The North
In the North there was an expanse of grey looking grass that overlooked a darkly red sunrise. This was the sight that Raphael first saw as he left the forest area that lined the castle and divided all the different sections that made up the land of Vemos. He wasn't really sure why exactly his father had asked him to leave the castle after he'd just narrowly escaped the clutches of the witches. It wasn't the first of his father's decisions of late that he questioned. It was a curious thing, but he knew Lauri was with Dorian on some mission to locate a hidden talisman that could negate Eliza's powers. Maybe that was why he had such a twisty feeling deep in his gut. He ignored it and glanced at the wolves that were milling around his horse, Silas had brought his whole wolf pack with him. Raphael thought it was unnecessary, but that was just him. "Guys. Do you see that." Helena said uneasily. Raphael turned around glancing at Helena. She had a hand over her eyes and she was looking off into the distance in the far reach of the meadow. Raphael glanced at where she was looking and immediately widened his eyes. Deep in the gray, gray meadow what looked like a dark black cloud was moving in circular formations on the grassy plain. "Well that can't be good." Silas said as he rose up from his wolf form. Rai followed suit looking at the cloud of wraiths. "They aren't in an attack formation." Rai said narrowing her eyes. "Yes, that would be apparent." Helena said dryly. "Do wraiths have attack formation?" Raphael asked. Rai immediately nodded yes, Helena glared at her but waited for her to turn around before she shook her head. Raphael stifled a smile, not for the first time on this journey. He got off his horse, leading it to one of the trees that lined the clearing they were now in. "Hey." Helena said as she walked over tying her horse to the same tree. "You want to get away from the wolves?" Helena said as she glanced distastefully at the wolves still milling around. "We should scout the area." She said glancing at Silas who pointed to the left.
Helena grinned at the gesture, before glancing back at Raphael. "Come on," Helena said gesturing for Raphael to follow her. "You and Silas fight a lot. Do you not like wolves?" Raphael asked curious. Helena stifled a smile. "We used to sleep together." She said. "And I quite enjoy annoying him, as much as he enjoys irritating me." She answered.
"Do you sleep with everyone?" Raphael asked. "Cassie said you and Dorian used to sleep together, as well."
"Immortality sometimes gets boring." Helena answered without really answering at all. "Are you seeing this?" She asked pointing forward. "Those are not wraiths." Raphael said his eyes narrowing. Across the plains were patches of smoke milling up from the grassy hillsides that lay scattered in the wake of the plains. "It looks like campfires." He said looking back at Helena. "When Dorian first appeared, he asked me if there was anyone still loyal to Nathaniel. The only one of the court that would dare to try and bring him back, thinking it was for the good of the people of Vemos, is Zander." She said looking up at Raphael. She turned back looking where Silas had been before and whistled sharply. Raphael stood silently his eyebrows furrowed as he watched one of the wolves appear in the distance rushing forward before kneeling slightly jumping forward a man with curling blonde hair wearing only black leather pants walked forward his hands at his side. He put a single fist to his chest and slightly bowed. "Mistress Helena." He said. Helena waved at him, smiling slightly. "Hey, George." She said. Raphael raised his eyebrow. "Shut up." Helena said quietly glaring at Raphael before turning back to George. "Could you let Silas that Raphael and I are going to check the campfires over there? Tell him I think Zander is the one leading the wraiths." She told George. "As you wish." He said bowing again before backflipping and landing on his paws. Raphael shook his head with amusement. "George is one of the newer wolves to Silas's pack, he loves to show off, but is loyal to a fault." Helena said. "Come on." She said, walking through the meadow, Raphael walked with her, both of them keeping their heads down. They circled around one of the hills quietly moving, before they leaned slightly forward looking carefully above the hill.
The source of the fire, was several campfires, where people dressed in combative gear walked and sat, makeshift tents littered the meadow. "This is not good." Raphael said his eyes wide. "Nope. What the hell is Zander doing?" Helena said gesturing for Raphael to follow her. Helena snuck into the camp, sneaking in to one of the tents. Raphael followed her into the extremely messy tent. Raphael glanced around the place watching Helena rifle through the papers on one of the tables in the tent. "What are you looking for?" Raphael asked rifling through the other desk. "Anything that looks like battle plans." Helena said her voice drifting off. Raphael immediately stopped rifling through the papers. "You do realize that there is no possible way that they would just leave battle plans out in the open." Raphael said. "A-Ha!" Helena said triumphantly pulling out one of the papers on the desk. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Raphael said his eyes wide. "Shh." Helena said. "Zander's always been a moron. I knew that he probably would've left the battle plans out." She said, gesturing Raphael to come and take a look. "They are waiting for the Wraiths to come and then they are going to launch an attack on the castle." Helena said looking at the plans. She looked up at Raphael, folding the plans and putting them in her back pocket. "We should get these to one of Silas's wolves, so they can bring it to the castle." Helena said. Raphael nodded, moving to leave the tent when he suddenly froze. He could hear a rustling just in front of the tent, he felt Helena yank him by the back of his shirt, shoving him down both of them rushing to a hidden cavity between two of the tables out of view of everything.
They watched as some of the people they had seen outside walked inside the tent, pulling weapons out of a chest that was sitting in the tent. Helena glanced at Raphael putting a single finger at her lips. She moved slightly, pulling Raphael after her. They quietly stepped out of the tent, when they straightened they took a deep breath, and turned, trying to exit the camp as quietly as possible when someone walked right into them. The tall spiderlike man took in Helena's shocked face, and Raphael's surprise and grinned maliciously at both of them. "Well isn't this a sight to see." He said his insipid voice curling around the words he spoke. "The Prince and the assassin." He said curling distastefully at Helena. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Hello, o hated one." Helena said her eyes dark as she took him. "When was the last time we met?" The man said his eyes calculating. "Was it perhaps when I killed your last love? Your true love? The only person you'd ever wanted to be with?" he said his voice cruel. Raphael looked at Helena sharply before turning back to the man who had spoken. "I don't think you should've said that." Raphael said. "No, you really should not have." Helena said before she launched at him. Attacking him along the waist dropping him down to the floor and sliding him into a headlock glancing up at Raphael as she did. "Take a look and make sure we don't bump into anyone else." Helena hissed through her teeth. Raphael smirked at her words, before he went towards the tent checking one side and the other to make sure they wouldn't have any more surprises. Helena brushed his back as she came close, Raphael looked down at her, then looked backwards where the man who had caught them now laid unmoving on the floor. "Did you kill him."
"Quietly, and silently. Which is more than he deserved."