Dark eyes peered over the assembled heads of the crowd from beneath the gray, non-descript cowl, hard and cold and without the least hint of laughter dancing there now. The young man's face not hidden in shadow remained grim and thoughtful as he looked to the makeshift gallows hastily set up beside the desecrated church. Edimér had never known his father. He had been far too young, only a very little boy, to remember anything of the man who was executed for extracting justice for his lost, beloved wife. But the sight of a gallows would always turn his stomach, the memory of his Grand-mère's quiet tears when she thought no one was looking; the silent despair in his Grand-père's eyes as they rode solemnly past a full gibbet, an occupied gallows...
Eri shook himself quickly beneath the cloak, teeth ground together, jaw and shoulders near to aching with the unspeakable tension of the wait, though he remained still and silent as the grave.
He'd held her close, his beloved Fae, and the the spicy sweet scent of her lingered on him still, even here among the dark and the shadows that tormented these people. And he'd promised her - sworn to her - he'd return her brother to his family, to his Purrin family and their Traveler family. One day Croftshire would one day be a far distant memory, long-forgotten and unremembered but for the golden lady Drust loved and their Rabbit Queen.
'I love you, Chavi.' It was the mantra now that ran through his head, his laid lightly on the hilt of the dagger at his waist beneath the cloak, the lengths of rope strapped to his back an almost reassuring weight. There had been some talk, some matter that weighed heavily in her thoughts this morning - but there'd been no promised time to speak after this day's performance.
Later then, when his Fae held her brother and her father, safe and close and never to be taken from her again - not while he still had life and breath in his body.
'I love you, Chavi.' Vandilo's silken ash runes felt like silken warmth beneath his clothes - but nothing to match the feel of her small, lithe body pressed against him, or the heat of her lips as he kissed her farewell - but only for the moment. Yes, only for a moment.
'I love you, Chavi. Navid's wards hung under his shirt, a heady mixture of herbs wrapped in his brother's magics. Jasper was far too conspicuous, too large to go unnoticed, and remained with his mate and their family at the caravan, a stalwart guard. Though Pearl and Beryl had allowed Eri to wrest them from Chavi's side for this endeavor, he still would have given anything at the moment, that Garnet's wing was whole again, but there was simply no help for it now.
Opal refused to leave Abe's side, not from the very moment they'd returned with the great man from the fairgrounds, her small warm body wedged firmly against his, a soft whine in her throat as her furry head wedged its way beneath the palm of his great hand. The memory of that sight, and those tears on Chavi's sweet, flawless cheeks only hardened his resolve. The young man didn't need his eyes to sense the bully dogs, flanking the crowd on either side, heads down, tails down, looking not much better in their well-muddied coats than stray dogs not worth the effort of a good kick.
The young man's gaze fell over the crowd gathering once more, looking for a sign from his brothers that they were in place.