couldn't bear the thought of how I had failed you. If anything, I was the one who deserved to die instead of you. I was sitting on the bed, staring out the window up at the twin moons. I got as far as bringing the knife to my throat and...started to press down when Vasiq knocked at the door. I knew afterwards that I could not leave the family I still had, but..." S'nashi raised up her head to look at Ahnasha with her tear-clouded eyes. "I would rather spend every day worrying about you, my daughter, than to know that I had killed you."

The revelation of what had happened, and the potential for what she could have caused, was utterly devastating to Ahnasha. She cried uncontrollably at the thought of her mother taking her own life because of what she had done. Ahnasha realized that it had only been by chance that her family was spared an even greater tragedy, and it had all been her fault.

Blood Act I~ Ghosts of the Past

Ssarak Dyreackthanose

---

To be polite, Ssarak accepted one of the caramels, while leaving the rest for Lyn. Giving a nod, he took a seat nearby to wait for the show. Although, he actually did not know where or what kind of show it was going to be; he was simply present to see Lyn. Given their surroundings, he guessed that it was a show meant for children. Of course, with Tyrael's well-known propensity towards violence, Ssarak actually did not know what the fallen demon would consider suitable for a young child.

When Lyn started to speak, or rather, the rune on her person, it actually took Ssarak a bit by surprise. He knew how well-developed Lyn's mind was, so it was a kind gesture for Leith to give her such a gift as that rune. However, Ssarak found himself curious about how Leith came into possession of such a rune. It had a rather specialized purpose which would not be useful in many other circumstances. He supposed Leith could have simply requested it from a runecrafter like Val, but that would likely require payment, which would have made it an even greater kindness.

Ssarak leaned in to get a closer look at the rune. "Indeed it is. I am guessing that it is nice to not require a psychomancer to relay your thoughts to others? Although, be careful not to become too complacent with it. You will still need to practice speaking normally; that is even better than having a rune, I can assure you."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Her husband?" Gwindir exclaimed. Although, given their conversation earlier that day, it did not come as too much of a surprise for him. However, when he looked down to Rhazii beside him, another realization came to mind. "That means that your son is..."

Gwindir took in a deep breath, having just learned not only that his daughter was alive, but that he had a grandson. He glanced back towards the back room, then placed his hand on his wife's shoulder. "We should all head into the back and...talk."

Reluctantly, S'nashi released her grip on her daughter and nodded, looking at nothing in particular. Wordlessly, they headed into the back room, then into the hall on the left and up the stairs to the second floor. Despite all the time that had passed, Ahnasha recognized that the layout of their home had not changed at all. The first room after heading upstairs acted as both their dining and living room. Although it was a two-story building, the shop and its storage room took up most of the first floor, so their actual living space was rather limited. The furniture and many of the decorations in the home had changed since Ahnasha had last seen it, but it was still all arranged in much the same way.

In the dining room, they were met by a confused-looking Argonian woman in a blue dress, with bright pink scales. Immediately, Vasiq walked up and took both of her hands in his. "Dear, do you think you could head downstairs and close up the shop for the evening?"

"Yes, of course." She answered, and honestly, she looked rather relieved. Evidently, she had overheard enough of the conversation downstairs to know that she did not want to be anywhere near it.

The dinner table was large enough for them all, so they were each able to have their own seats. Again, Vasiq was the first to speak up once they were settled in. "So...what happened, sister? You said you faked your death, but why?"

Ahnasha had made the decision that she did not want to tell her family about her lycanthropy, but she would try to at least say something close to the truth. "I just wanted a new life. You have to understand that I never wanted to be a merchant. I did not like that life, and I wouldn't be happy in it. I just though that...it would be the best way to give you closure. It was a terrible mistake, I know. I should have just told you I was leaving, but I was afraid and confused. I thought that letting you move past my loss would be better than making you worry about me."

Gwindir did not seem to be entirely satisfied or dissatisfied with her answer, but S'nashi did not actually seem to care at all. Her gaze shifted over to Rhazii instead. "The little cub, is he really the son of you and my daughter?" She asked Fendros.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha certainly needed the encouragement from Fendros. She knew she needed to do something, and was about to step forward when Vasiq finaly spoke up. "You were dead, Ahnasha. I saw it: all the blood, and the rest of the scene...how is this possible?"

Closing her eyes, Ahnasha failed to hold back her tears. Seeing her family now had only made her regret stronger. "It was a fake, brother, all of it. It was a terrible mistake, but it was all fake."

There was a mix of emotions from Ahnasha's family upon the revelation of her deception. All of them, especially Vasiq, looked to be surprised. For her father, the surprised was mixed with confusion and a feeling of betrayal. Her mother experienced all of these things, but all of those emotions were overshadowed by the immense relief of seeing her daughter alive. She ran forward and embraced Ahnasha tightly. It was unlikely that the whole situation would be resolved so simply, but for the moment, she just wanted to be close to the daughter with which she had just been reunited.

Gwindir held his hands up to his face, pressing his fingers against his temple as he tried to come to terms with what he had just learned. "You...faked your death? Why would you do that, I don't understand? What was important enough that you would make us go through all of the pain of losing you?" Gwindir asked, still having difficultly coming to terms with this new situation. After a moment, however, his attention turned to Fendros. "And you, who are you really? Were you involved in all of this?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Even Fendros' comment could not halt the silence between the two. Ahnasha had hoped the words would come to her, but she had no such luck. How would one even begin to explain to her parents why she put them through such pain willingly? Eventually, however, the silence had hung in the air long enough that her mother realized she needed to do something.

"I need...I need to get my husband, and Vasiq. This is...they should just be here." S'nashi quickly turned and rushed through the door to the back room. There was only a minute or so of a wait, the entire duration of which Ahnasha spent looking at the floor, trying to collect herself. When S'nashi returned with the rest of the family, it was clear by their reactions that she had not had time to explain what was happening. Vasiq, Ahnasha's brother, was just as speechless as S'nashi had been, but due to their conversation earlier that day, the initial shock was shorter lived for Gwindir. He was the first to speak as he ran his hands down his face and tried to reign in control of his emotions.

"I should have put it together; I should have entertained the thought. I just...couldn't believe. All those years, all the pain, just...what happened?" Gwindir asked. Ahnasha felt like she could speak up, but she did not know how much detail to give. It was possible that telling them about her lycanthropy would be too much.