Iriona

[athena]

Aria’s voice had taken on a distant, melodic quality as she recalled her childhood. Elion listened quietly and stared out over his father’s fields. In time, the farm would belong to him, although he hoped it would be many years yet. From all that Aria had previously described of her world, he was surprised to hear that there were in fact farms that still existed. Perhaps they even had spirits too, they had just lost a way to communicate with them. Aria had already demonstrated she had some sort of connection with the spirits. It must have existed before her first trip to Iriona, otherwise Elion suspected she might never have been chosen. Maybe, just maybe...

“Elion?” Aria interrupted his thoughts. “Hmmm?” he replied lazily, stretching his legs out. “I asked if you were going back to the fields after lunch.” “Ah.” Elion ran his dirt-covered hands through his usual coiffed hair. “I think not. Usually father tends to the livestock in the afternoons. It is far too hot during Facis to work in the fields past noon. Besides, the crops are mostly growing and all that is needed is maintenance.” He said it as if it were common knowledge, because, to him, it was. Elion paused a moment. He supposed it wouldn’t be to Aria. She didn’t say anything though; she just nodded.

“Father isn’t connected to the earth,” He said rather suddenly. Aria looked at him, and he shrugged. “His gifts lie with the spirits of the animals. His sheep produce the best wool, the horses are the best, so on and so forth. They are his passion, much like farming is mine. When you are well, you should spend some time with him in the barn and pens. It is like magic.” Elion chuckled. “When I was a boy, before I had really learned how to connect with the spirits, I used to think it was magic. And that father was some sort of wizard. Sometimes I still think he is.”
At some point, a plate of food had materialized between them. He suspected Zara had left it for them. Elion handed his companion pieces of fruit and bread. “I actually have another plan,” he said suddenly inspired. “If you are feeling up to it, I would very much like to take you to the orchards for a while.” Aria smiled her consent. Lys would no doubt scold the both of them if she found out their plans. The two sat huddled together, eating lunch quickly and quietly. They looked exactly like a pair of kids up to something. Luckily, the two managed to clear the plate and escape from the porch without Lys noticing.

Elion set a slow pace for them, mindful of Aria’s healing body. He offered her a dirt-smudged arm, but she waved him off. Although she claimed it was because he was caked in dirt and sweat, Elion suspected it was more of her pride speaking. Thankfully the edge of the orchard provided enough shade for them. Aria settled with her back against one of the many trees. Elion settled across from her. “So this is your beloved orchard,” she declared. Elion beamed as if she had complimented his child. In a sense, it was. “Yes,” he replied simply. “Although I brought you here for something other.” Aria looked at him curiously. “You are going to start lessons.” Her confusion was palpable. “It seems like the spirits are interested in you. It is only fair that you learn how to speak with them and identify them.” He stuck his hands out, palms up. “Give me your hands.” Hesitantly, she placed her hands in his. Elion lightly took her hands, running his thumbs across her knuckles.

“The easiest way to start is to recognize the spirits of people. We all have them; as children, they are unshaped and don’t carry the influence of the cardinal spirits. Once a cardinal spirit claims you, your own spirit begins to take on the feel of the other. Your essence is still there. It’s a distinct flavor that characterizes the individual. You can tell a lot about a person by the feel of their spirit, although getting a clear read on people is more challenging, especially if it is quick. But that is a discussion for another time. The point of today’s exercise is for you to try and feel my spirit. You obviously cannot feel your own, as it is inseparable from you. Now, you will feel a gentle push.”

Elion squeezed Aria’s hands before gently probing her spirit. He was well practiced, and it did not take him long to find it and sort it out. He withdrew slowly. “An unshaped spirit, which is no surprise. But strong and flexible. It is still searching for something though. What, I’m not sure. Perhaps it will find it in time. Regardless, you have yet to be claimed so you will be able to sample a variety of spirits before you settle. Now,” he ran his thumbs across her knuckles again in reassurance. “I want you to try and feel for my spirit. Find your center and reach out from it. You have a spiritual center. Once you find it, you will know what to do. I will help as best as I can.” Elion smiled and settled into a relaxed state. It would help Aria. He gave her one last reassuring squeeze before letting her concentrate.

[Victoria]

Find his spirit. How was she supposed to do that? He made it sound so easy, but she didn’t even know where to begin. Taking a deep breath, Aria tried to relax as best she could. With a firm hold on his hands, she started to try and find her spiritual center, but the question was, how would she know when she found it? It was one of those things that she guessed she would just have to trust him, that she would know when she found it. Moreover that she would know what to do once she found it. They sat in quiet contemplation for a long moment, only the rustle of leaves in a light breeze was heard. But the longer it was taking, the more frustrated she was becoming. Opening her eyes, she looked at Elion, “It’s not working,” she finally broke the silence.
“Try again,” he urged her with a reassuring smile and a gentle squeeze on her hands, “It is your first try, it may take you a little while to get it right.”

She was used to being good at things from her first attempt. She had always adapted easily and picked up on things quickly with little lessons needed. But this was different, she guessed. This was uncharted territory to her, a foreign concept that the people around here grew up learning. She was behind the curve a little. But the spirits kept picking her for a reason, maybe not one she understood, but there was a connection there. She had to find a way to really connect and communicate with the spirits if she wanted to be of any assistance to Elion here. Aria didn’t know how long she would be here, perhaps the rest of her life. She couldn’t function in a world she didn’t understand. She had to do this and she had to get it right. Nodding slightly, she saw Elion relax again and in return she closed her eyes and sighed. Her spiritual center, the core of her being. In essence, weren’t they talking about her soul? The energy in which made her who she was? Or maybe she was insanely wrong, she didn’t really know for sure. She tried to relax her stiffening frame and searched within herself looking for the center. They fell into that relaxed silence again, but just like the first time she came out of it empty handed. “What am I doing wrong?” she asked after a long moment.
“You need to relax more,” Elion tried to coach her, “You can do this.”

That was easy for him to say, he knew what he was doing. She didn’t have the first clue. But if she wanted to learn how to do anything involving the spirits, she had to learn this first. One more try, she thought to herself. Settling in again, she was back on the search. This time though, after several minutes, she found it. She didn’t even have to ask what to do next, it was like part of her extended out to him. Reaching for him, almost as if he had been the thing she was searching for. She didn’t have to know what to do, it just happened. A warmth spread through her, and instinctively, she squeezed his hands. Everything felt… right. And nothing scared her more than that. Suddenly her eyes opened, the warmth was gone, and it was over. Pulling her hands from his she flinched slightly, and her now freed hand went to her side.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She tried to wave him off, but she knew he would have none of that, “My side,” she finally answered, “Still fresh, still sore. It happens.” She tried to brush it off as nothing. She didn’t know how to explain what had overcome her the second she had finally found her spiritual center. She didn’t even know if she had succeeded in finding his spirit. Just that she knew hers thirsted after something. He had been right, it was searching. She was just afraid their little activity had caused it to find what it was searching for. In him. She wasn’t ready for that. Everything was already too confusing for this to get any more complicated for her. “Zara mentioned going into town sometime soon,” she said, changing the subject away from her pain and their lesson. She couldn’t wrap her mind around all of that, “Is that something maybe, we could do?”

[athena]

He was suspicious of Aria’s claims her side ached. Elion had felt the start of Aria’s prodding. It lacked the elegant subtlety of a well-practiced person, but then again, she was just beginning her endeavors. If she had pressed a little more, she would have been able to strengthen the connection. Elion hid his disappointment. There would be more practice in the future, and Aria would become better at connecting and feeling spirits. 

“Zara mentioned going into town sometime soon,” Aria said, quickly changing the subject. Elion raised an eyebrow. Is that something maybe, we could do?” Elion rubbed his hands on the rough fabric of his pants. The thought of town made him uncomfortable. When he had come into his gifts as a teen, many of the townspeople had shied away from him in fear. Gifted people were rare, but spirit walkers were even more so. Spirit walkers were a thing of legend and often feared due to the mystery surrounding them. It was not as if he had been treated poorly, but Elion was clearly able to sense the fear and discomfort of people who had once been close friends. He had moved to Eltal to avoid them and he usually stayed on the farm when he visited.

“I’m afraid I cannot go,” he said somewhat abashed. Aria would no doubt pick up on his strange tone. “I will have work on the farm,” he offered, hoping that it would cover his discomfort. “You may certainly go with Zara though. Only with mother’s approval of course.” As if on cue, Elion felt a slight tug coming from the house. It was no doubt his mother. He stood, offering a hand to Aria. She hesitatingly took his hand and used it to pull herself up. She dropped it immediately though, as if she had been burned. Elion shrugged. “Mother is looking for us.”

Together the two walked back to the house in silence. Elion kept a watchful eye on Aria. She seemed to manage quite well despite her claims of an aching side. Elion tried to squash his suspicions, but the agente inside him continued to prod. He opened his mouth to say something, however a sharp word from his mother cut him off. “Elion,” his mother nearly spat. It was enough for him to lose his train of thought and bow his head in apology. He had not realized that they were in view of the veranda. Immediately, his mother came down the stairs and rushed to Aria. All the while she fixed a harsh gaze on her son.

“How are you feeling? You did not tax yourself did you?” Lys pulled up Aria’s shirt to reveal the small line of stitches, still intact. Her long fingers skillfully prodded the wound. Satisfied with what she found, Lys turned to deliver a swift whack to Elion’s arm. “You should know better,” she chastised Elion. He only offered a sheepish grin. Aria chuckled, no doubt delighting in Elion’s scolding. Little did she realize she was not safe either. Lys wheeled on her patient. “And you,” she seethed. “I told you to rest! And where do I find you? Wandering the farm with my meddling son! I should string up the two of you by your toes!” Elion couldn’t help but laugh. His mother often blustered and made threats. Her temper was quick, but just as quickly burned itself out. She looked harshly at her son before her own eyes softened as her anger petered out. “I would expect this from you Elion. I should have known you would have brought home a like-minded person. So stubborn the lot of you.” He could only smile at his mother before he stooped to give her a kiss on the forehead. “I’m terribly sorry mother. I promise we will be on our best behavior from this point on.” Lys swatted at her son, knowing full well it was a promise her son would not keep.

“In all seriousness though, you must rest at this point Aria. You have had a long day, and I do not wish to see your wound reopen or fail to heal.” Surprisingly, Aria only nodded meekly. Elion felt his own surprise before he quickly buried it. No doubt she was trying to get into his mother’s good graces so that she could go to town with Zara. “Mother,” Elion started as the trio climbed the stairs to the porch. “When do you plan on going into town again?” Lys thought a few moments. “I suppose in a few days. Zara needs to collect some items for the wedding, and I need supplies. Why? Are you in need of something?” “Oh no. But perhaps you would be willing to take Aria with you? She has expressed an interest in seeing more of Iriona. Only if you deem her fit enough, of course.” Lys thought a moment, and Elion tossed a secretive smile and wink at his friend. He paused a moment. When had he begun to consider Aria a friend rather than a partner? Perhaps it had something to do with relaxed atmosphere of the farm.

He almost missed what his mother was saying. “I suppose so,” she started slowly. “She should be stable enough to visit town in a few days. We will take the buggy so as not to over tax her. And I suppose your sister will have packages as well. It all works out in your favor Aria,” his mother concluded. He was thankful his mother had not said anything about his reasons for not wanting to enter town. It would be one less thing he had to worry about at the moment. “Now, son of mine, go help your father finish in the barn so we can eat at a reasonable hour. And you,” his mother turned to Aria, “will come with me and rest in the kitchen while dinner is prepared.” Elion nodded. He had already tormented his mother enough this day; he would not bother her more. With a wave, he hopped off the porch and headed to the barn to help Elammin. He caught one last glimpse of the two women heading into the house before he turned the corner and lost sight of them.
/div]

[Victoria]

The following days passed in much the same manner. Breakfast in the morning on the back veranda with Elion watching the morning mist settle and the sprites dancing in the first rays of sun. They would chat idly about anything that they could, she would tell him more of Springmount in exchange for more details of life in Iriona. Then Elammin would emerge from the house and the two would set off for the fields together. One morning Zara joined her and the morning hours were filled with chatter of her upcoming wedding, the other mornings she was left to find her own source of entertainment with Lys checking in from time to time to make sure she was doing okay. Then Elammin and Elion would reappear for lunch, Elammin retreating inside to his wife and daughter and Elion resuming his place next to Aria on the veranda. In the afternoon hours, Elion worked with her on communicating with the spirits, though they didn’t run off to the orchard like they had the first time. He made excuses each day, that they best not anger his mother if she wanted to join them in town. No matter what argument she tried, she couldn’t coax Elion off the safety of the veranda. At least not yet.

With each passing day, Aria could feel her strength slowly returning. She still couldn’t move about much, but it was slowly returning to her. And with each day spent with Elion, she was starting to really see a whole new side to him. Softer, sweeter and yet at the same time, playful and fun. There was hardly a hint of the calloused man she had met her first night in this strange land. There was a growing attachment to him, a fondness for him that swept up on her. It had started slowly, she had felt hints of it before her accident, but since being on the farm with him it had overcome her. She felt like a schoolgirl with a crush. Hoping that maybe he felt the same way about her too.

Before she knew it, the morning of their trip to town was upon them. She would be lying though if she denied disappointment that Elion wouldn’t be joining them. These days she was finding that she would look for any excuse to spend a little more time with him. Get to know him just that tiny bit more. But he seemed set in his ways, and something about his tone had told her that there was no changing his mind. They had gone through their usual morning routine, breakfast on the veranda, but this time when Elammin had come to fetch his son to head out to the fields, Zara wasn’t far behind. “Ready?” she questioned with a smile. Aria watched the two men head off to their work before turning to face the youngest of the family. She nodded in response.

It wasn’t long before the three women were on their way into town, Aria watching the scenery go by as mother and daughter chatted. But a soft, amused voice pulled her from her thoughts. “I bet she’s thinking of Elion,” Zara teased, “They have been practically inseparable.”
Aria looked up to catch a smile on Lys’s face, “Everything alright?” she questioned.
At first Aria wanted to brush off her thoughts, but something pushed her to question them. “Why won’t Elion go into town?” she asked.
The look exchanged between mother and daughter told her that perhaps the answer would be more than she bargained for. “Well…” Zara started, but Lys cut her off with a sharp look.
Silence reigned for a long moment, only the soft patter of the horse’s hooves was heard. “How much do you know about my son and his connection with the spirits?” Lys finally asked.
Aria shrugged, “I know he’s one of those… spirit whatevers, I forget what he called them.”
“Spirit walker,” Zara piped up.
Aria nodded in confirmation. Lys was silent a moment longer before she sighed, Aria could see the war between telling her the truth and protecting her son. Was it really that bad? “Spirit walkers are rare, perhaps the most rare kind of person. They are, in essence, an extension of the spirit. A child starts developing a bond with the spirits when they are about ten years of age, we knew Elion was special when he developed a bond younger than that. But his true abilities shown through when he was about thirteen.” Lys looked over at Aria for a short moment, “He had many friends, the people of the town knew him quite well. But when it became known that he was different from everyone else, they pulled away. Spirit walkers are extremely rare, and because so, we know very little about them. We know they have great abilities, far exceeding anything someone could do with a normal connection to the spirits. The townspeople treated him differently, he lost friends, they all knew he was still that darling young man, but the mystery around his situation scared them. It hurt him, soon he stopped going into town.”

“Wow,” she mumbled quietly in response. It made sense when she put it that way. It would have obviously hurt him to lose friends over something he couldn’t control, the spirits had chosen him, it wasn’t a fate he had picked for himself. It also explained why he had been so blunt and almost cold with her when they had first met. If he had been treated differently because he was special, then it made perfect sense that he would push people away like that. Keep up a wall, guarding himself from getting too close to anyone. But seeing him around his family, he really was a completely different person. It wasn’t until now that Aria was realizing she was finally getting a glimpse at the real Elion, behind the hardened exterior he kept up. And that was the man she was falling for.

[athena]

The mornings were beginning to grow cool, indicating that Ager would soon be upon them. Facis remained stubborn though and often exerted its stubborn heat in the afternoons. Regardless of the swinging weather changes, Elion found the days, and their familiar pattern, to be enjoyable. It had been some time since he had been able to spend time on the farm, let alone with anybody. The time he had spent with Aria had drawn him closer to the strange woman from a place called Springmount. He had initially found her brusque and rude with a sharp, biting tongue. She still had the biting tongue, but he found it was simply who she was. Beneath her sarcasm was a fiercely loyal person. He could not fault her for that. It was a trait he found admirable.

Elion watched as his mother and sister helped her into the wagon. He offered a small wave to the trio as the set off, however he did not linger long. Elion hopped of the porch and trailed after his father. Many of the crops had been tricked by the cool mornings, and began to ripen or bloom early. It was his job to collect the early buds and store them properly. Nothing would be wasted. Elion had only been working in the field for about an hour or so before he heard the steady rhythm of hoof beats on the drive. He straightened. Surely it was not Zara, Aria, and Lys returning so soon? They had just left. Perhaps they had forgotten something? He listened a moment longer, waiting for the distinctive creaks of the buggy. When he could not hear it, Elion stepped from the fields and onto the edge of the road.

It did not take long for the single horse and rider to appear around the bend. It only took Elion a matter of seconds to recognize the rider as Grifad. He swore lightly under his breath. The appearance of his right hand man no doubt indicated a development in the case of Adus. The reality of the case and its current state nearly slapped Elion in the face. His time at home had taken away much of the stress, and in truth, he had been distracted by Aria. It would be a safe assumption to say he had almost forgotten about his work. And now Grifad was there, and the weight of the case seemed to crush him. A scowl pulled the corners of Elion’s mouth down. He could already feel himself reverting back to his cold, business like self.

“Grifad,” he said solemnly when the man was close enough. His apprentice bowed his head and drew the horse to a halt, but he did not dismount. “Elion. How is Aria?” he asked. “Healing,” he returned. Had he always been so curt and formal? “What brings you here?” Elion pressed, hoping Grifad would have it out. The younger man sighed, and Elion noticed for the first time that he seemed exhausted. “I have been unable to track Adus. It’s like he’s completely vanished since we last encountered him.” Elion remained silent, thoughtful. “I did, however, manage to track a corps of his henchmen to a small, unmapped village not far from here. I believe they may be able to help move the investigation forward, but I suspect that it is most likely a trap. They were too easy to find, and Adus has proven to be incredibly smart and tricky. I thought it was time to seek you out.”

Elion watched his young apprentice, wondering when he had become so solemn and formal. Usually Grifad joked and was lively; perhaps this case was beginning to take its toll on him. Or perhaps his mentor’s personality was beginning to influence him. “Very good work,” Elion declared in what he hoped was sincere praise. “Exactly how far is this village?” Already, Elion had begun to walk to the barn. Grifad eased the horse after him. “About half a day’s walk,” he said thoughtfully. “On horseback it wouldn’t even take a half day to go there and come back, although we’d have to give ourselves time for interrogation. Reports indicate the men have set up camp at the tavern there.”

Elion considered a moment. It was still early in the day. If he left with Grifad now, and they set a fast pace, they could easily reach the village before midday. They could question the corps for most of the day, leave before the usual dinner hour, and Elion could be home before the ladies had even returned from town. It was, in essence, a routine interrogation that should not take long at all. They may not be able to acquire any information from the thugs, but if they did....well that would prove to be incredibly helpful to their case.

“Very well,” Elion finally declared. “We shall leave as soon as my horse is saddled.” With that, Elion quickly set to work saddling Azrel. The mare looked at him curiously as she nudged him for treats. Elion complied with the horse before tightly cinching her girth. He led the docile and sure-footed mare from the stable into the sunlight. Elion adjusted the stirrups and checked the girth one last time before he pulled himself into the saddle. “Lead the way,” he commanded Grifad. The man nodded and turned the horse. Together, they set off at a brisk trot. When they cleared the drive, the two broke into a loping canter. They would reach this small village in no time.

Briefly, Elion wondered if he should have left some sort of note for his family and Aria. There was some sense of foreboding that indicated that perhaps he should have. He shook the feeling however. It was a typical run. He would be home before they even knew he had been gone. And he could explain everything to Aria then. All would be well. But the sense of warning lingered. At least I hope it will be... Elion thought.

[Victoria]

“Perhaps we should get you a dress while we’re in town,” Zara said as they climbed down from the buggy, “For the wedding.”
Aria didn’t like talking about the wedding, because for some reason every time they did, she felt herself getting excited. It was still a week away, a lot could happen in a week. She could return home, they could catch a lead on the case and have to move on. Not that she really expected either Lys or Elion to allow her to leave the farm until she was all well and healed. “I don’t have any money,” Aria argued with a slight smile, “I don’t even know what form of currency Iriona uses.”
Zara laughed, “Coins, we use coins,” she explained. Currency and its forms hadn’t exactly been a topic Aria had discussed with Elion. Though now that she found herself out with his mother and sister, she was finding that would have been a helpful conversation. Either way, it didn’t change the fact that she didn’t have any. Everything she had while she had been here had either come from Elion or the spirits. It wasn’t like she could just go get a job with how she came and went.
“Well I don’t have any of these coins,” she pointed out the obvious.
Lys smiled, “We will find you a dress to wear, Aria,” she told her, “Do not fret over money.”
Something in Lys’s tone told Aria this wasn’t an argument she would win, that if she kept pushing, she would quickly learn where Elion got his stubborn traits from.

Zara skipped up beside Aria, linking their arms for support. She seemed playful and fun, just the kind of person Aria needed in her life. The more time she spent with the Family of El, the more she found herself hoping she could be guaranteed another day, a week even. She didn’t like not knowing when she was going to disappear again. She was growing rather fond of Elion’s family. It was strange to her though to watch them interact, to see what a family was supposed to be like. She loved her parents, she really did, but they hadn’t given her the best examples of what family really was. What it was like to have people you could really count on no matter what. Her parents hadn’t been bad parents, they just hadn’t been the most attentive or affectionate with her.

The three women milled about the town, picking up supplies for Lys’s healing practices, stuff for Zara’s wedding. At one store Aria stepped up beside Lys as she examined the various dried herbs on the shelves in front of them. “I hate to be more of a bother than I already am,” she started and Lys glanced over at her.
“You’re no bother dear,” she assured her. Aria shrugged, not really believing that. “I assume you have a question though?”
“Elion has been trying to teach me to connect with the spirits here in Iriona. Obviously they brought me here for a reason. But I’m finding there are other things I’d like to learn while I’m here too.”
The older woman nodded, “You would like to learn to heal,” she stated and Aria nodded. “When you are healed more, I can teach you some basics. With the way my son injures himself sometimes, it would do you both some good if you knew how to handle it. Perhaps he’ll stop rubbing dirt into every cut.”
Aria laughed, that sounded like Elion. “He is stubborn, isn’t he?”
Lys smiled and nodded, “That would be a good word to describe him,” she agreed. “It seems the two of you are getting rather close.”
Aria felt a blush creep up her neck to her cheeks. She really didn’t want to admit to his mother that she was really starting to like him before she bothered to tell him she was no longer with Colin. She knew he kept his distance for the most part with her, and she was hoping that was the only reason. She was having such a nice time being here with him on the farm that any time she thought about bringing up her concerns and problems from Springmount, she pushed them aside. She didn’t want to ruin what was growing between them by bringing up something that caused them both to tense up. The two stood in silence as Aria studied the labels of the jars very carefully, not really sure how to answer Elion’s mother. What she was implying, Aria didn’t want to confirm that they were getting closer when she didn’t even know that for sure herself, but she didn’t want to deny it either. She wanted to think they were getting closer. Lys was the one to break the silence between them.
“It’s okay dear, he fancies you too.”

[athena]

They reached the village in a little over an hour. Village was not the best term to describe this place. It was more a collection of small homes nestled among the trees. One of these homes, Grifad informed him, was not actually a home but the tavern and inn he had mentioned. The two approached. “We should be careful,” Grifad started. “I feel like it is probably a trap. Adus is a careful and well-studied man. It seems to good to be true that we would find his men.” Elion nodded in agreement. It was strange, and Adus had already demonstrated he was a man fond of traps. “Have your weapon at the ready,” Elion ordered. He paused a moment. “Not drawn, but easily accessible,” he amended. The last thing Elion wanted to deal with was a dead henchman.

The two easily dismounted from their horses and led them to the posts outside the inn. The village, Renir as it happened to be called, was unusually silent. Perhaps it was simply due to the smallness of the place. He eyed the horses, watching them to see if they picked up on anything abnormal. The animals seemed content though, as did Grifad. Why did his strong sense of foreboding loom so heavily then? Elion tied Azrel loosely to the post. His instincts told him it would be in his best interest to be prepared for a quick getaway.

With a small nod, Grifad and Elion pushed their way into the tavern. The building was surprisingly well kept and larger than Elion had anticipated. The inn keep looked up at them expectantly. “May I help you?” he inquired politely. Elion quickly scanned the common room. Only a few people lingered about the tables, and none of them had the look of mercenaries. “Yes,” Elion said quietly as he stepped up to the bar. “We’re looking for some men. Mercenaries to be more specific.” The innkeeper paled slightly. Mercenaries were a distinctive bunch; it was not something that could easily be hide, no matter what they wore or how they behaved. Eventually, the innkeeper answered. “They left not to long ago. Headed out towards Muula I think.” The man clammed up, refusing to say anything further. Elion knew he would not get any further information from him. The fear of returning mercenaries no doubt held the innkeeper in check.


Elion nodded his thanks. They would need to devise a new plan. If the pack of mercenaries set out at a fast pace, they could be in Muula by now. If that was even their destination; it seemed more than likely that they would be headed elsewhere. Grifad followed closely behind Elion as he left the store. He wished to discuss their plans outside so that they wouldn’t be over heard by any of the customers in the tavern. Luckily, Grifad had worked with Elion long enough to have developed similar thought patterns so that he understood what their next step would be. As the duo stepped into the bright sunlight, it seemed their decision had been made for them.

The small band of mercenaries materialized out of woods. Elion had expected there to be more, and yet, only five stood before him with smirks on their faces. Carefully, Elion brushed the hilt of his folding sword. The band didn’t seem to take notice of it. In fact, they didn’t seem to be terribly interested in a fight. It was then Elion noticed they were unarmed. Or at least appeared to be. These were Adus’ men, and they no doubt had some purpose that had been construed by their master. “Well?” Elion started, hoping to break the stalemate that seemed to have sprung from nowhere. The men only watched him. “I am assuming you are the mercenaries the man called Adus hired?” another prolonged moment of silence. Finally, one spoke. “That’d be us,” he said gruffly. “We’re supposed to deliver a message.” Elion’s eyebrow rose ever so slightly. His hand wrapped more firmly around his sword.

The man who had spoken rushed forward, driving his fist into Grifad’s stomach. The air went out of his partner with an audible whoosh. Another one of the mercenaries hopped forward, trying to connect his fist into Elion. He was prepared though and dodged. The man looked somewhat surprised. The third mercenary whistled and they scattered, returning to the woods. Elion started after them but remembered Grifad. He set a hand gently on his partner’s back, waiting for him to regain his breath. Grifad unbent, and Elion gave him a small pat on the back. “Ready?” he asked solemnly. His partner nodded. “Good. See if you can track down one of them and bring them here. I will do the same. Meet back here in an hour.” Grifad nodded and headed to the north. Elion watched as his partner melted into the shadows to hunt down a mercenary. When Grifad disappeared completely, Elion turned to the south and jogged quickly into the woods to catch his own mercenary.

[Victoria]

She wasn’t quite sure she could believe what Lys was saying, but there was another part nagging at her that a mother knew her son. They were obviously close, so it was within reason to say she would notice these things when it came to Elion. But Aria couldn’t let herself believe it purely on the principle that she didn’t know how long she would be here, if after all of this was over she would ever be able to break through to this world again. She didn’t want to let herself fall for someone she might lose. But unfortunately it didn’t matter how logical about this she tried to be, her brain had very little say in what her heart felt. She knew Springmount was her home, that was where her parents were, the rest of her family, Jack. But the more time she spent in Iriona the less she wanted to go home. She couldn’t be sure what the driving reason was, whether it was the overall nature of the world ruled by spirits or if it was the grumpy, pain in the ass Agente that had taken the time to show her the way things were around here when he didn’t have to. There was just something about this place that felt right to her. It would be logical to assume she would miss the technology, the ease of an investigation, but working with Elion brought her back to the core of what she did, the basics that got looked over in a society so dependent on technology to lead the way. It brought her back to why she did what she did. It wasn’t just about catching Stephanie’s killer, it was about making the world safer, it was about getting another killer off the streets. It was a principle Elion seemed to understand too, maybe that’s why even when they were butting heads, they worked well together.

Though Aria’s thoughts travelled from one idea to the next, she glanced at Lys to acknowledge that she had heard what the older woman had said. But she didn’t have the words to respond, she didn’t know how to. Instead she busied herself with the fabrics that lined the wall. “Do you like the blue?” Zara asked, coming up beside her. “We can have a dress made from it.” Aria started to shake her head, but Zara was gone before she could really protest. Reaching out, she gently fingered the soft material. It was silky, and right next to it was a gorgeous royal blue lace. Her mother had always said that sapphire tones made her glow, and well if she was going to be in the area for the wedding, she wanted to look good. Aria turned around to find Zara coming back over with a book in hand, “What do you think of this one?” she asked, pointing to a tiered dress in the book, “It would be simply perfect in this blue.” Before she could say much more though, two arms wrapped around Zara’s shoulders from behind.
“Well if it isn’t our little bride to be,” the dark haired girl laughed which only caused Zara to smile.
“Briya!” Turning around she returned the hug.
This girl was obviously a friend, but she appeared to be closer to Elion’s age than Zara’s. “What brings you to town, blondie?” she laughed.
“Last minute wedding supplies,” she answered and that was where Aria tuned them out. It was weird enough that she had met as many people in Elion’s life as she had thus far, she didn’t need to add his sister’s friend to the count too. “…getting a dress for Aria too.”
“Aria?” At the sound of her name, Aria looked up to catch both girls staring at her.
She nodded slightly, “She’s from Eltal,” Zara explained, though it was a lie. Aria could understand the family covering the truth about her. They didn’t need the attention, and neither did she. It was clear these things almost never happened. “She accompanied Elion home.”
Briya smirked, “Elion?” she asked, a hint of disbelief coloring her tone before she looked at Aria, “You must be pretty special than.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aria challenged, not liking the tone this girl was using.
Briya laughed, to anyone else it would sound genuine, but to Aria she could hear the sarcasm coloring it. “Elion doesn’t bring home just anyone,” she pointed out.
“We’re just friends, partners, nothing more.”
“Or so they keep saying,” Zara smiled, “Aria was injured and she’s been under mother’s care since Elion brought her to the farm.”
Clearly Zara wasn’t getting the same vibe from this girl that Aria was, which would make sense if they had grown up together. Was that jealousy in the air? There were a few more words exchanged between the friends, Briya promising to stop out at the farm before the wedding to help, though Aria paid little attention. Soon enough, they were parting ways. “She’s…interesting,” Aria noted.
“She can be a little intense,” Zara agreed, “She connected with the fire spirits and not too long after Elion it became clear Haleah has two spirit walkers. She and Elion have always been close.”
“I see.”
Zara shook her head, “It’s not like that,” she corrected, “Although all parents agreed it would be a good match, they never saw it that way. They’re just friends.”
“Elion can date who he wants,” Aria argued, “Doesn’t bother me one way or another.”
“Aria…”
Before Zara could argue the point further, Aria turned her attention back to the fabric before them.

After several more stops and a long day in town, the three women found their way back to the farm. Aria had expected Elion and Elammin to be there to greet them, but there was no sign of the former. “Where’s Elion?” she asked, hoping Elammin would have an answer.
The older man just shrugged, “He walked off the fields and didn’t return.”
Turning for the stables Aria found exactly what she expected, his horse was gone. Had he changed his mind about town? She doubted it. Which meant one thing, the investigation. Something had come up, that had to be it. Surely he would return by nightfall, he wouldn’t have gone on a long trip without telling someone first. Right?

[athena]

Elion darted through the forest, trying to step as softly as possible so as to not alert the two mercenaries. As if the earth spirits could read his mind, the grass shrank into a thick carpet on the forest floor and branches seemed to pull away from Elion’s path. It successfully dulled the sound of his boots and gave the agente a clear line of sight. Just ahead he could see two of the mercenaries. They had paused to collect themselves. “Do you think we lost him?” Their voices carried through the forest. Elion ducked behind the nearest tree and listened.

“Adus didn’t tell us what to do if they followed! We were just supposed to rough them up!” “I know,” the other one spat. “We can’t go back to Adus, he’ll have our heads if we lead that agente back to him.” The shorter of the two barked a harsh laugh. “Do you really think Adus will be at that hut? He’s moved on by now idiot. We’re on our own now.”

Elion placed his hand lightly on the tree, and felt the familiar warmth as the spirit within leapt to greet him. He whispered to the tree, hoping it would help him. He waited a moment. Although as a spirit walker he could technically force the lesser spirit to comply, Elion hated forcing the powerful beings into doing anything unless it was absolutely necessary. And now was not one of those times. The tree complied, however, and Elion let out a small sigh. He watched as roots crept slowly across the ground. A moment later they snaked out and wrapped themselves around the ankles of the mercenaries. With a sharp tug, the roots dragged the men to the ground. Elion left the tree and approached the men. “Shite,” one whispered beneath his breath. He stared down at the two mercenaries.

“Hello,” he started with false cheer. One of the mercenaries tried to stand, but the roots tugged more viciously and wrapped themselves firmly around the man’s legs. They began to creep past his knees toward his chest. Instantly, he stopped struggling. “Good,” Elion continued. Even the mock cheer had drained from his voice. A hard, icy edge replaced it. “Now, I suggest you tell me everything.” Elion was in no mood to waste time on the men; he was supposed to be back at the farm soon. Apparently the tone of his voice, and perhaps the encroaching roots, scared the two mercenaries enough so that they blabbered on. “Enough,” the agente interject softly. “I want to know about Adus.” The two grew silent. “Now.” The roots squeezed, sensing the spirit walker’s need. One of the mercenaries let out a small cough, or maybe it was a sob. Elion could not tell.

“He hired us in Muula. Told us to take care of this lady he was working with. And to watch for any snoopin’ agente. When he left Muula he gave us orders to lead that one guy around. Then we was supposed to rough you guys up a bit. Enough to get you outta commission for a while, but well it didn’t work.” He fell silent. “Do you know where Adus is?” The second one piped up. “Not anymore. He had a hut out in Renir, but he’s gone by now.” Elion nodded slowly. A few more fruitless questions later, Elion found that the men knew nothing of Adus’ plans. He sighed. “Very well. Go,” Elion stated. He had nothing to detain the mercenaries, and they had given him all the information they had. It would be pointless to drag them back to the village. He turned on his heel and headed back to the inn to wait for Grifad. He doubted his student would have much luck.

Elion returned to the inn to find both of the horses still tied to the post. Azrel whickered softly. He patted the horse and settled onto a nearby bench to wait for Grifad. The sun moved across the sky, well past the noon mark and even further away from the hour mark. Elion began to pace. Where was Grifad? He should have returned a while ago. Had he fallen into trouble with the mercenaries? Grifad was a capable agente-in-training, but the amount of time that had lapsed was a cause for concern. Elion felt that waiting any longer for Grifad would be detrimental. Elion mounted Azrel and collected the reigns of Grifad’s horse. He nudged Azrel in the direction Grifad had went. The footprints were clear, and Elion followed them slowly, keeping his eyes peeled. At a clearing, the footprints became muddled. It looked as if there had been a scuffle. Elion dismounted and looked closer at the boot prints. It was near impossible to tell which were Grifad’s. All the men in the clearing were of similar foot size, and none of the soles of the boots were distinctive. Elion sighed. There were at least three paths leading from the clearing, all with prints. It would be difficult to find Grifad, and with daylight rapidly fading Elion would soon have to stop for the evening. He cursed under his breath. There would be no returning to the farm tonight. With that many paths to investigate and the potential of a wounded or dead Grifad, it seemed Elion would not be returning to the time for several days. Grimly, he followed the first set of tracks out of the clearing, hoping to find something before the last of daylight disappeared.

[Victoria]

He would be back by nightfall. If he was going to be gone longer than that he would have left a note, something to tell them where he had gone off to. Not that it excused him from the fact that he had left her behind. He would be back by nightfall. Or at least that’s what she had been telling herself for several hours. The sun had set and yet she remained rooted to her spot on the front steps waiting for his horse to come around the bend, so she could kick his ass of course. It didn’t matter that she was injured, she could take him. When he hadn’t returned after an hour or so she had gone into detective mode. Starting in the barn she had followed his tracks, along with the horses out to the road. It was there that she found another set of hoof prints in the dirt. Someone else had come to him? Baiae? But why would she come looking for him? Though if that kiss had been any indication of how she felt about Elion, of course she would have come for him personally rather than send someone else if it had anything to do with the investigation as she had previously assumed. Or Grifad? She vaguely remembered Elion mentioning that Grifad was to continue the investigation while they were here on the farm. But she had been too preoccupied with the fact that he had declared he was staying when there was a murderer out there that was threatening the safety of all who lived in Iriona. She had only wandered up the road marginally following the tracks when Lys found her outside. Of course, she had been scolded and without Elion around to assist her, she caved to Lys’s demands. That was how she had found herself here, sitting in the dark on the front porch watching and waiting for any sign of Elion’s return.

“Mother asks that you come inside,” Zara’s voice came from behind her.
Aria ignored the words though, “Does he do this often?” she asked, hoping the younger woman would understand her meaning.
“Elion is excellent at what he does,” Zara affirmed, but Aria already knew that. “He wouldn’t have gotten to be Dux if he wasn’t.” Her words didn’t actually answer the question though.
Aria shook her head, “You don’t understand who we’re up against though,” she told Zara, finally looking back at her. “And if the stories are true about me, how I apparently saved Iriona before, the spirits brought me back for a reason. They sent me to Elion for a reason. I mean sure he’s part of the family of El, closest in age, but it’s not just a coincidence that he is also the Agente heading the investigation that could spare another contention.” For a moment Aria feared she may have said too much but the lack of shock to cross Zara’s face comforted her.
“There have been whispers,” she nodded, confirming to Aria that the people of Iriona were noticing these things. A slight shift in the wind here could tell a lot.
“I’m here for a reason,” Aria reaffirmed.
Zara smiled slightly, “Elion won’t be returning tonight, you should come inside.” Their conversation was over for tonight, Aria couldn’t bring herself to talk about a possible contention in front of Elion’s parents, she didn’t understand why, but she knew some thoughts were best kept to herself.

The next day passed in much the same manner, life continued on the farm as if Elion wasn’t missing. But they didn’t understand the severity of it the same way she did. She had seen what this man was willing to do to innocent sprites in hopes of connecting with a spirit, she could only imagine what lengths he was willing to go to if it meant getting rid of the team of Agentes on his tail. Especially Elion. As the sun rose high in the sky Aria found herself wandering off the back veranda and out into the orchard that Elion loved so much. Gently she brushed her hand along the bark of one of the peach trees and for a moment she thought she felt something stir beneath her fingers. But despite his attempts, she hadn’t actually been able to connect with any of the spirits yet, so she knew that couldn’t be it. Could it? She knew though that if she had any chance at all it would be out here. Finding a shaded spot she sat down in the soft grass and ran her fingers though the blades gently. She tried to focus on reaching out to find the spirits, but it was to no avail. There was no spark, no indication that she had connected with them at all. It wasn’t long before Zara came through, picking ripened peaches from the trees, nearly tripping over Aria in the process. “Aria? Why are you on the ground?”
“Because Elion is a spirit walker, he’s close with the earth, I thought that maybe if I could connect with it that maybe it could give me answers, but nothing is working!” The frustration in her tone grew with each word that passed her lips and it wasn’t long before Zara was kneeling the grass in front of her.
“It doesn’t just happen Aria,” she tried to explain. “Children are taught young how to connect, it’s not as easy for an adult. You are already connected,” she pointed out to her, “You have been since the moment you arrived when you were a little girl, relax and believe in yourself, remember how.”
Aria took a deep breath and did as Zara instructed, but just like all her other attempts nothing came from it, “I just want to know if he’s okay,” she said softly.
“If you can’t find it in you to believe in your connection to the spirits, believe in your connection to Elion,” Zara answered, “You’ll know if something is wrong.” What was that supposed to mean? “You said it yourself Aria, you’re here for a reason, but perhaps it’s not the reason you think.”

It was the third day he was gone that the rains came. Even though Elammin assured Aria that it was just a normal rain storm meant to water the crops, something didn’t feel right to her. She wanted to believe that the farmer knew what he was talking about, but as she stood staring out the window it felt as if the earth was crying.

[athena]

As night fell, Elion came to the conclusion that the footprints he had selected were not Grifad’s. He felt that if they had been his intern’s, Grifad would have eventually stopped chasing the mercenary and backtracked. There was no second set of prints indicating that Grifad had either followed or backtracked. With the sun completely gone, Elion was forced to call a halt for the night. Deftly he unsaddled and hobbled the horses before he settled against a tree. He had spent many a night in the woods of Iriona and was relatively comfortable propped against the tall oak. Well, he amended, as comfortable as one could be sitting on the ground against an unyielding tree. Hopefully, it would only be for the one night.

Unfortunately the second day of Elion’s search proved just as unsuccessful as the first day. The agente remained calm and paused for the day. He was surprised to learn that it was already well past noon. It seemed impossible that he had spent that much time wandering the forest searching for Grifad. He briefly wondered if Aria was worried. His family was more than used to Elion’s sudden appearances and disappearances, but Aria most likely was not. Elion almost laughed. If anything, the detective would be mad that he didn’t invite her to join the goose chase. She was no doubt fine on the farm. It didn’t occur to him that it might be strange or misplaced that he felt so strongly about her well-being. The moment was fleeting though as Elion’s thoughts turned back to Grifad. Although outwardly calm, inwardly he felt a growing sense of unease. He had seen enough cases to know that the time frame for finding Grifad alive was rapidly decreasing. He needed to find his friend soon.


The agente took a moment to collect himself before he reached out to the spirits. He felt as if he was relying on them more than ever, however the circumstances in Iriona were far from usual and had presed Elion in a variety of ways. And with time running low for Grifad, Elion decided that he had little choice but to appeal to the spirits. He reached out, feeling not just for the earth spirits, but also for the sprites and any other spirits that were nearby. It required a good deal of concentration as he was attempting to address spirits outside of his usual realm. When he felt the familiar warmth and attention of the spirits, Elion explained the situation and entreated them for their assistance. Many agreed, and before long the spirits returned to Elion. They had found Grifad. It seemed he had wandered onto a deer path and had gotten lost deep within the woods. As if that weren’t enough, Grifad had fallen into a rather deep hole intended to trap game. At least that was the tale the spirits laughingly told him. It was a rather silly story, but Elion had to consider that Grifad was born and raised in the city and would not recognize the signs of the animal trap. Despite the situation, Elion breathed a sigh of relief. Grifad was, as far as he could tell, fine.

A small sprite appeared before Elion, a characteristic grin on its small face. It motioned for him to follow, and Elion was more than happy to comply. He followed the sprite for a majority of the afternoon. By the time he reached Grifad, the sun had begun to set. Elion hopped of Azrel and peered over the edge into the pit. He found Grifad sitting in the dirt, his arms crossed over his knees. “Aren’t you a sorry sight!” Elion called down to him. “Boss!” Grifad replied, a smile splitting his face. “I have never been so happy to see you before.” Elion faked a scowl. “Are you hurt?” Grifad waved his hand about. “Nah, just a few scrapes and bruises, but I probably deserved those.” The two chuckled. “Unfortunately, we don’t have much daylight left. I believe you’ll be spending another night down there.” Grifad let out an exaggerated sigh, but settled himself. “Oh fine,” he huffed. Elion laughed at him before he turned to the horses and settled them for the night. As Elion settled at the base of another tree, his stomach emitted a low grumble reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since he left the farm. He pushed aside the hunger though. Grifad was found, and they would both be home soon.

The next morning dawned gray. The last rain of Facis loomed above them, and Elion wanted to extract Grifad from the pit before it began to rain. It seemed that they would not be that lucky. The clouds suddenly burst and the downpour immediately drenched Elion and turned the pit into a muddy mess. The cover of the forest did little to slow the heavy rains, and before long, even the horses were shifting uncomfortably. Grifad looked up uncomfortably at Elion, the mud sticking to his clothes. “You know you’re going to have to jump right?” Grifad nodded, looking all the more like a sad, wet kitten. Elion got down on his stomach, flinching as the cold mud soaked his clothes and squelched against him. He threw his arms over this side. “I don’t have any rope, so you’re just going to have to try and grab my hands and scale the wall. It’s probably going to be tricky.” And tricky it was. The slick walls prevented Grifad from finding any real purchase. It took several tries before he managed to grab Elion’s hands. Another struggle ensued as Elion tried to haul Grifad out. The rain made the surfaces slick and vision difficult. Both men issued a series of favored curses before Elion managed to haul Grifad out of the hole. They laid in the mud and rain for a few moments to collect their breath. With a groan, Elion heaved himself upwards. “We should move,” he told Grifad. The man nodded.

Before too long, the two men were on their way back to the small village where their misadventure had begun. The rainy weather slowed their travel considerably as the horses had to navigate the slick pathways. By the time they reached the small village Elion assumed it was a little after noon, although it was hard to tell with the rain and cloud cover. It must have taken at least another hour for the two to reach the main road. They paused. “I’ll return to Muula for now,” Grifad declared. “I have a few things to finish up there before I return to Eltal. Or I should say Haleah. I’ll see you for Zara’s wedding.” Elion nodded and watched for a few moments as Grifad headed back to the city. After a brief moment, Elion turned Azrel towards the farm and set a careful pace. Although he wanted to get home soon, he would not risk his or Azrel’s safety.

It was well after dark when Elion finally reached the farm. The rain continued all day and into the night, and both Elion and Azrel was soaked to the bone. As the barn came into sight, Azrel snorted and picked up her pace despite the mud sucking at her hooves. Elion let her go, knowing that she had only one thought on her mind. He dismounted at the barn door and led his faithful horse into the barn. As tired and wet as Elion was, he began to slowly unsaddle Azrel as her care came first. He rubbed the mare down, making sure to remove the mud, leaves, and twigs from her coat and mane. Elion checked her hooves for cracks and debris. Content that his horse was clean and in good shape, he put the tack away and collected a bucket of mash with her name on it. Elammin must have left a fresh one out for them every night. He left the bucket with Azrel and secured the latch on her stall door. She whickered softly as Elion left. Finally, Elion headed towards the farmhouse. He was looking forward to a hot bath and a soft bed. And perhaps a warm meal at some point.

As Elion stomped up the veranda steps, a shadowy figure sprung from one of the chairs. Elion watched wearily, far too tired to take any measures. The figure stepped into the pool of light emanating from the kitchen. He briefly wondered who had left the kitchen lights on at this hour. Aria stared at him. Oh, he thought, that’s who.. Her face was unreadable as she stepped towards him. Elion brushed his wet, mud caked hair out of his face; it was a nervous habit he hadn’t quite been able to kick. “Aria...um hi?” he said lamely, bracing himself for the onslaught of her anger.

[Victoria]

Like every other night since Elion had gone missing, Aria found herself sitting around late into the night long after the rest of the occupants of the farm had retired to bed. She only caved to sleep when the exhaustion became too much for her to handle in her weakened state, but even then she found herself tossing and turning, waking up several times throughout the remainder of the night, granting her little rest – if any at all. The rains had slowed, but she could still hear the drops pounding on the roof of the old farm house as she sat at the table. She didn’t know what time it was, and honestly she found she didn’t even want to know. She didn’t want to know how long she had to wait for morning, or how she wasn’t going to get any sleep once again. But how could she sleep? How did Lys and Zara expect her to rest when she didn’t have the first clue of what was going on with Elion? Was he alive, hurt? When would he return to the farm? Which of course brought her back around to her situation, she didn’t know how long she would be here, would he return before her mind decided to wake up in her world? It was as if the questions would never end, they were constantly pounding in her head. But when she was with Elion, somehow the questions mattered less, she was able to focus on the moment and relax a little.

Leaning forward, she rested her head against the cool wood of the kitchen table. She knew she needed to call it a night, but she couldn’t bring herself to give in for the night yet. Not with the rains out there, somehow that made a difference in how worried she was. She knew Zara had been right, Elion was good at his job. She had seen him at work many times throughout her few trips to see him. But so was she, she knew what she was doing out in the field and she had still gotten herself both shot and stabbed pretty much one after the other. Sometimes it didn’t matter how good someone was, things still happened. Plus she knew better than everyone else who Elion was up against. They didn’t understand the danger this man presented to the land they lived in and loved, and more so the danger he was to Elion. Aria had no doubt in her mind that Adus would kill Elion in a heartbeat if he ever got the chance. She knew, if she was correct in her assumption that his disappearance had to do with the investigation, that he wouldn’t pass up a lead when it was offered to him. And she wouldn’t be surprised to find out if she had barely crossed his mind when the news came in. But was it really that hard to take thirty seconds and leave a damn note so that she, they, didn’t have to worry?

The sound of footsteps out on the veranda caused her head to jerk up though, and soon the door was pulling open. When the light from the kitchen light washed over him, she was instantly on her feet and her breath caught in her throat, she was watching him carefully. Partly she was waiting for an explanation, she wouldn’t deny that. But her eyes were also looking him over looking for any sign of injury. He was wet, he was filthy, but from what she could tell in her quick scan there were little if any injuries that would need tending. Though she had learned from his mother that he had that nasty habit of rubbing dirt into a cut, with how muddy he was, it was hard to tell what was what. But in the end he was, most importantly, alive. Right then and there that was what mattered most to her. That was all that really mattered to her. When he finally spoke though, he seemed almost apprehensive, and she thought she detected a hint of a question in his voice as if he wasn’t sure what to expect from her. She couldn’t blame him though, she had given little reason for him to expect any reaction other than anger towards him for this.

The two stood in awkward silence for a moment before she shook her head and ran at him. Throwing her arms up around his neck, she felt him stumble backwards slightly at her sudden attack. He froze for a moment before he tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist in return. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything just yet. Words weren’t enough to explain the rush of feelings coursing through her at that moment. Relief, happiness, surprise, anger. One person wasn’t meant to feel all those things at once and not be confused as to which they needed to react on first. She just wanted to hold onto him, so unbelievably thankful that he was okay.

But knowing now and seeing for herself just how okay he was, made the anger he had expected surface. Pulling out of the embrace, she smacked him on the arm. “It wouldn’t have killed you to leave a note!” she accused. “Seriously! What the hell is it with you men, always thinking you can handle these things by yourself. You remind me so much of Jack it’s infuriating sometimes.” She shoved her fingers through her hair and turned away. “Was it that important that you had to run off half-cocked with no plan?” Turning around to face him, she did little to conceal the worry she had felt over the last several days, “That kind of behavior is what got me into this mess in the first place. Because no one seems to think it’s important to tell me these things! Guys like Adus and Adam, they live for the kill what if something had happened out there?” But she didn’t want to get into all of that now, how Jack’s poor planning had put her in the line of fire. Was it really that hard to just give her a heads up?

Before she could really think about what she was doing, she was once again wrapped in his arms, “you have no idea how worried I was,” she admitted softly, “you scared me.”

[athena]

Elion couldn’t hide his surprise as Aria latched her arms around his neck. He had expected anger, and a great deal of it, not this. Finally, Elion’s overly tired brain recognized that Aria was hugging him and he returned it. He was hesitant and only lightly returned the hug, but Aria’s erratic heartbeat against his chest convinced him that she was more panicked than she was letting on. Elion offered a stronger, more reassuring squeeze before she broke away and erupted in her trademark anger.

He stood silently, letting Aria berate him. Perhaps he should argue, but Elion knew that she was in the right. He should have left a note, he should have informed the family, and he most certainly should have planned the expedition better. Even though the situation had turned out quite all right, not every scenario would be as...well lucky as this one. “I apologize,” Elion offered sincerely in hopes of placating Aria’s anger. “Grifad informed me that some of Adus’s mercenaries were nearby. We hoped to question them and be back before nightfall. Of course, it was a trap. We both suspected it. Luckily, we were prepared. The trouble arose when we split up to follow the mercenaries. Grifad got lost and fell....” Elion trailed off as Aria relaunched herself into his chest. She clung to him tightly, despite the fact he was sopping wet and covered in mud. Barely, he heard Aria admit her fears.

Elion felt a stirring of tangled emotions. Aria’s own emotions seemed just as confused, however, it was clear that her concern was very real, and it exceeded the acceptable level of concern given to mere partners. He sensed that there was something more to Aria’s feelings, and he was mildly surprised to find that his own feelings were of a similar chord. She looked up at him, relief written clearly across her face. Elion smiled softly. There was a small smudge of mud across Aria’s face no doubt collected from his dirty shirt. Carefully Elion cradled her face and used his thumb to wipe away the mud. He watched her intently. Aria was a hard woman to read at times, and the last thing Elion wanted to do was misread Aria. She leaned heavily into his hand, a faint sigh – of relief or something else, Elion couldn’t tell – escaped her.

Elion felt himself being inexplicably drawn to her. Before Elion could put any more thought into his actions, he found himself lightly kissing her cheek before slowly blazing his way towards her lips. Aria turned toward Elion, returning the kiss. It seemed they were both lost in the moment as the kiss deepened. A nagging sensation began to wriggle in the back of Elion’s brain. As much as they both seemed to enjoy this, there was something wrong about it. Elion searched his brain before he finally stumbled across the reason – Colin. Elion broke away, feeling guilty for moving against a man and a relationship he hardly knew. He detached himself from Aria and felt the cold mask of formality slide into place.

“I apologize,” Elion said, avoiding eye contact with Aria. “I have crossed the boundary, and meant no disrespect.” He took a step backwards and away from Aria. “If you will excuse me, I should clean up and rest. It has been a trying few days.” With that, Elion sidestepped Aria and headed down the hall to the bathroom. He shut the door quietly behind him and started the bath. There was a strange sense of disconnect between Elion and his brain. He wanted to regret his actions, but he couldn’t. Absently, he undressed and slid into the tub. It didn’t seem as if Aria hated the kiss, or that she wasn’t interested, but then again that could be presumptuous of Elion. Perhaps they were both swept up in the moment. Elion sank lower into the tub. An apology wouldn’t exactly clear the air between them. They would have to talk it out. And at that moment, Elion dreaded it. He couldn’t help but feel like a complete and utter ass. It seemed a good probability that he had screwed up whatever sort of bond he had created with Aria. With a sigh, he sank lower in the tub. If he was lucky, the matter would be left alone for the time being.

[Victoria]

Sinking down into the chair she had previously occupied, her mind raced back over what had just happened. Her fingertips brushed lightly over her lips absentmindedly as she stared sightlessly at the wall in front of her.
They had just…
But then he…
And now…
Her thoughts weren’t making much sense at the moment, everything jumbled together into a mess she didn’t even want to try and organize. He had kissed her. That was the only thought clear to her at that moment, Elion had kissed her. And she hadn’t pulled away. She had gotten to the point where she couldn’t deny her own feelings towards him, but she had still been able to deny everyone else’s accusations of his. Now she couldn’t even do that anymore. He had pulled away though, apologized for crossing a boundary. There were no boundaries. She was a single woman, she was allowed to kiss whomever she wanted. But that was it, wasn’t it? In the heat of everything she had never told him she wasn’t with Colin anymore. Elion was a good man, clearly he had been raised well, if he thought she was still with someone else. It all made sense. But she still couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that he had kissed her at all.

Of course she had to tell him there was nothing to apologize for, she wasn’t taken anymore. But that could wait, she didn’t want to risk him saying he hadn’t meant it, because it sure as hell felt like he had. Pushing up out of the chair again, she turned out the kitchen lights. They could talk more in the morning, she wanted to know what these mercenaries had to say too. If there was anything that could shed some light on the investigation. It would give them something to talk about without broaching the territory of what had just transpired. Even still, Aria felt herself smiling as she slipped back into the room she had been given. Maybe Lys and Zara were right after all.

The next morning passed as if Elion hadn’t been missing for days, the others seemed to take his reappearance in stride. Aria was starting to understand their lack of concern, she could only guess it was a common occurrence for him to disappear like that. With the job, it was understandable. But where she was from, when someone went missing for days on end, especially if they were involved in a case like this, there was cause for alarm. But Aria had to remind herself of one crucial detail, this wasn’t Springmount, things worked differently here and she was slowly learning how that was. It was hard though to shake her old habits. She spent most of the day sitting on the porch while Lys and Zara went into town to retrieve the dress and a few other things. They had offered to let Aria join them, but the last time she had wandered off Elion had vanished. She wasn’t going to fall for that again. But then again, it just might be worth it if it got her another moment like the night before.

She and Elion talked when they could, about the mercenaries, about the investigation, about anything but the kiss. Both seemed to be skirting the issue and for the time being Aria was okay with that. She wanted to keep it the nice memory it was. Before long though his mother and sister had returned from town and Zara pulled her off to make sure the dress they had made fit. Of course it did, it had to, the wedding was now less than a day away. Everything and everyone seemed the buzz about in preparation, but despite the happy demeanor of the family Aria felt her own issues pulling at her again. After night fell and everyone had retired for the night, she found herself outside on the veranda staring up at the moon. Was it the same moon her parents were looking at? Were they worried about her? Of course they were, though she didn’t know the extent of her situation so how could she know for sure if they were worried. She felt stupid for even questioning it, but how was she supposed to know if she was even still alive in her world. Was it possible for her to live in one but not the other? She didn’t know what to think, it wasn’t like her gunshot wound carried over, so was it entirely crazy to think that just maybe she could still be okay here when she wasn’t there? The whole mess scared her, there was no way around that. She didn’t know when she was going to go home, if she was ever going to go home. At this point she wasn’t sure she even wanted to. What was waiting for her there? She could make a life here, in Iriona. She could do something with her life. She could actually live and feel like she was doing something for herself for once. But there were her parents to think about, and Jack.

She heard the footsteps behind her and hastily made to wipe at tears she hadn’t even realized had fallen. “Aria…” her name was soft on his lips as he sat down next to her.
She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, she had thought Elion had gone to bed with the rest of the family. “Hasn’t it occurred to you to question why I’m still here?” she asked quietly, sniffling back the tears.

[athena]

Despite the events of the evening and the knot of confused emotions resting in his stomach, Elion managed to drift off into a fitful sleep. He expected Aria to be waiting for him, to pounce and question away in her straightforward, typical manner. Much to his relief, or perhaps disappointment, the whole scenario was avoided. They talked about the mercenaries, Grifad, the wedding, really anything that was not about what was going on between them. Part of Elion wanted to talk to Aria and figure out what was going on. He had made it apparent that his feelings had developed into something more than either of them had anticipated. Yet, Aria had a lover in her own world and her own feelings remained a mystery to him. The other part of him wished to bury the incident and never return to it.

It seemed luck was on his side though. The days passed in a blur as Elion and his father prepped the farm and fields for Ager and the Earth day festival that fell a day after Zara’s wedding. Meanwhile, Zara and Lys finished the final touches for the wedding. It was hard to believe that his baby sister would be a married woman by tomorrow evening. It was harder to believe that one of them hadn’t cornered him for his fitting. Zara had ordered and prepared all of his wedding attire, and had refused to let Elion see any of it. She claimed that as guardian of the bride, he had little say in the matter. Elion had decided to avoid that argument and simply went along with Zara’s logic. He suspected that she would corner him after dinner for the fitting.

Not to his surprise Zara found Elion after dinner. She smiled devilishly at her brother and hooked her arm through his. “It’s time,” Zara whispered as she nearly dragged him down the hall. “All this secrecy makes me think you’ve made me a dress,” Elion said jokingly. Zara only smiled mischievously, which did little to settle any of Elion’s fears. She pulled him into the spare room that held all the wedding supplies. Zara’s gown hung in a dark bag from the wall. Beside it hung, what Elion assumed, was his own bag. Zara unzipped it and passed Elion a heap of clothes. “Try it on,” she insisted as she waved to a screen for her brother to change behind. Elion slid into the slate gray pants and cream shirt. He found a tailored vest folded neatly to the side, and he slid the gray vest on as well. The suit, if it could be called that, was understated in its simplicity, yet it captured Elion’s essence almost to a tee. He stepped from around the screen and watched as his sister’s face melted into a smile. “Almost perfect,” she breathed. Quickly, Zara rolled up the sleeves and presented Elion with a bow tie the color of a peach. “You didn’t think I would forget about your trees did you?” She reached up and slid the ribbon around his neck and deftly tied it. “There. A little piece of earth for my brother.” She looked up at him, and Elion had a sense of nostalgia, recalling all the times as children she had looked up at him with that same look. He hugged his sister fiercely. “It’s hard to believe you’re getting married.” Zara let out a half chuckle. “It’s hard to believe I made you my guardian.” She squeezed him back before squirming out of the hug and wiping away a tear. “Now, on to more important things,” Zara said brusquely. “Something’s up with Aria. You should probably go talk to her when you get a chance.” Elion silently nodded. Perhaps it was time to talk about what had happened and where they stood. “You better change first! I don’t want you to get that dirty before tomorrow!” Elion laughed, but complied with his sister. He changed quickly, not bothering to replace his shoes or button his shirt. Elion passed the clothes back to his sister. “Goodnight brother,” she said softly after placing the clothes back in the bag.

Zara left the room, leaving Elion standing there alone. Finally, he mustered his courage and headed towards the guest room. He hadn’t realized that he needed his courage, but as his hand hovered over the rough grain of the door Elion realized that this conversation would take more out of him than anticipated. He knocked. There was no response. It was then he noticed that the light in the room was out. Perhaps Aria was sleeping? Elion took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. He peeked in only to find that the room was deserted. Instead of relief, Elion felt his agitation grow. He had gathered his courage, and by all the spirits he would talk to Aria tonight. There was only one other place that he knew she would be at this hour. He found Aria sitting on the veranda, staring out at the fields. He approached quietly. He heard a small snuffle. “Aria...” he started before he could stop himself. She whirled, wiping desperately at her face. Elion sat down beside her and tossed his bare feet over the edge of the patio.

“Hasn’t it occurred to you to question why I’m still here?” Elion sat silently for a moment. “Yes.” He responded simply. “It seems to have been an unusually long amount of time for you to have been here; even if you are asleep I would think you would have woken at some point.” Aria visibly shuttered. “What if I’m dead?” she asked in a small voice. Something in her voice sounded so lost and broken. Elion felt himself move closer to her. Another small sob escaped Aria, and Elion wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. At this point he cared little for how this may or may not complicate matters between them. “What if I’m stuck here forever?” Elion felt a small knife of hurt. What was wrong with Iriona? Or Halaeh, or Eltal? What was wrong with his family or himself? He wanted to ask her if was really so bad here or if it would really be that bad to stay. But he did not. Elion recognized that now was not the time to ask these questions. Something else was going on, something in Springmount. “Aria,” Elion started softly, “what happened in Springmount?”