When the group arrived back at the inn just before sunset, Remys was listening contently as Lothien curiously asked question after question whenever something new caught her eye. Rhazien had caught her gaze multiple times, his eyes pained when her onslaught of questions continued. Giggling, Remys led Maiya towards the stables, one of the stablehands dashing out to meet the sorceress.
"Evening, my Lady," his voice was young, perhaps in his early teens. With a grateful smile, Remys rubbed Maiya on the neck before helping the twins down, Lothien needing more aid than her brother. Rhazien surprisingly stayed close to Remys as the group moved into the inn, Lothien eagerly going around the inn watching everything she could.
Remys swept towards her room, not having to call for Lothien who darted to her side when she started up the stairs. Rhazien swept his eyes over the hallways as they walked, muttering quietly to himself. When the trio arrived at Remys' room, she swung the door open and grinned seeing the steaming plates of hot food on the small table under the farside window, three goblets sitting on the tabletop.
Remys waved the twins on to go eat, smiling when they dug into the food before them with a starving fever, the goblets -now known to be filled with blood- were gone in a matter of moments.
Bless that old innkeeper, Remys praised while walking to her saddlebags that hung off the edge of the bed. Flipping them open, Remys separated what she had to trade with into a small pouch at her hip, the inside of the pouch utilizing a dimensional spell creating a much bigger space inside the leather purse then its size gave away.
Sitting down at the desk on the opposite side of the room from the twins, Remys pulled out the oak chair, pulling Kasimir from her shoulder. The kit curled up on her lap with a yawn, fangs gleaming in the candlelight before he fell asleep, tail hanging off the edge of the chair. With a flourish of her wrist, Remys summoned a leather bound book, the ever watchful red eye on the front opening obediently when its master called. The leather cover flipped open, pages rustling and turning until a half written page revealed itself.
A gleam of light shone from her left hand and a scarlet red feather quill materialized in her grasp, the light scratching of the quill marking the paper filling the room. Kasimir's near silent purrs rumbled through her legs, his silky fur tickling her stomach.
Lothien collapsed onto the bed with an audible thump, her quiet breaths sounding moments later. Rhazien swept to Remys' side and sat on the chair beside her, leaning over her shoulder to read the elegant words on the paper.
As the hours ticked past, Rhazien's head slowly became heavier on her right shoulder, his will to stay awake flickering out like a flame in a rainstorm. His soft breaths synchronized with his sisters as they slept, his body slumping against Remys.
With a soft chuff of laughter, Remys finished her writing her findings in the book, tapping the top of it with the quill. The book quickly shut, the red eye closing as her quill vanished in a pulse of light. Turning slightly, Remys picked up the sleeping vampire, pulling him into her arms as she strode towards the bed, tucking him in beside Lothien. Walking out of the room, Remys pulled her cloak on, the hood shadowing her eyes as she disappeared into the silent city, with only a flash of silver.
* * *
When dawn broke upon the horizon, Remys' cloaked form swept into an enclosed courtyard on the opposite side of the town, going unnoticed by the guards that walked the top of the walls. Striding across the stone pathway, Remys walked through the open doorway into the alchemist's shop, humming softly to announce her presence.
"Be right there!" A chirpy voice sounded from the back room, scuffling sounds echoing in the Lady Elfs ears. The halfling stumbled into the main room moments later, plant paste smudged all over his apron which had faded from use. Remys glanced at his outfit for a moment before smiling, crouching down so she could look him in the eye. Her tall form towered over the halfling, easily three heads taller.
The halfling looked up at her with a smile, his cloudy eyes glancing towards the area of her face. "Hello Lady Remys, I hope your travels have been smooth."
"Yes, travels have been smooth and the kids have been safe. I have twins now as well. The others I shall be meeting along the way."
"Yes about that. A nomadic tribe of Felcat's have begun traveling from the Faerie Forest towards Lake Alvaleir. But hunters are trailing them. Some have died already according to the Eye, but the children are the ones being hunted more reverently."
"Hunted?"
"Yes, Lady Remys. Hunted. Sometimes killed, other times never seen again."
"Why are they being hunted? I thought the War wiped out the last of the hunters?"
"Not on other shores. There's an island to the west, farther than the eye can see. The hunters come from there. Wild and untamed, no more than beasts who have been set loose, drunk on the taste of magic."
"They are not from these shores?" Remys' voice yielded nothing about her thoughts.
"No. I have never seen creatures of the sort. Large sprawling beasts with claws of midnight and bodies of shadow. They can be killed by magic and fire alone, nothing else works. But the magic used drains the user, their body feeds on it so you have to overload their body, shoving your magic into them."
"Fire can kill them?"
"Yes. Fire burns through their shadows, reduces them to nothing but a whisper on the wind."
Interesting, it has been a millennium since others from distant lands have decided to venture here.
"How many have been taken?" Why kids? Of all things why kids? A steady roaring filled her ears, her magic rushing to the surface from that deep, unnervingly steep well inside of her. Water sloshed in her mind, the sound heard only by her as the waves crashed upon the edges of her mind, begging to be released. To maim, hurt, kill.
Not yet, she whispered to that roaring beast inside her, its claws dragging along her mind and arching against her shields, ready to be set loose on the hunters. Not until they are safe. Then we can kill them all. The beast yowled its agreement, laying back down. Not quite slumbering, but not rearing to attention. Soon, she whispered to it, soothing it further. Soon you can tear them into bloody ribbons and burst them into mist. Soon. But not now.
Coming back to her senses, Remys turned to the halfling who waited for an answer, unaware of the small battle that had taken place in her vast mind. "Pardon me, did you ask something?"
"Not a problem," the halfling chirped, his tone still cheery through the dark news he told. "According to my-" he paused then grimaced, "-sources, there have been close to a hundred kids taken. The death toll is climbing towards that number and quickly."
Spies, not sources, Remys corrected inaudibly before nodding her head slowly. "Who?" A vague question, but one she knew he'd interpret correctly. If he valued his secrecy.
"Mainly fae, elves, shifters. The birdfolk are too fast for them and the dragons guard their young too well."
Fae. Elves. The strongest of the immortals magic wise but children were rare. There then. To the Fae. The fae gave birth to maybe three young during their entire immortal life. For them to be stolen was an offense so great, revenge was not even a strong enough word for what the parents did to the abductor.
With a sad look, Remys shook her head and sighed, feeling that roaring beast inside her broil beneath her skin, small markings creeping along her fingertips before fading back to nothing again; allowed one slow blink to compose herself.
The halfling gave her a wry smile as he shuffled back towards his desk, perching on the stool behind the mahogany wood. "May their sword be strong and arrows be sharp, for death flies on swift wings."
Remys turned and left the shop with a wave and a spark of fire, the door swinging shut behind her. Indeed, death always came on swift wings. But it was who swung the scythe, that determined how quickly those who stood before death stayed kneeling.
* * *
Rhazien and Lothien helped themselves to breakfast in the inn, Lothien eagerly chatting while Rhazien leaned back against his chair, surveying the room with a wary eye. The note Remys left was reassuring enough that he felt no need to hide his sister in their room and wait. The Sabel Tooth Tiger kit lounged on the side of the table, its pale coat gleaming in the muted candlelight of the early morning.
Kasimir, Remys had called the kit, though neither of the twins dared to draw the attention of the kit to themselves. It lounged near them and swiftly tracked them to the dining hall, so they left the kit alone to do as it pleased. The innkeeper didn't seem bothered by it eating at the table so they made no move to change that.
Rhazien swept his eyes across the room again for the sixth time in the past few minutes, nibbling on his bottom lip. Across from him, Lothien had started chatting with a traveling gardener who was in town to sell her harvest. Bartering really, trying to get one of those black flowers, the tips of the petals appeared to be dipped in silver.
When the black flower was pressed into Lothien's hand, the gardener walked out of the inn with a quiet smile, her baskets floating behind her. Rhazien stirred at the movement, drawing his eyes from the main door of the inn, towards his sister who was trying -unsuccessfully- to weave the flower into her hair. His hearing still picked up a few of the slurs being thrown their way though, his eyes flickering a deep red in fury; hands clenching into fists as their heartbeats pounded in his ears.
Every time that pounding of war beat in his ears, a rumbling purr escaped the kit to his side, quickly quieting the rumbling storm that brewed inside of him.
Grabbing Lothien by the hand, Rhazien pulled her from her seat and strode towards the door of the inn, taking Remys' suggestion of going to the small clearing behind the inn to relax by themselves. The light padding of furred feet walking across the wood sounded moments later, a flash of tawny gold appearing at his side moments later.
The clearing was more of a glen than it was a field, which was fine as moments later the twins were playing tag, safely inside the barrier of rock and stone and wood. Rhazien swept past his sister quicker than even her immortal eyes could see, brushing his hand against her shoulder, tagging her.
Lothien rushed after her twin, dodging around the Sabel Tiger who pounced on any of the unsuspecting critters that roamed the valley. Her hair flew behind her in waves as she rushed after Rhazien who easily evaded her advances, his immortal speed constantly being pushed to the max as to protect his sister. His mocking laugh echoed around Lothien who grumbled as she ran, dodging fallen branches left and right, desperately trying to catch her brother.
But he was swifter than the fae and smarter than the elves, dancing just out of her reach every time. When he purposely let her win, they both knew it, though he was kind enough to let her have a head start. Though how much of a kindness he actually gave her was debatable, as she now felt very much like a deer being hunted by a wolf.
Lothien weaved in and out of the stones on the sides of the glen, her breath coming out in ragged pants as she heard her brother tearing over the ground towards her. Twisted around a rock she didn't give herself a moment to think as she launched straight towards Kasimir who sunned on top a low flat rock.
Just as she cleared the ledge, leaping over the kit, her brothers form slammed into her back, the two of them rolling in the dirt on the other side, Rhazien eventually cushioning her fall as he trapped her on his chest, his back skidding down the small slope before the two of them came to a slow stop, their laughter echoing in the glen.
The clearing of a throat caused both of them to look up, Lothien arching her neck backward to look up at Remys upside down while Rhazien gave her a small but dazzling smile from under his sister. Rhazien slowly sat up, allowing his twin to just twist her head to face Remys, her smile infectious as Remys returning the playful smile with one of her own. Extending a hand, Remys pulled Rhazien and Lothien up, shooting their glares a laughter filled glare before picking Lothien up, slinging her over a shoulder.
Rhazien looked up as his sister laughed from over Remys' shoulder, wiggling slightly until the sorceress started to walk, Lothien then more interested in their surroundings as they left. For himself, Rhazien simply walked beside Remys, falling into step with her as he quietly asked about getting Lothien some new clothes, not bothering to ask for some himself. When Remys locked her gaze with Rhazien, he gave an embarrassed smile and shook his head.
"Never mind," he murmured, thinking the look meant to not ask. When Remys pulled him into a half hug, his gaze lifted back towards hers, the warm smile on her lips catching him off guard.
"Let's get both of you some new clothes, and enough clothes to last you through summer and into the fall." Indeed, spring had just ended less than a moon ago and yet the heat was already trickling in. With wide eyes, Rhazien gave a quick nod, barely hearing the kit who prowled along beside him.
When the group reached the markets, Remys had left her hood down, her long locks tumbling down her back in waves, the tips curling to a stop past her hips. Her long and slender ears rotated up and down, flicking to attention before relaxed, her head tilting slightly as they walked.
Similar to a cat, Rhazien noted as he watched his guardian stroll through the markets, taking the group towards the seamstress. She had said the seamstress was a fae half blood, so orders could be done on the same day they were ordered.
Walking into the shop, Rhazien immediately felt calm, comfortable even, the forest of plants around the shop putting him at ease. Remys strode towards the far side where some model stands had been fitted with clothes for young, and those reaching maturity. Lothien was placed down and she immediately drifted towards the green clothes, her long brown hair shaking back and forth as she darted between the models.
Remys waited a moment before deciding Lothien was okay, instead helping Rhazien choose clothes, his natural preference gravitating towards the darkest reds, grays, and blacks the shop had to offer. With her help, he easily had chosen enough clothes to last him through the summer and into the autumn, with more clothes for different occasions. Remys did insist on a couple pairs of leather trousers and light grey tunics for when they rode across the continent.
Waving the seamstress over, Remys spoke in a lilting tongue, Rhazien just barely recognizing it as the Fae language. The seamstress gave him a wide smile and waved him towards the back, gesturing for him to put on one of the outfits so she could adjust them to his size.
Lothien flitted back over, her wardrobe consisting of warm greens, blues, and browns, an occasional gold and purple. With Remys beside her, Lothien walked towards the seamstress, smiling at her brother who waved a hand in reply, a small backpack slung over his shoulders. The ripple around it gave away its magical composition, though its use was unknown to Lothien until Rhazien opened the top and showed all of his clothes neatly packed inside.
Remys left her side to stroll towards the opposite side of the shop where the women's attire spread out across the sidewall. Her hand swept over the dresses on the side before pausing on a shimmering dress of deepest black and moonlight silver. Pulling it off the rack, she watched as the gauze fabric was held together around the middle by a belt of midnight blue and starlight white. After surviving centuries in court, her eye for finery had become adept, easily picking out gowns for occasions not yet planned.
Pulling the gown over her arm, Remys continued her stroll through the racks, occasionally pulling a few items onto her arms. The last item she put on her arm made her stop and star, the gown of deepest purple bleeding to black at the end of the skirts. White stars glittered on the bodice, then became scattered across the skirt. The silk sheath under the flowing gauze was pure black, a slit going straight up the front mid-thigh.
Walking back over to the seamstress, Remys saw how she fitted Lothien into a pair of riding pants and a blouse, putting the rest of the now fitted clothes in a small backpack. Lothien noticed Remys first and waved, a smile gracing her lips as she tried to face the sorceress without disrupting the seamstress.
Rhazien sat on a bench near the side, watching the market life outside with wary eyes. His gaze shifted towards Remys moments later and he gave her a smile. With a wink, Remys placed her new items on a nearby table, the seamstress not even walking over to the sorceress as the clothes started adapting to Remys' size. After coming here for so long, Remys was not surprised the demi-Fae had her measurements memorized. Vanishing the fitted clothes, Remys pulled out the four gold coins she owed the seamstress, purposely leaving a generous tip of six silvers.
The demi-Fae gave her an exasperated look before shaking her head with a smile. "Thank you," she murmured in that old Fae tongue, dipping her head down.
"Your designs deserve every copper you receive," Remys replied in that lilting tongue before flashing a smile, leading her children out of the shop, Kasimir standing up from where he lounged on a rock, sunning.
"What language is that?" Lothien asked, Rhazien echoing the question as he slipped into the spot next to his sister.
"One of the oldest languages that are still used, Faemir. The ancient language of the Fae."
"What is the oldest?"
Remys paused and looked towards her children, a contemplative look on her face. "The oldest one still in use is Nymhaeir, the language of the Elves. The oldest language though? Is one that has not been used in many, many, years."
"Do you know that language?" Rhazien finally asked.
A heartbeat passed where silence filled the group before Remys spoke again.
But not in a tongue either of the twins had ever heard from all the people who had entered the orphanage. A lilting tongue that held a promise of love and death.