Chain Reactions

"He is gone..."

Grao’s words had been said in his usual distinctive wary yet soothing tone yet Blaze did not hear him as her mind was elsewhere. She stared out into the port through the window but did not see. She started to shake, lips mouthing words of warning that did not sound. She pounded a hand, palm flat against the glass, making it crackle with icy trails that quickly melted as if in protest at something. She then turned to Grao with wide eyes, his face swimming in her vision looking distraught. He sighed moving both arms very gently and tight around the vampire, his wings folding to completely embrace her. "You are safe now child" he whispered stroking her hair lightly, this time allowing his aura to flow, gently pressing against hers, not to tease but offering a warm sensation of comfort. She shook her head and struggled against him, "have to go..." she mumbled and tried to move towards the stairs. The sounds of port had faded; replaced with a single word repeated over and over and spoken by one she would never thought to hear speak such a word so desperately.

Downstairs in the courthouse Belle waved at Alastair slowly, smiling softly. Alastair saw her and smiled back. "Hey Belles, how are you doing? Well I suppose, invited up there to the council meeting? Port diplomats must think highly of you!" She blushed softly at this rubbing at her head "Well... It seems now I'm part of the ports council" nodding with a soft smile "Miss Blaze was acting strange Alastair, she was really pale and seemed desperate to leave” she added however sounding concerned. "She was?" he looked up alarmed by this and swiftly headed up the stairs without another word, sweeping light on foot up toward the doors where he would knock heavily. He heard voices within, stepped back and waiting anxiously for them to come out or the door to open.

Grao was heard to sigh as he shook his head trying to keep hold of her "No... we will go to Alastair now and then take you to the den. You will be safe there...we will keep you safe" he said now using a commanding, more assertive tone, still gentle but more so likened to that he would use to the more feral of the pack. To this however she shoved him hard "NO!" she cried out "Can't be true..." her head had been a mess anyway, before this new conflict of mind. She jumped at the sound of the door and moved towards it, pulling it open, meaning to run from the courthouse. But Alastair stepped in front of her with quick speed and instinct, causing her to run straight into his arms. He looked angrily to the door, and then back to her "Eleni...I’m here" he said hoping for a positive response. She stared wildly up at him; seemed too many obstacles and she needed to be away from here. Was this some trick to lure her or was it real? Compulsions lead her to find out and so she too struggled against Alastair, her face white as snow she seemed like a waking ghost. She could still hear that word over and over "he's in trouble..." she blurted out "Have to help him!"

Grao stepped out after Blaze but not so worried, he had felt Alastair’s presence "We better take her to your home or the den Alastair...I am not sure what happened...may have been Trendor." Alastair narrowed his eyes "Who in the abyss had the god awful sense to let him in the council meeting!" he demanded with a defiant growl, and looked as though he wanted to strangle someone for their incredible ignorance. He moved to scoop Blaze up right into his arms so she would not have to walk, and he moved toward the edge of the building, leaping easily to the ground with her and avoiding the stairs all together. "Agreed..." he said to Grao gripping her tightly "get her home and then find out what this is about"

Alastair raced with her to the house as he tried to make sense of her yelling, he wondered if she was talking about Kain’s disappearance, something he hadn’t mentioned, as Blaze and Grao were already in their meeting with the council. He set her down but still gripped her arms. "Blaze...please calm down" he pleaded. Grao soon followed having had to take large steps to keep up, Nadiya after him, following silently guarding against a thus unknown enemy. In his hand was yet a second note from Dyisi "I will need to go to the den soon... might be good for Blaze staying close to the trees Alastair" he says even though he wasn’t sure what was wrong with the vampiress. Angry and upset having barely survived one hell of a day, Blaze pressed her hands against her eyes then slid her fingers up through her hair, her pupils were burning with the desperation to let her hidden form burst out...such violence etched all over her mind. "Kain..." she managed to speak, voice hoarse then with a agitated shudder pressed her hands over her ears "Make it stop PLEASE!" she near howled at that desperate plea in her head.

"Did he do something to her?" Alastair shouted, demanding "Curse that Demon!" he then growled, it was Kain and he hated him more than ever- this connection he had with Blaze was now hurting her as it had Peyton. "Blaze!" he grabbed her forcefully and tried to make her look at him "Please calm down and tell us what is happening to you! Please! We can’t help if you don’t tell us!" he looked pleading to Grao "Please do something!" He continued to grip her firmly, he didn’t understand what was going on for sure but Peyton’s letter had offered a hint. Alastair didn’t know much about magic, but he would sure try his damndest to make sure she didn’t spiral into the ghostly despairing creature.

But seemed she had no further interferences to block, the deed was done, a hideous picture of death and violence...perhaps a trick, perhaps the truth but hideous all the same. Yet out of sheer will she forced her eyes open in time to see Grao's staff appear from his side and out of fearful habit she screamed in protest. "NO!" she cried, feeling her body temperature plummet in self preservation, yet this time there was no dark voice of her former captor, her own voice in his guise, only Kain's and the memory of that desperate plea for help. Her eyes glazed over with burning chill as they changed colour, she looked up at Alastair in desperation "Kain's house!" she managed to say her throat burning also, trying to convey that they needed them to go there right now.

Alastair growled in frustration and looked toward Grao "Kain has gone missing, I got a desperate letter from Peyton asking for help, she wanted you to know, she wanted you to look for him" he informed, shaking his head. He let one hand go from Blaze’s arm and fumbled for the letter, two dropping on the floor. He grabbed them both, hiding the one with the speakers seal and passing the proper one to Grao. He then grabbed at Blaze again "Okay we will go...” he said, unsure what else to do for her, and he led her toward the door. If that’s where she needed to be, though he hated the idea and hoped whatever happened to the demon was final, no more speaker, no more Kain... simpler lives, he figured he’d never really have it though.

Grao read Alastair’s note and frowned "What does she expect me to do...?" then hearing their plans he shakes his head "Alastair...take Blaze to the den...I agreed on meeting Dyisi there... After that you will go and check Kain’s house. If it was attacked come back for me.” Blaze stumbled to the door, she felt strangely numb yet could feel a slow creaking of her body, her fingertips stung and she could feel cold tears well in her eyes yet freeze and shatter before they could fall. "This is ridiculous" Alastair snarled out as he led Blaze on clearly fuming as he was worried, feared even for Blaze as he started to chill under her touch, and once again he had no clue at all what best to do. He picked Blaze up and sprinted for the canoe. But he did not follow orders; instead Blaze’s pleas persuaded him to steer towards the island upon which Kain’s home stood, ablaze in a cloud of smoke.

~~~~~

Grao growls as he crosses through the flames without any care "I told you to take her to the den... not here" he says a low tone as his eyes glow red as blazing as the flames.. "She didn’t need to see..." He shakes his head as he walks past the flames once more, holding his staff ahead of him as he moves in pushing the door out of the way with a blast of wing "I will check inside... take her away Alastair..." But Alastair kept a firm grip on Blaze’s hand hopefully keeping her from running into the flames and the house. His own eyes scanned up the flaming building already charred and black in places. The flames reflecting in the blue of his eyes made for an angry contrast to the worry etched on his face for Blaze. "She insisted ...I don’t understand what’s going on here!" Nadiya, still loyally following into the danger whined, keeping as much distance between herself and the flames as absolutely possible, shaking badly and twitchy with fear.

"You saw now Blaze, it’s time to go, leave this up to Grao" He said firmly and tried to pull her away, gripping tightly at her forearm no matter how much her chill could burn. But Blaze only shook with fear and rage...it was like her vision come to life as each flame flickered exactly as she had seen it. An angry growl of her own rippled over her lips and her fingers clenched in fists at her sides, as she yanked herself free of Alastair’s grip. She was almost positive of what they would find inside now and it chilled her to the bone...yet would it be Kain? Or another? She almost glided as if her body moved of its own will towards the doorway, shivering yet the flames had no effect on her, she was too in her icy element to care for them. She turned her cold blue eyes on him. "It does not matter!" she said in a shrill bitter laugh, though her expression was anything but amused "I have seen what is in there!" her skin blanched whiter and the flames nearest to her extinguished almost of their own accord.
Dyisi walked up, having felt the rage hit her before the heat of the fire. She reeled only slightly before getting the fear from Nadiya. She moves over to the frightened one and gently puts her hand to her shoulder with hopes of helping her calm. "Whose place is this, Alastair? I saw flames from the water and caught your scents..." And emotions...she thought. Her voice came out soft and gentle, though concern was definitely there. Nadiya squeaked and tripped at the voice behind her, falling to the ground and fear shifting as she fell, her clothing shredding around her into a pile of useless material. Dyisi blinked as the girl shifted but other than that she seemed quite used to the action. "I'm sorry, paidi, I meant no harm" She whispered.

"Its Kain’s place, thank the spirits your here Dyisi" Alastair breathed and blocked clouds of smoke from getting into his lungs "It seems like those connected to the demon are more affected... Peyton..." he coughed "and Blaze..." he added after. He looked worried to Blaze as she turned away, her laughter and the way flames reacted to her, he had no idea what was happening to her and he stood looking helplessly frightened, unsure if it were wise to go to her as instinct told him. Dyisi looked to Alastair with confusion. "Kain? I saw him this morning...He had brought us news." Her head tilted as her ear flicked to the side and she brought her arms up to cover her mouth from the scents of burning. She turned to Grao "That...I will have to do, nai. As it seems I may be filling both watcher and listener, as it is always what I have been...employed to do by those of a different realm." Though she wouldn't relate as to whom...Blaze's emotional behaviour was causing her to wince and instinctively ebb out a feeling of calm just to keep her from being swept up in it. Nadiya remained in a silent heap; the only thing she had to say was not the least bit constructive, she just wanted to go home and hide, and even in her current state of feral fear, she was quite sure that would not be an acceptable response.

Blaze recoiled as Grao reappeared with a body, not knowing at first whom it was she backed away into the flames at the window, again they disappeared and she seemed to be unfazed. She felt her breathing growing weaker, uncomfortable until she took a deeper breath and felt her lungs expanding. She peered through the window, everything as she had envisaged. She caught the scent of burning blood and it made her feel sick. Staring she caught her reflection once more, that ghostly white face staring back at her...her hair was still dark yet she could see the first hints of white strands just as her skin started to tremble. She doubled over suddenly, hands at her hair and crying out as her body began to convulse. Never one to deal well with stress was Blaze.
Alastair managed to quickly scribble and send word to Peyton, amazed he was able to send it off on the breeze with the chaos and distraction; he hoped he had done it right and it would reach its destination. When he turned he saw Blaze collapse, seeing her shake on the grass by the window. He ran to her anyway, even if she was changing into something he didn’t know, even if she acted not herself. His instinct and bond to her was so strong. He tried to cradle her in his arms as he kneeled to her, and hopefully drag her away from the house to the edge of the small island. He felt that fear well up stronger, his heart racing in distress at the situation. "I hate you Kain" he snarled as he tried to get her to come out of her fit. "Eleni?...please Eleni hear my voice!" he feared she was dying.

Eyelashes fluttering, she collapsed into his arms. Her skin pulsed with an icy pain as if each beat of her heart send a flood of bitterly cold liquid coursing her veins. She could hear Alastair and tried to look at him, yet she knew what was likely coming and it had been so long, so many years...even though Grao had told her to confront herself it did not stop the sheer terror. Her teeth chattered like one frozen almost to the point of death as she spoke two barely audible words to Alastair "I'm sorry" falling limp into his grip, her temperature too cold and her body using its last reserve to try and stop what was happening, causing her to fall unconscious. Alastair swallowed back hard, trying to keep his own emotions in check. He stood with her and cradled her close to his chest and moved swiftly back to the canoe to take her to the den, it was the best thing he knew to do.

~~~~~

He took her gently out of the canoe, looking down at her as they went to make sure she was still breathing, but the lump in his throat continued to grow, and when they finally got into the cave he placed her near the fire. "Blaze?" he kept calling her name, waiting for a response. "Please Blaze, wake up, I’m begging you to wake up" his voice stained and clearly emotional, a tear easily snaking down his bruised cheek, a wound from earlier that morning. He spoke though in a near whisper, but clear desperation. She imagined she could hear his voice, calling her name, inwardly she smiled as if nothing were wrong and even though the flames near her spluttered in protest at her defensive chill the smile crept from her mind to her pale, cold lips. However a shadow crossed her luminous skin and still not quite conscious she took a deep choking breath, her body adapting to the changes that were taking place first on the inside. The dark raven sheen of her hair began to fade and turn a crisp silken white.
He looked at her clearly pained and still very alarmed when he saw no real response, only watching her choke on her breath. It tore at his heart to see and he rested his forehead against her stomach as he hovered over her, whispering the words -please- along with something elven. When he looked up at her again he was startled to find her hair white. He touched it with reluctance, and once his finger tips connected he laced them in, lifting up some strands as he inspected with caution. She was quickly looking like nobody he recognized.

She continued to suffer with laboured breathing until gradually her chest rose and fell in a more settled rhythm, but deep long breaths. Her eyes opened slowly, blinking, the world and his face bathed in a beautiful blue haze. She smiled at him, he looked like an angel in such light, a dark brooding angel and she reached to touch his face with icy fingertips. She caressed his skin for a moment, eyes focussed on his face she slowly sat up, her lips parted to speak, to tell him she knew who he was, who she was...how ridiculous that may seem...but to her it was the best feeling given what could have happened, forgetting all like before. Yet as she was about to speak an agonising pain shot through her neck and up the side of her face to her temples, then around her head as if something was to burst out. Hands flew to her hair, trembling as she screamed in panic, not so much for the pain, though it was great, but more for the agony of remembering the last time...all those years ago. To her own and probably his horror blood trickled down over her cheek, her hair stained red in two subtle crimson sweeps as those long forgotten and hidden remnants of her past burst through her skin, conjured from the magical curse so long ago inflicted.

He had just begun to feel the relief of comfort as she finally came around lucid, she would find his cheeks were wet from his worried tears as he only knew to hold her whole she tried to breath. They stopped just as she started to show promising signs and he was only just starting to really take in her changed features when her cry of anguish caused him to recoil back. He didn’t quite leave her but he leaned back dramatically as her horns, whatever they were near sliced past his temple... it was then he finally moved the rest of the way back, leaping with stealth, as if avoiding some sort of attack and he stood in a tense stance behind her, just staring in disbelief, unprepared and unsure what she would sprout next.

She slumped slightly having had her weight resting against him until he moved away. She reached up with trembling hands and a near animalist cry spilled over her lips at what she felt, her head felt suddenly very heavy and she buried her face in her hands sobbing...but that only made her situation worse for staying calm was the key to its retreat. She finally dared to look up at him, slowly getting to her feet, she could see the fear in his eyes, the disbelief....she extended a hand to him eyes begging him not to shun her, her worst fear that he would be disgusted by what she was. Her knees fought to keep her upright, almost collapsing beneath her as a worrying shiver crept up and down her spine.

Once again Dyisi walked up to a situation where she was hit with powerful emotions from Blaze. The force was great enough that she has to use her staff to steady herself. Giving pause to the sight she sees coming closer her head tilts as this odd curiosity ebbs from her. "That is ... new..." She muses, eyebrow lifting up as her blue eye flashes. "Nai...it is a lovely shade of blue..." She then says, though to who was the uncertainty. She looked to Alastair, his own emotions also rocking over her lithe form. "I take it this is...not something she does normally?" Honestly, she really had no idea who could do what or was what anymore; it was all just taken in stride.

Alastair was understandably wary, he didn’t know this Blaze...this creature...he didn’t know what to expect still, and he looked at her long and hard as if desperately trying to see that humanity he always saw even past her vampyric side. But he just could not see any hint of it. No, instead he saw some icy spectacle, a being with dangerous power and strength, he knew based on her story. Still his memory of her was not forgotten and he was pained still to see her reach desperately for him. It was enough to make him move closer again, that instinct driving him on, as it had nothing to do with outward appearances. He stood at arm’s length but reached his hand out to her, so she could take it if she wanted; no words came though...he waited for more, or perhaps an explanation. His eyes held a mixture of confusion and awe. "I have never seen it" he whispered to Dyisi, not taking his gaze from Blaze.

Blaze stood breathing deeply, her eyes blinking strangely. Her blue eyes looked at him sorrowful, yet with an almost ethereal magnificence in them...she was after all a most unusual yet ancient exotic creation, beautiful and deadly in a most unique way. She found it overwhelming to have him stood there looking at her like this. Her heart ached to have him hold her, cold tears streaming down her cheeks, only refraining from freezing into crystal particles for the flames of the fire nearby. Her trembling fingers touched his, flinching slightly at his warmth but it felt so familiar all the same. She grew wary of the one standing by, in her ordeal she did not remember her face, yet in Alastair she knew him so well, so deeply that she could not forget him in this moment, moment of acceptance or abandonment. Her gaze moved back to his and again she made to speak but withdrew her hand in a flash as her body again contorted with pain, seemingly things were not done yet. She fell to her knees with the impact, her skin felt on fire with a chill so cold it burned almost down to the bone. She arched her back, her fingers tearing at her skin, shredding herself of her clothes as they seemed to disintegrate beneath her fingers. She saw Alastair's face through a new torrent of tears.

Alastair backed away once more when Blaze fell again, this time his hand went to his sword pommel but he didn’t draw it just yet, an instinctive reaction of self defence. Blaze had that... strange beauty now, the kind he associated with temptresses and enchantresses, the kind that meant to seduce to harm, that sort always with a certain femininity and light that captivated the male eye, and for this he was somehow untrusting. Her appearance and change was so overwhelming to him, he found himself getting mixed messaged from his emotions and past experiences. His heart pounded and he found himself this time unable to run to her aid. He just stood there captivated and awed into a sort of fear.

Dyisi watched, though forced to put up an emotional void to keep her from being struck with the onslaught of tormenting emotions from the pair. However this left her rather unemotional. She stand there watching on as if she felt some need to see this through yet if she was told to leave she would. "Interesting..." She whispers, her eyebrows furrowing at all of this. "It seems as if she was not as she has been saying all along..." The only logical yet obvious reasoning she could have.

Blaze saw his reaction a second before it happened, she felt her heart plummet, it was just as she feared, he was wary, afraid, untrusting...surely she disgusted him now, even though it was still her, not lost this time as she did not hide behind that mask of submission to an old memory, she had done as Grao asked...faced up to what she was, none of it her fault but part of her regardless. She felt the elemental power seeping through her pores, flooding her with a sense of brooding energy, it collected at the base of her spine and she tipped back before curling herself down into a ball against the agonising discomfort, though it felt not years since the last time, as it all came flooding back. The skin along her spine quickly bruised an ugly purple before she felt a shattering from beneath the surface. From the depths of her shoulder blades burst two vibrant blue wings. she breathed deeply through the pain, wishing it would end, remaining still until at last she slowly sat up, her deep penetrating gaze back again on Alastair, wings uncurling and arched behind her, tipped with blue flame and sparkling in the light from the fire and trees.

Alastair narrowed his eyes, growing rigid once more as wings burst from her back, he wasn’t sure if he was more taken back now by her appearance or unsettled by the amount of pain she seemed to be in by the transformation. He shifted back a half step still poised as he watched her intently, his eyes scanned her naked body appraisingly, still looking for anything familiar, but her eyes were icy blue serpentine slits, deep but different, he found trouble getting a hold on the image of her soul he often found when looking into them. He went to speak but no words came... stepping around her giving wide berth and stopped closer to the fire, staring her down once again in the same way as before; her beautiful naked form, so unfamiliar, so pale, so chilled...these new appendages...she could fly? He shook his head in disbelief. Spirits she had wings and could fly!? he found himself finding it hard to picture himself walking the streets with her like this, chasing her on the ground while she travelled by air like he’d done with Kia and Peyton. He tilted his head some, finally his voice broke and it came with an odd edge. "Blaze....?" he asked as if he wasn’t sure it was her anymore and he felt sick inside at this idea he just lost her to something else. Not the woman he had originally fallen for. He didn’t know if shed speak or hiss. But desperately he wanted her back.

She had lowered her head as he moved around her, breathing deeply still, it had been a long, long time since she had felt this different skin, different physicality, yet it was strange to sense it with her own mind and not one lost. But she little thought on that now, her body throbbed with a dull ache, heart aching further still. Tensing her shoulder she winced in pain, wings strained against her movements feeling so heavy and alien. Wet tears landed on her bare knees, freezing into shimmery icicles then melting and creating a shiny wet trail down to the ground. She swallowed painfully and rose her head, looking sidelong at Dyisi, head tilted in curious observance, though marred with painful expression before she looked back. Him speaking her name made her eyes lift to his and she nodded in one long slow movement of her head, followed by a second. She felt frozen to that spot, unable to move, to go to him, yet in reality it was not the pain or the change that kept her upon the ground, but the fear of him turning from her or backing away from her in fear or distaste, even though it was still her on the inside.
He felt his breath catch some within his chest when she nodded, at least an acknowledgment. He moved a bit closer, but not kneeling to meet her just yet. He spoke again with the same wary edge, but perhaps this time with more need "is it.... safe?" he asked, and hated inside he even needed to, but he didn’t know her like this, even if it was Blaze he just didn’t know her like this...this was a whole new world, literally a whole new side.

Dyisi cants her head back when Blaze looks at her. She remained quiet though her eyes flashed as if holding a conversation. Part of her thought she should leave and her hand reached into her belt pouch for something in it. But also part she wanted to stay...just to make sure things were ok, that they both would be safe and the nagging feeling that she had to watch this...record it. "Impressive... very much so." She mused, again to seemingly no one, though her blue eye gives a few flashes as if it was answering her.

Blaze looked pained to reply, she felt like she was waiting for some dark shadow to sweep over her, feeling a focus of only pain and suffering, blank to all else but that and the commanding voice in her head...but it was not there...long dead and ashes swept away with the breeze. She looked at her hands, snow white, textured with angry blue streaks, literal frozen blood swelling beneath the surface and capable of a deadly touch if she so inclined. She looked back at Alastair utterly bewildered "I think...so" she murmured, her voice fuller, resonating, yet still with that hint of velvet luxuriousness that her usual contained, though slightly rasping due to the painful breathing.

He was not that reassured by her words –I think so- it sounded to have potential for trouble, but he needed to come closer, that instinct still drew him to her. Still it did not distinguish from appearances. He looked briefly toward Dyisi and lowered to his knees in front of Blaze, his hands at first resting to his sides. He peered at her once more now that he could look from a new perspective. She was breathtaking for sure, just in that ethereal way. He wondered for sure what he was looking at...a dragon? A vampire, human or something else? He stood in a steady breath, like someone might do before diving from a high cliff, and he lifted his hand to touch her white locks of hair, as he’d first done before her horns appeared. Then looking to the snowy hue of her skin, he let the tips of his fingers just touch her upper arm, have expecting to feel that icy burn he had in the past. She was cold...colder then he’d expected. He drew his hand from her just in surprise but when it left no lingering burn, he placed his hand back and let it glide down her arms length with a fascinated expression.

Dyisi sighed out with a measured breath before turning. "I believe...you and her will need to talk more in...private...nai? So I will let that happen." She pulls out a sigil from her pouch while turning it slowly between her fingers. "I will contact you later, Alastair...to see if things are alright" He nodded half hearing her as he was obviously very distracted by these changes in Blaze. "Thank you" he mumbled.

Blaze felt herself trembling, a sharp intake of breath as he touched her first, worried she would be too cold for him, though she held no will to hurt him as she had in the past, in defence of herself or others such as Sygnet. She held her breath as he reached for her again; sighing with a small relieved moan as this time he stayed. Her exotic serpent like eyes followed his gaze as he looked over her, afraid he would recoil at any moment. She hesitated on reaching for him in return though slowly held out her hand, bringing it closer to his face, brushing the back of ghostly fingers against his cheek. He felt so warm, so familiar, as if she had ingrained ever contour of his face to memory. She closed her eyes briefly, sensing the light from behind them differently than usual. Opening them again she parted pale lips and uttered his name in a whisper, her tone caressing though still held her resonances of the vampire and the human for she was all three now, entwined.

Alastair followed her lead still in awe, he felt almost childish in the way he looked her over, reminded of their daughter and how her little hand touched things with the same caution and fascination. He wondered how she might react to Blaze this way. Would she be this was forever now, he distantly wondered. He felt comfort return as she asked- encouraged quickly for him to reintroduce himself. He hovered in closer to her, her skin was so cold she actually managed to make him shiver, but at least there was no pain, he could handle it. When he heard her speak his name his gaze lifted to meet hers and he stared a long moment... looked to be mulling things over in his mind, and then suddenly his head would drop downward, his eyes closed as he rubbed a palm to his forehead and let out a shuddered emotional breath. He felt that familiarity, but he also felt so lost in her presence, so small so ignorant to what happened, unsure how even to respond, he was far to overwhelmed, and he found himself wishing she just could return to her normal beautiful self.

She felt her heart ache as he looked away, the cold blood which moved slowly around her veins had started to melt yet made her flinch with a renewed drop in temperature within her at his seeming reluctance. Her fingertips retreated from his face, trembling still as they did and lay in her lap. She looked upon his bowed head with a deep sadness. A fresh silvery tear hung at her lashes and she too bowed her head. "It is still me..." she whispered her voice breaking, it felt instinctive to wrap her wings closer to her body, in a self defending, self comforting way as she lifted her hands to her face and cried quietly into her hands, seemed perhaps he could not accept her this way after all.

Alastair could feel his heart racing with the uncertainty and the stress of everything he’d just witnessed. Her words caused him to look up once more, he hadn’t meant to deny her but he was finding trouble feeling any grounded sense with her. He frowned at her tears as still her sadness could eat away at him. He tried to pry her hands away from her face; catching a few of those strange icy tears in his hand and watching them melt on impact for his warm temperature. He took notice in the use of her wings...it was so surreal. Nevertheless he leaned forward with his head tilted enough to accommodate a gentle kiss to her lips. At first testing, not used to this depth of cold chill, but he looked for that familiar curse and the way she would always meet him back. Yet he broke away and stood as others appeared at the far end of the cave. She touched her lips with her fingertip, his warm imprint still clear even after he stood, she lowered her head with now growing tension in the room her wings stiffened and spread in slight agitation. She closed her eyes trying to stay calm, not ready or wanting any other to see her like this. For the third time he gathered he in his arms, they needed to be away from here, back home in privacy...

~~~~~

Alastair was careful to avoid any people in passing and tried to tuck her against him but there was no real hiding the horns and wings. He planned to take her straight upstairs to their bed. She watched him through half hooded eyes all the way home, lulled into a somewhat sleepy state by his warmth against her, it felt far more intense than normal, as he laid her down she gave him a small smile, though she was reluctant to sleep, worried for what visions may visit her in her slumber "stay with me..?" she asked almost desperately, seeming terrified at spending the first night like this alone, even if unbeknown to her it would fade as she slept so she would awaken herself but of course with a whole new perspective.

He took off the extra belts and buckles he didn’t need, but for once he kept his shirt on, a barrier from her icy skin. He crawled up on the bed with her, wanting desperately to be close, though he still felt meek and ignorant, unsure of himself. "Of course I will" he whispered, curling up with her though still pulling back somewhat shocked at the cold feel of her. "Are you...uncomfortable?" he asked, icy tears and skin didn’t seem ideal to him, he worried she was in pain.

Truth was she was not sure, her body ached from the change, her mind still foggy from the ordeals of the day, faintly she thought of Kain but pushed it away, could not risk getting herself distressed. "I'm sorry" she whispered again, though his warmth surrounded her like cosy fire she could feel. She fought to keep her emotions in check, fearing she would stay like this permanently if she failed, and what would such emotions make her capable of is they became too intense. She had a whole new side to get to know and understand and it frightened the life out of her, still that unsettled feeling that had long burdened her seemed to have lifted slightly, the coming of winter and the breaking of her imprisonment seemed ironically to complete her somehow, still she felt sick that it had to be this way, as if they needed yet more burdens on top of all else.

"It’s alright, we can get through this together, whatever it is, if Grao meant for this to happen eventually, I’m sure he’s confident it will work out" he spoke more as if he were reassuring himself though. He tried to sit with her comfortably but he was unsure how to manipulate around her wings, they seemed to stick out every which way, and the horns atop her head also prevented him in getting close as he use to...it was all very...frustrating to say the least. He wanted to get angry, but it wasn’t her fault, if anything the anger just came from the fear and unknown. Still he tried to sooth her, at first he went to touch a wing but it was too weird, so he found her arm to caress again.

She could feel his discomfort and frustration; it made her both seethe with the unfairness of it all and inwardly cry at the thought of him unhappy. She turned carefully, tucking her wings behind her though it was a little awkward to do so, but at least he could get close without being scraped or prodded. She felt a wave of gratitude that he was trying hard to be strong for her, even if she had every right to expect such given all she had done for him in his times of need. She closed her eyes; it was easier for her to not see him looking back at someone he was unsure of.