untitled: Seer

 

Ceata couldn't understand it for the life of him. As he sat in the middle of the Jin throng, surrounded by so many of them as they laughed and enjoyed each other's company, he became acutely aware that this was not where he needed to be right now. Having found this new and disturbing information, the plot had only thickened, causing the poor youth to desperately desire answers. But where would he go? Who could he talk to? No one but Urius seemed to know Rowan's secrets...Perhaps he was thinking too linear...Perhaps it was time to consult a seer. 

 

And there was one currently sharing the bed of lord Death. Ceata quietly excused himself, hurrying out into the evening to go locate that seer and see if he could get any answers out of him... if he was forced to, Ceata would beat the blind man into telling him. Silently he hurried back up to the castle, brows furrowed and a concerned look on his pale face.

 

Agenta moaned as he let Death caress him lovingly after they enjoyed a healthy bout of sex with two of Death's other lovers. Agenta found himself loved from all sides, giving as well as receiving. It was delicious, something the young seer had never had before. He blushes modestly as he uncurled himself from the other two bodies so he could go and get washed up with Death. "Thank you..." he says softly, Death pulling all his lovers up for a nice hot shower. 

 

The other two, one a lush little femme and a tall young male, were twins and had been more then eager to roll with lord Death. The immortal purred, tipping up Agenta's chin to kiss delicately at his full mouth. "No, thank you." He purred coyly and tugged them into the shower, washing the scent of sex and the leavings from their act off of their bodies.

 

Agenta smiled gently as Death helped him find the soap, the four enjoying caressing each other as they washed away everything. Agenta shivered when the young male got right up behind him and nuzzled lovingly, caressing down his chest. The female helped to clean his arms as he gently washed her hair. Death sat back, enjoying the sight of so much beauty...Ah, and it was all his. He was the luckiest God to ever exist!

 

The two siblings attended Agenta happily, Death washing himself and watching the two death angels with their charge. How lovely, how eagerly those three had enjoyed each other this evening. Agenta had positively glowed with pleasure as he had been double teamed by those two.  "What a lovely evening, eh Agenta? Indra and Lavanya surely enjoyed your attentions."

 

"As I enjoyed theirs..." Agenta said with a modest little smile, kissing the young femme as he rinsed out her hair. She cooed and pressed against him, her soft small breasts nuzzling his chest. The young male behind him leaned in two and cuddled both his sister and his new play partner. Agenta looked in the general direction of Death, smiling to him though he could not see him. "Why don't you come over here and we can thank you for your attentions as well, Lord Death, by giving you a nice scrub down."

 

The immortal chortled and wandered over for the affection. The twins were young by his terms, but they had been around for a long, long time. Indra's sharp silver eyes and Lavanya's opal peered up at their lord as he came over and nuzzled all three of them. "Wash me good and then it is off to dinner and then bed."

 

Agenta and the twins worked hard to scrub every inch of the immortal's glorious skin and hair. Death found Agenta at his feet, washing there and up his legs. The little femme got to play with his long beautiful hair as the other youth caressed his chest and neck. The three worked hard and gave the immortal a nice relaxing wash before they got out of the shower and headed to the bedroom. It was then that there was a knock on the door, Agenta quickly putting on a robe to answer it whilst Death was busy dressing. He opened the door. "Yes?"

 

Ceata smiled at the young seer. "We need to speak..." He murmured softly. The twins gently eased past them, dipping their chins respectfully to the two before they trailed down the hall back to their rooms. Death peered over curiously and had the two come into the room, frowning. "Oh? What do you need to speak with Agenta about?" He asked curiously.

 

"Yes...what is it you'd like from me?" Agenta questions lightly as he tucks his wet hair back behind his ear. Ceata can see all the hickeys against his neck, reminding him of the bruises he saw on Urius' neck. 

 

"Well... I need to speak with you about a dream." He replied softly. "And some other things, shall we sit?" He asked softly as Death walked over to a chair by the fire, leaving those two to sit at the table near the large windows.

 

"A dream? I do hope it wasn't ominous..." Agenta says as they sit together, Agenta pulling his robe around him to keep him warm. He misses Death's close presence, wanting to just cuddle over by the fire with the one he loves. Still, Ceata looks very concerned. He's not about to leave him like this.

 

Ceata sat, waiting silently for the other to sit as well before he began to tell him what had happened. He spoke in full detail of the dream and then the events in the Jin hall and then of course, of seeing his families crest on Urius' back. He gulped, silently staring at Agenta.

 

Agenta stared at Ceata, looking positively pale. Though his eyes did not meet Ceata's, for he was too blind to know where Ceata's eyes were, there was trouble glittering in those milky blue orbs. "Oh, Gods..." he whispered after it was all done, wringing his hands.”And...Just what is it you want to know from me, Ceata? I am rather limited as a seer."

 

"I want to know if I am just imagining things..." Ceata replied softly. "There is something odd about both Urius and Rowan and it grows more apparent to me each day that passes." His voice was soft and breathy, a look of haunted fear on his pale face. “I don't.... know what to make of it all."

 

"I could...try to get into your memories and find a link to Urius'. Beyond that, I can offer you very little. I do not have the strength of most seers that are able to see so clearly the connections within our universe...I am mortal, after all," he says, a little regretfully. Still, he is willing to help, which is a good thing. Ceata is glad he won't have to beat the guy even more blind to get information.

"I...may need Death's help, though."

 

The immortal had been listening and he stood and came over. “I will help..." He smiled and Ceata looked up thankfully at the larger male. The big immortal sat down and Ceata smiled weakly. "Do so then and thank you Agenta.... what you are doing means much to me..." he breathed.

 

"Anything to help, Ceata," the other says with a gentle loving smile. He then reaches out and Death takes his hand. The connection is almost instant as Agenta taps into the immense power that is oozing out of the immortal's every pore. It allows him to do things he would not otherwise be able to do. In a matter of minutes, Ceata is hit with a wave of thought as he is pushed back into his mind, into his memories. He opens his eyes, standing there in the blackness. Suddenly he feels a light touch on his shoulder, turning to find the glowing wispy form of Agenta. He smiles, his eyes fully clear, able to see so sharply it feels like Ceata is the one that is almost translucent. "It's alright, Ceata...don't be startled. It's just me." 

 

 

Ceata's 'eyes' were wide and he looked to the wispy form of the seer in confusion. "What is this?" he asked softly. "Is this... my mind?" He whispered, looking about with wide mismatched eyes, confused, intrigued and curious. Such a strange thing! But it is surely interesting to the young male.

 

"Yes...this is your mind, the plane of your consciousness. Here, we can view your memories, your thoughts, your experiences...everything," Agenta replies, his voice echoing slightly. He then steps forth towards Ceata, his form rippling like mist in the wind. "Now...do you have something...something that might link you directly to Urius?" Agenta asks, Ceata looking confused. "A personal item...something of that nature."

 

Ceata thought for a moment and then nodded, clutching at the locket about his neck. "Y-yes... this locket Urius gave me, will it work?" He asked softly, holding it out for Agenta to look at.  He prayed that it would work, but one could not be sure.

 

"It should work...was it something he kept close to him? If he only touched it briefly, I won't be able to make the connection," Agenta says as he takes the locket, almost dropping it from the sudden jolt he's gotten. Ceata catches it just in time, seeing the horrified look on Agenta's face.

 

"Yes... he wore it all the time." Ceata replied, startling when the locket was almost dropped. He frowned, looking at Agenta with a little frown on his lips. "So it will work? Good..." He murmured softly.

 

"Y-yes....it...it will," Agenta stammers, having been so overcome by the amount of energy that was coming from the locket. It actually burned his hand, making his heart ache. He looked up at Ceata, startled as to how the other could not notice this. Agenta thought about taking the locket again, but did not wish to risk the pain. "Um...why don't you hold it? This way, I can use you as a gateway to the memories and you'll see everything as they're happening," Agenta suggested lightly, trying not to panic Ceata by telling him that the item he had held immense power.

 

The young male nodded, chewing his lip and doing as asked. He was out of his element right now, so he allowed the other to guide him. He was hopeful that this would shed some light on what was going on and why. He hoped at least. At this right, he feared something would go wrong.

 

Gently, Agenta placed his hands on Ceata's shoulders and leaned in close. Ceata blushed lightly as the other placed his forehead against the young Shadowshifter's and closed his eyes. The reaction was almost immediate, Ceata flush with this sensation of falling, of coldness wrapping around him in a soft blanket and chilling his skin. When he opened is eyes, he found flakes of snow fluttering against his lashes. Agenta also opened his eyes, but he kept a hand on Ceata's shoulders. They looked around, staring at the open expanse of the snow around them...the mountains. The mountains where Urius grew up. "My...such a vivid memory," Agenta gasps, knowing that most memories come back as filmy or faded. This is so crisp.

 

Ceata silently looked around, chest tight and brows knotted slightly as he looked about with interest. It felt so cold, just as Urius currently was.... so blood chillingly cold. He looked down at Agenta, frowning, waiting to see what this memory would bring with it.

 

It was then that Ceata heard giggles. He turned, almost losing Agenta's connection when he whipped around. A crop of curly hair came into view, ducking behind a snow bank. Another giggle and it popped up again. The sweetest young girl stared over the snow drifts and looked off into the distance, seeming to curl up in her fort of snow. She had long black hair in Jin curls and silver eyes hinted blue. She was a Jin alright...a cute Jin at that. Ceata then heard another child's voice calling over the drifts.

 

"Remalphia! .....Remalphia, where did you go?!" the little forlorn voice called as a youth came scrambling up the drift from the woods. Ceata's breath caught when he realized it was Rowan. That crop of golden hair showed easily against the snow, along with his blue coat lined with gold. He was looking so sad, staring around as he clung to his cloak. "Remalphia, come back out! This isn't funny!" 

 

So tiny... so very tiny. Ceata watched with wide eyed fascination as the young Rowan chased after the darling little Jin girl, calling for her as she hid, likely making a snow ball to pelt her little friend with. Ceata watched closely, holding onto Agenta's sleeve so that if he moved suddenly, he would not lose the connection.

 

"Master... Master, please, you've forgotten your mittens!" another young voice called from the woods. Ceata held his breath as he ran up to the sniffling Rowan. He had started to cry a little by now, desperately looking for Remalphia in the snow. Upon seeing Urius walking up over the drift, he quickly ran to him and flung his arms around him. Rowan must have been at least seven or six. He was much smaller. Urius was taller than him; he had his sternness even at such a young age...and long hair. It was very cute on him. "Master..." Urius said softly, seeing Rowan crying.

 

"S-she ran away....a-and I can't find her....I-I wanted to give you presents!" Rowan was just about to sob and Urius softly caressed his cheek, being sure to put on the boy's mittens. He then turned to the snow dunes, his eyes...such sharp steel grey eyes...glaring at the drift where the girl sat quietly.

 

"Remalphia, I will never forgive you if you make Prince Rowan cry." His words, so stern, had the Jin girl popping up from the snowy hiding spot with tears in her own eyes.

 

"N-no! No! Urius, don't hate me!" she cried, getting up out of her hiding place and trudging over, sniffling. "P-please...Urius must never hate me." Urius sighed and gave in, nodding. Rowan just sniffled and ran over to Remalphia, hugging her tightly. She didn't seem to care much for what he did, staring at Urius. Her eyes...so pure and bright. They were always fixed on Urius, even as Rowan looked at her with a hopeful green-gold gaze.

 

"I made you both something....Urius is wearing his, see?" Rowan said, wiping away his tears. Urius reached up with his gloved hand and tugged on the big locket Rowan had gotten for them. Rowan places one around Remalphia's neck, she squirming to get it over her hair. "It's for all of us...so we'll always be together."

 

"What does it say?" Remalphia asks, staring at the inscription that Ceata himself cannot decipher. For that, Rowan smiles broadly, a beautiful smile that is so warming. It's nothing like what Ceata sees now, that false smile filled with coldness.

 

"It means 'Our Eternal Promise'....Remember? We promised that we would be together no matter what..." Rowan hugged her then, she pouting as she looked up at Urius. She mouthed the words of the inscription and smiled, but her smile was never for Rowan. Only Urius. 

 

How odd, since it was Rowan that had married the girl. Watching them, Ceata felt a feeling of unease tug at his heartstrings, a bad feeling as he watched these little ones that would grow up, love and ultimately one of them would die. He shivered, continuing to watch intently.

 

"It seems the locket is very connected to this memory," Agenta says as he watches the scene fade, the three together in the snowy wonderland of their childhood. "Let me see if I can find another strong memory..." Agenta then closed his eyes as the world seemed to shift around Ceata, making it dark for a moment. When Ceata saw light again, it was the dim light of a lamp. They stood in a room with a large bed. Two figures huddled on the bed, enjoying the warmth of a summer night as it floated through the window. Ceata could see easily the two youths nestled together. This time Rowan was about twelve, growing into a youth, and handsome. His green-yellow eyes were closed and he slept soundly. Urius watched over him...just watching, his steel grey eyes warmed by the faint light of the lamp. Urius sighed and looked down at the locket in his hands, turning it over and over. He glanced at Rowan again....shy...sweet...A blush hinted his cheeks and he crawled a bit closer.

 

"....Rowan?" he whispered, testing the other's depth of sleep. "....Rowan, are you awake?" he whispered so softly. He reached over, hesitant, and caressed the other's cheek. Rowan slept soundly, his soft golden hair brushed delicately out of the way. Urius was staring at him, his silvery eyes so full of something Ceata had seen many times when he was younger. That caring...it was beautiful. Softly, Urius leaned down and kissed the other's forehead as he would a child. Moving away, he hesitated, leaned down, and brushed his lips against Rowan's for a loving kiss. The sight of the two made Ceata's heart ache as Urius moved away, staring down at Rowan still.

 

"...Our Eternal Promise..." he whispered softly, smiling. He then rolled over and got into bed, finding a comfortable spot to finally sleep. Ceata watched then as Rowan's frame seemed to shift and his head turned away...eyes open, smiling. He mouthed the words, the silence of the night sealing them together. It was far too bittersweet, knowing now what the two had become...but why? Would the locket show them that?

 

Ceata's heart hurt. What had happened that had caused this two to come apart as they had? He could see the love there, could taste it on the tip of his tongue and he ached that they were now so... twisted. He shivered, biting his lip. "More.... I need to see more, it's all coming together..."

 

"I will see if I can find something else...a lot of the memories are like this one. Gentle, sweet....wait! Wait, I think I've found something..." Agenta whispers, the air suddenly changing as the darkness comes and leaves. What appears then is chaotic and horrible. Rowan rushes into a similar room, covered in blood and screaming as he clings to a very startled Urius, tears rushing down his face.

 

"U-Urius! Urius, I...I did it again!" Rowan's voice was broken with sobs, he clinging as he fell to his knees. His blood-soaked shirt sagged against his pale skin, having been ripped at some point. His pants were also ripped, as though someone had tried to force their way in. "I-I killed! Urius, I did it again, I...I didn't know what happened.....M-my brother he...he touched me, he-held me down...the room was spinning...and...And then black..." Rowan's voice became thin whimpers and Urius, realizing the severity of the situation with fear in his eyes, grasped the other and held him close. Rowan sobbed, clinging to him. "I...I woke with it all over me...I....I did it again...I did it again!! Urius, Urius, help me! God, help me! I....I didn't mean to!"

 

Urius tried hard to calm Rowan's hysterics, looking to the open door as if to determine if someone was coming. "Shhh...shhh...It's alright...Rowan, I'm here. I'm not going to let you go. It's alright...You did nothing wrong. It's alright," Urius repeats again and again in a gentle voice. Ceata can see now that the two boys are about 14, much older looking and quite handsome. Rowan is sobbing like he still did when he was a child, utterly frightened by what he has done. Urius gives him comfort though and gets him up. Ceata can see him undressing the terrified Valen, ordering a bath and then the two slipping into it. There is only the hollow echo of water dripping in the bathroom as Urius washes Rowan. The water is pink with blood, Rowan's beautiful blond hair matted with it.

 

"...Urius.......Urius, I am becoming something terrible..." Rowan whispered against the other's hand, trying to nuzzle close as Urius cleaned his hair gently. Urius felt those smaller arms wrapping around him and he pulled close. Rowan rested his head against the other's chest, trying to find comfort. ".......I am a monster."

 

Ceata felt his lips tighten, eyes clouding with tears as he watched the both of them. Poor... poor child. Rowan had not always been what he was today, he had been little, he had been a sweet, frightened child in a bad situation. Here was proof of it. Ceata bit his lip, feeling blood trickling down his chin as he watched the both of them and more things began to connect.

 

]

 "...Rowan, you are NOT a monster," Urius said sternly as the other looked up at him. Rowan almost flinched at his voice, how sure and certain it was. "You are strong...you did what you had to. You, master, are also the kindest person I know." Urius' hand cupped the other's chin, staring into his eyes. "So long as you remember that, you can never be a monster." Rowan almost started crying again, but instead gently nuzzled against Urius' hands. "Now, come...we must clean you and let you sleep."

 

"Urius...you are so much stronger than me. I-if I was a better man, I would not depend on you so," Rowan whispered, letting the other gently wash his skin. Urius' eyes were loving and so sad as he helped the other wash and get dressed in his shift. Ceata saw Urius putting him to bed as he had done to Ceata so many times, kissing his forehead and waiting until he was certainly asleep. Then Urius stood and grasped his cloak.

 

Ceata saw the look in his eyes...that same cold look. Ceata shivered, watching as the scene quickly changed to one of the halls in House Valen. A witness was talking with some men, they standing over the bloodiest mess he had ever seen. A man had been split open, as though his rib cage concealed a bomb and it had exploded. Blood everywhere, organs, tissue...The sight was grisly and, apparently, this young servant had seen it.

 

It then showed as the servant was going back to his quarters, apparently a very important witness. He stopped though, feeling the darkness shift. Turning, steel grey eyes met his and he almost screamed. A flash of a sword, blood on a wall. Urius turned and left, as cold and callous as Ceata remembers seeing him. "I won't let you take Rowan from me..." he was heard whispering in the dark.”That is my eternal promise." 

 

 Shivering, Ceata wondered if he would be the one on that side of the sword... being cut down for taking Rowan away from Urius. He was not sure, but already it was not looking good for Rowan. If things progressed more, he would have to be killed. He closed his eyes a moment, trying to stop the shakes that were running through his body, making his teeth chatter.

 

"Do you not wish to go on, Ceata?" Agenta asked softly, feeling the other trembling. The scene faded to black and they were back in the calm darkness of Ceata's mind. Even so, there were scenes flickering everywhere...Scenes of Urius being kind, scenes of Urius being cold, scenes of Rowan in both forms....Such conflicting images, it was tearing Ceata apart.

 

"Yes...." Ceata replied softly, eyes flicking about, searching for something that called out to him, a wrongness that needed to be investigated. He had to know what was wrong with Rowan and Urius, he had to.

 

"Very well," Agenta says softly. He closed his eyes again and looked deeper, further. Suddenly there was a pattering of rain and Ceata found himself standing against a great marble pillar in Tenshihana. A warm summer rain was falling down, the landscape around them that of tall buildings. In the middle of this maze of stone and stained glass, Ceata found himself staring at considerably older youths. Urius was tall and handsome at the age of 17. He had cut his long hair, wore it in a style that Ceata was much more accustomed to. He dressed in those stern Starc uniforms, black and grey being the only palette he knew of. Beside him was a magnificent youth. If Rowan had glowed as a child, he was a beam of untainted light now. Golden hair brushed gently against lightly freckled cheeks. His green-golden eyes were so vivid, though darker than before. he stood in fine gold and blue, bright as compared to Urius' darkness. Together they stood, a tension in the air.

 

"I'm going to marry Remalphia..." Rowan said softly, the rain almost making it hard to hear. Urius flinched, but kept his face neutral. There was something he was fighting inside, that indifference remaining on his face.

 

"I see," he replied with sternness. Ceata was suddenly so reminded of himself as Rowan looked to Urius, begging him with his eyes. "Say something..." Rowan seemed to cry out. "Say you want me instead. Say you need me. Say you don't want me to leave you....Say you love me." Urius remained stoic. He was holding back so much, though, that was clear enough.

 

He was running away.

 

".......I no longer need you...as my Second," Rowan said at last, though the words seemed to pain him and he had to look away. Urius looked as if he had been hit with a sword to the heart, his mouth opening to speak. The rain continued to fall, darkening everything as thunder rolled behind them. Urius closed his mouth.....He would say nothing.

 

He was running away.

 

 "I....I wish you the best of luck, Sir." His voice didn't falter, he didn't break, but, slowly, the first hints of violet started to flicker in his eyes. Rowan merely shook his head as he laughed bitterly. He looked up at Urius, tears edging his green eyes.

 

"You damn coward...." Rowan shakes his head one last time before putting his hood up and walking away. Rain falls, but not from the sky. Rowan stalks away into the storm, rain clouds in his eyes. 

 

Fool. Urius was a fool then and a fool now. Ceata wanted to scream at him and demand why he would be such an idiot to deny Rowan the love that he was so eagerly seeking from his Second. Shivering, Ceata growled and fisted his hands in his clothing with a little frown. "Is there anything more to this?" He asked softly. "I want all of the most important memories...."

 

Agenta was getting fearful, looking to Ceata and his growing rage as Ceata watched Urius' figure. Those steel eyes, now tinted with violet, stared off at the figure disappearing in the rain. Ceata felt so helpless, knowing that Urius had done this before. He was such an idiot...running from his feelings as he did. Rowan paid for it, he paid for it...would Ceata too? "I'm sorry...there is a major block. This is all there is. A massive force is preventing me from seeing the rest...I suspect because there is more to this connected somewhere else...as if the memories were distorted and placed somewhere else. I'm sorry."

 

Ceata snarled and fisted his hands tightly in his robes. "Bastard..." he uttered weakly and nodded, looking down at the smaller male. "Thank you Agenta... I now know more and maybe I can make things better." He uttered weakly, brows knotted and an angry look making his eyes steely and his face harsh and frightening.

 

"Y-Yes..." Agenta said as he quickly broke the connection, not wishing to stay in the other's violent mind for much longer. At once, they were back in Death's room, the fire crackling pleasantly as Ceata fumed with it. Death blinked his lovely eyes, having seen everything as well. His acting as a connection had let him view what was happening at the same time.

 

The immortal frowned slightly and tipped up Ceata's chin gently, a frown on his lips. "Ceata....?" he whispered. Ceata refused to meet his eyes. "Why did you not tell me of this sooner?"  Ceata frowned and looked up. "I did not think it was really, my lord...."

 

"This is only a small fragment, though...I....I fear things could be much worse," Agenta cut in softly, looking to Ceata and Death with his blind eyes. He fiddled with his robes, nervously looking around as if Rowan would appear any moment. "I...had been afraid when I went into Rowan's employment. Even so...I fear worse Urius' influence."

 

Ceata frowned, shivering. "I agree with you..." he uttered softly. "But Rowan is currently the worse of the threats and we much watch him closely." Ceata replied and stroked his chin thoughtfully. He felt exhausted, he wanted to leave, he wanted to go sleep for a long, long time.

 

"W-what is it that you plan to do?" Agenta asks fretfully, staring up at Ceata with his blind eyes as he clings to Death slightly. He's exhausted from all that delicious sex and now going into Ceata's mind. It would all be so much better if he didn't feel this way. 

 

"I'm not sure.... but I am working on it." Ceata replied softly. "Death cannot act without people thinking him a murder, for Rowan has everyone convinced there is nothing wrong with him and I..... I don't know how to handle Urius yet."

 

Would you...really kill Rowan?" Agenta asks with horror in his voice, knowing that, even though Rowan is frightening, the man does not deserve to die. He deserves to be pitied, to be helped...Rowan has saved and fostered so many people. He has prevented terrible things from happening to those who were too helpless to save themselves. To kill him, despite all that, makes Agenta very sad.

 

"If it comes to that... I will." Ceata replied softly, glancing up at the other with a faint frown. He ran a hand through his hair, lashes lowering over his eyes as he stood and made his way toward the door. "I'm exhausted... I am sure you two are as well, so I will go to my room now and think further on these turns of events..."

 

"Please...don't do anything rash, Sir Ceata...even if he's done things wrong...Rowan is.......He's a wonderful person. He doesn't deserve to die," Agenta pleads, but Ceata says nothing further on the matter. He turns and walks away, heading back towards his room and leaving the poor blind seer to ponder if he made a right choice in what he's done. Agenta doesn't want to lose the man he used to call his master...still, he too wishes to know just what it is that lingers in the shadows, waiting to pounce.

 

Ceata returns to his room and goes exhaustedly to the shower to wash. He's stressed, there is so much he must do, so many things he must further investigate and he's just too exhausted to do them tonight. Sighing, he strips and slips into the steaming shower, leaning his head against the wall. It is cool and pleasant, easing his headache and making it easier for him to relax.

 

It was then that Ceata felt a presence in the bathroom with him. He stared a moment at the frosted glass, seeing his reflection somewhat dimmed by its texture. However, a figure soon materialized beside his reflection, a familiar dark and light contrast. "Good evening, Ceata..."

 

The bright mismatched eyes opened slowly and gazed upon the familiar figure with a sense of dread. Not again.... "Hello..." He replied softly, shifting further into the shower and away from the other, hoping to keep the frosted glass between him and the tall male standing outside it.

 

"You seem surprised...almost frightened, to see me again," the other's voice called to him. He sounded so much like Urius, looked like Urius....It was so disturbing, remembering that evening's events with that brand squarely between Urius' shoulders. What was this man? Who was he? Was he Urius? It seemed strange that Urius would sneak into his room with a wig on and contacts, crawl into his bed, and demand to be tormented. That was not Urius....that was something else.

 

"I am exhausted... I don't much want to see anyone..." He replied weakly. He plucked up the shampoo, the click of the bottle being opened sounding loud in the enclosed shower stall. "Who are you...? You certainly are not Urius." Ceata mused softly, glancing at the door to make sure he was still outside it.

 

"I am Urius...His better half, you could say," the other says as he walks up to the shower, placing his hand against it. "Won't you let me come in, Master? I want to see you...all of you." His words are warm, far from the coldness that Ceata has experienced lately. He's finding it hard to deny this person - this thing - as he stares through the glass at his blurred figure. He remembers the heat from before, the possessiveness...He wishes to have that again.

 

Shivering slightly, the young male nodded and cracked open the door. "Yes... just don't expect anything." He replied softly, frowning a little before turning his attention back to his shampooing. He is nervous, more so then before for now he knows that he is not dreaming and this male really is here so very close to him, a threat he is unsure of and one that comes in such a beguiling package.

 

There is the sound of clothes being discarded as that beautiful being steps easily into the shower behind Ceata. His presence leaves such a hollow fear in Ceata's chest, but he bites it down and continues to work his hands. Soft fingertips graze against his back, causing him to shudder. So cold...like ice, those hands are. "Such a beautiful body my Master has. It's intoxicating." 

 

"H-hey now..." Ceata squeaks softly, stilling in his washing to stall a shiver. "I know you like my body, but you're going to make my poor tired body even more exhausted if you start anything." He uttered softly. It was more a ploy to keep the other male from getting too close, fearful that he would be eaten alive again by that dark lust he had enjoyed before with this Urius-beast.

 

"Would that be so terrible a thing, to fall into my arms, exhausted, and sleep?" the other whispered against his ear. Ceata felt his heart twist with both sorrow and joy, looking over his shoulder to see the other's handsome face. That face he had seen just that night, but...was it really the same? The nose was the same, those eyes may have been a different color, but they were the same, and those lips...sinful, begging to be ravaged. They twisted into a smile when he finally got Ceata's attention. "You know you want to..."

Ceata frowns gently, nibbling at his bottom lip in agitation and frustration. How cruelly tempting this beast is, even now stirring desire in his belly with those flickering purple eyes upon him. "You're cruel." He replies softly, hair messed and thick with shampoo, body tensed at how closely pressed that familiar body is to his.

 

"How am I cruel? I'm offering you affection...that's more than Urius has ever given you, hmm?" the other chuckles as he softly caresses the other's soapy skin. He runs a hand down against such warm flesh, burning with the cold of his fingertips. He feels like a corpse and yet he's making such a fire in Ceata's heart flare with equal parts rage, possessiveness, and lust.

 

"Exciting an exhausted body, for shame." Ceata replied weakly, tipping his head forward into the shower to rinse the shampoo out of his pale, short hair. He shivers, those cold fingertips making his hot skin twitch and a tiny moan to escape from the young male.

 

"This body has plenty more to give and you know it..." the other replied with a smirk, kissing against a shoulder and running his hand lower. Ceata shuddered when this strange Urius creature caressed his manhood in such a way that made a bolt of pleasure run up and down his body. What was this? Even Urius didn't make that happen from just one touch...

 

Whatever it was, it was addicting. Much like Absinthe, Ceata was falling into the trap of a creature far more dangerous and cunning then he could imagine. The young shadowshifter moaned gently, a hand closing over the others as it touched him. "Ahhn... It will i-if you keep it up..." Ceata groaned, biting his bottom lip and closing his eyes. There was a strange, erotic difference between the hot water and those cold fingertips that had Ceata's gut clenching in arousal.

 

"I want it to...You must know...I can't get enough of you," the other whispered as his hand slipped down along the other's cocked and teased it into a hardened state. Ceata found himself holding his body up with one hand against the wall as this creature tormented him. Black hair brushed against the other's back, it falling in a wet wave against Ceata's shoulder. Smooth pale skin as cold as a corpse looked lovely against his own - oh, and how sweet and supple those lips on his shoulder. How Ceata longed to crush them in a bruising kiss. "My beautiful Master..."

 

The young shadowshifter panted, head hanging as he held himself up, leaning into the wall as those hands toyed with his length. "G-gods...." He husked, whole body throbbing in want, feeling as if he were burning from the inside out as arousal twisted his gut and tortured him. "Nhhnnnnmmm.... Urius..." He gasped, closing his eyes and shivering in delight.

 

The other hesitated a moment, his ceasing of his actions causing Ceata to turn and looking at him questioningly. Those eyes....those eyes are burning so viciously. Ceata almost feels that fear grip him again as he trembles against the other. Such viciousness...It reminds Ceata of how Urius' eyes looked when he cut off his brother's leg or when he was holding Absinthe down, slowly cutting off his air. "Let me get one thing clear, my Master....I am NOT Urius."

 

Ceata flushed and cowered a little. "Then give me a name to call you." he replied hoarsely, feeling snappish. "You have the appearance of him, it is hard not to call you by his name."  Perhaps a name would help him put together just what this thing was. He dearly hoped so.

 

"Very well...if that is what my Master wants," the other purred back in turn, caressing his cock once more and making Ceata shiver again. He licked at the other's neck and savored his skin before finally answering in that deep black-silk voice. "Sorrow....you may call me Sorrow."

 

Sorrow, how ironic. Ceata moaned softly, whispering the new name on his tongue and found it suited the situation and the beast that was toying with his throbbing cock. He shivered, turning enough to give those lush lips a slight nibble, his skin quivering. "Ahhnn.... Sorrow... how fitting..."

 

"Isn't it? I thought you might like that name best..." he replies with a heated whisper, though his hands are so cold. Ceata shudders again, finding that the other's fingers have reached back and caress his puckered nub. Oh, the idea...the idea of having this creature inside him is so frightening and yet so alluring. Ceata can't get his mind to quit spinning enough to think about what he might be doing. 

 

"Che-cheeky bastard...." Ceata moans weakly, arching into the cold wall even as cold fingers caress and tempt his sensitive entrance and his hard cock. The very thought of having this one inside him is frightening and utterly arousing all at once. The fear mixes with the lust and makes it a far more potent mixture. "W-what are you doing....? Ahhnnn.....!"

 

"Making love to you, Master....I know it is what you desire," the other returns as his lips caress against the other's shoulder, nipping there and leaving a bit of a mark. Ceata whimpers, his cock being continually caressed in such a manner that makes it hard to protest. This man...this monster...He knows just where to touch to make the young Shadowshifter melt. "After seeing Urius held down like that, beaten and in pain, straining to win, straining to live...don't you want to feel the same? You desire possession of such a kind that, no matter your position, you hold your lover firmly in your grasp." He nips Ceata's ear. "I will give you that....so, own me with your body. Make me ache to have you. Own me with your beauty, Master..."

 

The others words are so erotic that Ceata simply gives in, arching up into the other with a strangled gasp. His hands slide against Sorrow's thighs, clawing them slightly as he reacts to the wonderful feeling of that big body touching him, owning Ceata at the same time as Ceata owns this other creature's passion. For how long? Ceata is not certain, but he will try to keep this one addicted to him for as long as possible. "Ahhh.... Y-yesss..... yes, touch me, Sorrow..." He husks, glancing lustily over his shoulder, flushed and wanting.

 

"So lovely...My master..." the other breathes as he steals a kiss, his finger slipping into that wet hole and caressing the tightness therein. It makes Ceata whimper into the kiss, finding that cold finger exploring his most intimate and vulnerable place. Only those he cares for are allowed the pleasure of being in there...but....does he really care for Sorrow? it's hard to tell...yet, still, the passion continues to urge him forward. With gentle strokes against his cock and those fingers moving inside him, Ceata is bombarded with sensation and sorrow and joy and everything. He has never been so conflicted during sex before. 

 

His claws dig more into the others thighs, sinking in enough to draw blood as a finger dips into him, working at his insides till Ceata is trembling and making soft, wordless cries into the neck of the larger male. His torso twists up, panting breath leaving him in small explosions. "G-gods.... you're so c-cold..." He whimpers, rubbing back into the attention desperately.

 

"Then melt me with your heat," he offers back with a heated kiss to the other's neck, his teeth digging into that soft pale flesh as he slips in the last finger to prepare the other for the onslaught. Ceata's head is spinning, unable to believe what he's doing. Isn't he betraying Urius? But...isn't this Urius? Who is this? What is he doing? He can hardly question it any further, merely drowning in the sensation of those frigid fingers working him into a state of need. Soon, he is so hot that the cold touch burns his skin, almost sizzling as the steam from the shower floats around them and hazes everything.

 

It is all far too confusing for his tired mind. He can merely enjoy the cool touch burning over his heated skin, hips moving back eagerly, offering himself needily to the other male. This Urius-Sorrow thing that torments him so well has Ceata baffled and needy to a point where he could care less as long as those hands and lips keep trailing their sensations over his hot flesh.

 

After a while, Ceata could feel the other's fingertips finally slipping out from him. His anus throbbed from the touch, the cold having made the warm flesh tingle. "Turn around, Master..." Sorrow orders gently, getting the other to lean back against the tiled wall, his buttocks jutting outward, his hands steadying him. Ceata was just the right size that they could have sex whilst standing, pleasing Sorrow greatly as he gently caresses the other's ass cheek, giving it a bit of a pet. "Are you ready?"

 

"Yes..." Ceata hissed softly, peering over his shoulder, eyes feral and wanting. He feels the fool for allowing the others touches to so easily sway him, but they burn so deliciously and he's too tired and aroused to even think of fighting the other off. Perhaps that is what Sorrow was hoping for, since he always seemed to come when Ceata was feeling the most exhausted and least likely to fight back.

 

The other smirks and doesn't hesitate to slip his long hard and yet cold cock deep inside Ceata's body. It feels just like Urius' size, that snug fit making Ceata moan as it always does. Still, there is something so different about it. Perhaps it's because it's cold...perhaps it's because of the way Sorrow toys with him so...Either way, this man just can't be Urius. He's far too deliciously cruel. "You feel so hot inside...like there's a fire in you, Master," Sorrow whispers gently, kissing Ceata's neck as he slips in all the way, nearly going to the hilt.

 

Ceata moans, enjoying it nonetheless. It is not the same as with Urius, but there is still something about it that makes it good, good enough to become addicted to. Panting softly, Ceata strained, arching his back and angling so that when the other began to move, he would strike all the right spots. "And... and you're ice c-cold..." Ceata moaned. "You b-better warm up and press c-closer."

 

"As you wish, my master," he replies with a breathy tone, slipping inside and then out again as his thick cock pleasures that tight anus. He adores the fact that Ceata is nuzzling into him, arching like a graceful dancer as all those pale muscles bunch and ripple delightfully. As requested, he leans in close and presses the full of his cold body against the other, using the wall for added stability and leverage, he drives himself harder and harder until Ceata's teeth chatter from each stroke.

 

The shadowshifter gave a strangled cry, arching his spine and pressing back so that their hips slapped together wetly. He could feel the others swollen piece as it slammed home and the feel of it inside him made his head spine and his heart throb and patter. "Ohh... oh god, deeper!”

 

"Any deeper, master, and I might just split you in twain," he chuckles as he grips the other's hip with one hand and pulls him back hard. Ceata almost feels himself splitting, indeed, when the other shoves in almost to his balls and bumps against Ceata's prostate with a particular amount of force. That combined with Sorrow toying with his cock really does make for quite a sensation - a raw desirous feeling that Ceata cannot get enough of...

 

He moans and growls happily, his hand reaching back and hooking claws into the others buttocks, forcing him in deeper eagerly. He must splay out his legs to take Sorrow so deep, he can feel that cock throbbing deep inside him, splitting him open deliciously. "Ooohhhhhfuckyessss...." Ceata pants, nuzzling the cool tile wall like a whore in heat.

 

"So tight...so hot...You're wonderful, Master. There is no other like you," Sorrow whispers into the other's ear, milking his cock in one hand as he continues to thrust inside in hard and fast and deep. Ceata seems to love it, pressing more against this vicious creature as he digs his nails into Ceata's tender thigh. Blood turns the water trickling down Ceata's legs a bit pink, deep wounds searing with pain from the hot water assaulting them.

 

The shadowshifter gasped raggedly, his claws digging into Sorrow's ass, bloodying him as they strained together. Ceata pressed his cheek to the wall, panting and twisting as he enjoys just how vigorous this Sorrow is. He is very good, a bit violent at times, but he does seem to fill that aching void for the sort time he makes use of Ceata's twisting body.

 

It's soon that the two of them are coming to the end of their pleasure together, for Ceata can only manage to hold out so long when he's this exhausted. Sorrow seems nonplussed by all of this pleasure, barely affected by anything save the other's nails digging into his skin. He moans when Ceata clenches harder, loving the sensation of bleeding and being in pain. Ceata is quick to realize that the only pleasure the other gains is when he's in agony. "Master...you can't hold out much longer. I can feel you tightening around me...it's so delicious."

 

Ceata shivered, biting his lip and arching as that last thrust in set him over the edge and his claws sunk into the flesh of the others thigh all the way to the bone. He could not stop himself, the pleasure was agonizingly good and he shook, whimpering and making small, pleased noises as he twitched against the wall.

 

However, before the other could spill his seed, he found himself being gripped very harshly by the one behind him. It sent a jolt of pain through him and Ceata almost snarled from the rage of being denied his orgasm. However, there was something intensely wrong, he turning to find those violet eyes flickering slightly, as though they were trying to revert back to their original color. "It seems...my time with you is up. Such a pity. I would have enjoyed impregnating you," the other says softly as Ceata feels himself slipping forward, as though being dropped into the darkness that then surrounds him. His last conscious thought is about those eyes - he thinks they might be much prettier if they were grey.

 

How cruel. He shivers, slumping and sliding down the wall into a limp puddle in the bottom of the shower, passed out and with only a feeling of wrongness and fear echoing along his nerves.

 

Ceata will wake hours later in the shower, exhausted with aching ass and cock, but he will be fine. The only thing that will linger is the memory and the doubt as to whether or not it was real. For now, he will remain where he is, pressed up against the tiles in his lonely bathroom. His despair growing...eating away at him...For the time being, Sorrow has bigger things to contend with. Urius wakes with a shuddering gasp, pain working up and down his arm where his finger is broken. When he realizes he had another one of those nightmares, he sighs and falls back into his bed. So much pain...He never thought he would hurt this much. At least Rowan afforded him a nice comfortable bed. Though it is not likely he will be able to work for a while. 

 

 

At least that much comfort is given him. Ceata wakes when the water goes cold, hissing and gasping in shock at the icy spray. He aches all over from laying on the cold tiles, but it is his ass and member that hurt the most and he groans, crawling out of the shower and slumping limply on the floor. It is completely dark outside, possibly late in the evening and he is all alone. He grumbles, sitting up and feeling his back pop. "Fuck... ugghh...."

 

Urius winces as he tries to get up and out of the bed, his buttocks hurting a great deal. He turns slightly in his night shift, looking down to see blood stains from that general region. What the hell? Quickly racing to the bathroom, pulling down his pants with one hand and then lifting up his shirt, he sees deep claw marks on his steely ass - utterly confused and quite a bit frightened. He KNOWS Rowan didn't cause those. "What is this...?"

 

Rolling over onto his back, Ceata grumbles angrily. "Why the fuck did he stop me cumming!? Son of a bitch..." He growls and touches his sore shaft with a wince and a soft snarl. How annoying, Sorrow was going to get his ass kicked next Ceata saw him. Well... if he saw him. He still wasn't sure if he was dreaming or if it really was real. Groaning softly, he lifted himself up and stumbled shakily into the bedroom. Well, it bloody well felt real!

 

Urius winced as he tried to touch the gaping wounds, looking down at them in horror as though he had somehow been bitten on the buttocks by some wretched animal in his sleep. Yet...no animal could make these marks. Not wishing to comprehend it more, he tried to go over to the medicine cabinet and clean himself up, though it was painful even to try to open the cabinet with his bandaged hand with the broken finger. He was in such pain..."Damn it...somehow I wish Ceata was here...at least then he could help bandage me," Urius grumbled as he tried to get out the box as well as keep his pants somewhat up.

 

Ceata clambers into bed, grumbling and whining to himself about the unfairness of life. Of course life is never fair, but to deny one so base a thing as orgasm!? How utterly abhorrent! He sighs, staring out the window with brows knotted and a frown tugging his full lips down. He does not like the feeling in his breast. Such unease is not a nice thing to feel.

 

The unease persists all through that night and into the next as the day is relatively quiet for both Ceata and Urius. Though Ceata is most certainly bowlegged and more than miffed about his encounter with Sorrow, there are bigger problems to deal with....such as Jinevae's muffins.

 

"A-Are they too sweet? Are they just right? I don't know...I don't know...Absinthe-sama is not feeling well, so....so I want things to be perfect...should I make chocolate chip instead?" Jinevae frets, having glommed onto Ceata as soon as he went into the kitchens to grab some lunch. As usual, when the Jin soldier is not working, he's baking.

 

"They are utterly perfect, Jinevae darling." Ceata drawled and gnawed at the others chin in an attempt to make him release his grip on his smaller frame. He adored the big sweetheart, but he could be horribly clingy when Ceata was trying to make his damn sandwich. It was nice though, having something so simple and... homely to distract him. "I'm very sure that Absinthe will orgasm from how delicious your muffins are, Jinevae, they are perfect."

 

"Well...I don't know...he told me he was rather spent from last night....and all achy...." Jinevae says as he looks very sad. "I........I know that he has other lovers, but...it's cruel to hurt him that much. He won't tell me who did it though. I guess he must love that person a lot more than me." Jinevae looks sad as his lower lip twitches as he goes back to looking over his muffins for comfort. He's jealous, obviously, but he's trying not to be. Jinevae is such a good person. He would never bring up his worries to Absinthe, though.

 

Ceata frowned. "Oh? Well, he does seem to be a little masochistic of late..." he murmured softly, frowning. Absinthe may be his uncle, but he was still a year younger then Ceata and Ceata was certainly a lot wiser then the youth. Absinthe had his moments, but lately he had changed. More quiet, more violent when he became impatient or angry. It worried him. "Why is he so achy?"

 

"Because...he was making love with someone else last night and...well...I think that was it," Jinevae says as he looks even more morose than before, sadly staring down at his muffins and wishing he could cry. His beloved Absinthe-sama going to someone else for affection when he's waiting for him to show up for dinner! Oh, how his heart aches...

 

Ceata smiled sweetly and patted Jinevae gently on the shoulder. "Awww... don't be so sad sweetie." He frowned and caressed the others hair. "Absinthe... may not have wanted to miss dinner with you, he's got lots of things to do and he gets forgetful sometimes. It was probably an accident."

 

"I...I hope so...that's why I'm going to give him these muffins...to show that there's no hard feelings. Even so, I feel kind of jealous. Am I a horrible person?" Jinevae asks, fretting over every little thing. For such a huge guy, he has a fragile heart.

 

Ceata chuckled and shook his head, cupping the others cheeks tenderly. "You are too sweet for this world sometimes... You are not a horrible person at all Jinevae, everyone gets jealous over a person they love." He knew he was horribly jealous of Rowan and that he wanted to do terrible things to the man.

 

"But...isn't that not love if you try and tie someone down? If...If the one you love loves someone else, you shouldn't try to hold them back. That's not love, that's...well...that's cruel," Jinevae says as he looks to Ceata. The other feels a bit struck by those words, biting his lip as he considers them. Yes, indeed...preventing Urius from loving Rowan is very cruel. To deny someone the person they love - that's a terrible crime - and yet...what if the person themselves denied that love? Urius did it all those years ago, according to

 

"Only if you act on that Jealousy and lock the one you love away." He replies slowly. "You're not doing that, so you're not being cruel or bad, Jinevae.... love is horrible complicated, isn't it?" Ceata mused and sighed softly.

 

"Yes..." Jinevae says sadly as he looks to Ceata, trying to smile. "But...at least I know he cares about me. I'm happy just to be with him - really, I could not ask for more." Such selflessness makes Ceata ache, as he knows he could never be that way. If his lover does not live for him, he will be unhappy...and yet...isn't that very cruel, considering he has so many lovers? All of his other lovers have no one else they deem worthy of their affections - in fact, they seem created solely to serve Ceata's love. Urius seems the only one to actually not need him and perhaps that scares the little prima donna intensely.

 

Ceata cannot help but be afraid. He hates it; he should be able to let Urius love whomever else he wants, but what if he is stolen completely from him? It makes him nervous and angry and neither are very pleasing emotions. "Yes... it is, isn't it?" he replies softly and smiles.

 

"Oh! By the way, we are thinking of getting some scouts for the army so we can kind of send people out and see if there are any approaching invaders...um...I think it was Rowan that wanted to ask me if you were interested," Jinevae says as he puts his special muffins in a tin all baked and pretty for his beloved Absinthe. 

 

"Oh....?" Ceata mused softly. He was not so sure if he wanted to, but it sounded interesting. Was it a wise choice though? He was not able to trust Rowan anymore, not after what had happened. He frowned and looked thoughtfully at his hands. "Actually... that may be interesting. I have not gone scouting in a long while.... at least not seriously."

 

"Well, if you wish to get some more information, I suggest you ask Stannis. He is being made head of the scouting teams because of his previous experiences in the Northern Civil Wars back when he and Urius were younger. He's going to be in charge of training everyone in the Tenshihana style," Jinevae says with a gentle smile whilst putting away his apron and cleaning up around the kitchens.

 

"Lovely, have a good day Jinevae." He smiled gently, his expression gentle and sweet. He sighed, returning to the making of his sandwich. It looked less appealing now, but he ate it anyway and then wandered off to go find out more information on the scouting before even thinking of going.

 

Stannis is easily found, for he cannot wander far under Kite's hawk eyes. He sits in the gardens with a blanket wrapped around him, sipping tea casually as he looks over various maps and documents. His leg will probably never heal properly, for it aches when he walks, but it is better than having no leg at all.

 

Ceata plops down next to him, cocking his head and peering at the other male with a faint frown on his face. "Good day Stannis... I was curious about the scouting mission you were going to be heading. Rowan thought I might be interested." he mused softly, peering at the other.

 

"Ah, yes...I do believe he put you on my list of possible recruits," Stannis says as he looks up to the other with those stern grey eyes. He looks so much like Urius. An older version, perhaps. He has a bit of stubble on his face, though his hair style is relatively the same. There is there an exacting, cold, and calculated manner that Urius always has...but Ceata has actually seen Stannis burst forth in fits of jealous rage - once when a serving man got too close to his wife and another time when Echo made a careless comment and damn near lost his life. Stannis has so much more passion hiding under that calm facade.

 

"Can you tell me about it? I'd like to know more before traipsing off and possibly jeopardizing my hide." He chuckled faintly, peering at the other male thoughtfully. He wished Urius would show more passion, but alas, the man is very, very good at hiding his emotions most of the time.

 

 

"About the scouting itself or where we shall be scouting? After all, I was under the impression that you've done this sort of work before - was I misinformed?" Stannis asks as he looks to the other and pulls his blanket about him. Ceata can see the cane leaning against his chair, something Stannis must use to steady himself because his leg is still rather badly injured.

 

"The area." He replied. "I've gone on plenty of scouting missions with my grandmother, so I know what I am doing, but I am not sure what sort of territory we will be in." He replied softly, glancing down at the other male's leg. It looked like it hurt.

 

"We'll be dealing mostly with the Northern Gate that borders a rather large Demon settlement and the Gate that stands next to the Sombs. We need extra scouts in order to place a wider net to alert us to approaching armies. The terrain really depends on whether you would go to the Northern Gate or the Eastern Gate."

 

"Ahh.... interesting." He mused slightly and nodded. "Sign me up. I've taken care of my duties I needed to, so I have free time to help with this." He smiles slightly, not sure if it is the wisest idea, but he does wish to help the cause.

 

"It's not a matter of helping for now...I need to count on you throughout the duration of the war. We aren't getting many new recruits since the Angelic government just issued a proclamation that anyone who follows Lord Rowan will be killed and their families placed in prison. I would need you on the force permanently," Stannis says as he looks to the other with those stern grey eyes. His face is so like Urius'...Ceata wonders if Urius will look like that when he's older.

 

"I believe I can do that." Ceata replies slowly, frowning. "Tell me more on it and I'll think on it." he did not want to make a rash choice, especially with Rowan running about in his home. He smiled faintly. "I will have to know so I can make sure I can do it."

 

 

 "Again, it depends, where would you feel better working - in the deep snows of the North or in the burning deserts of the East?" Stannis asks simply as he watches the other take a seat across from him. He moves his papers out of the way and calls a servant to bring in some more tea.

 

"Well....probably the snow. I would be able to move around less visibly on a plain like that." Ceata smiled ruefully. "It'll be bloody cold, but cold doesn't really bother me as much as it did when I was little."

 

"I see...then you'll be directly under my command. The terrain will be brutal. You will be asked to sit at your post for several days at a time under the snow, not moving. This will require immense endurance. Thus far, only the Starcs have signed up for this post because it is what they are most accustomed to. It will be nice to have someone of a different back ground beyond Ice Demon on our team," Stannis smiles, the tea arriving shortly and Ceata being handed a nice steaming cup.

 

"It would be a lot like what Exodus was doing a few years back... he took me with him, it was some mountainous area with deep snow and all sorts of other difficulties. I made it back alive then, I am sure I'll do it again." Ceata chuckled. "Exodus has the highest endurance I have ever seen... you should ask him if he wants to do some of this stuff as well, though he may be busy with other matters..."

 

"I believe my younger brother has already asked him to join some of the fighting forces...Roland is in need of powerful warriors aside from Rei that can effectively stave off any possible invasions. We've also asked Lazarus, but he's far too busy...and pregnant...to fight at the time. We might just end up asking your fathers, you know," Stannis says with a gentle smile, sipping his tea. 

 

"My fathers are very skilled." Ceata replies thoughtfully. "I'd even suggest my mother if you're looking for someone who can tear through troops. He's vicious." Ceata shuddered faintly. "But he may not be allowed to fight. My fathers are extremely protective of him." He smiled faintly at Stannis. "Everything is very, very complicated right now, isn't it?" He laughed. "So many things going on."

 

"Yes, but it's nothing we haven't encountered before...Rowan's underground army has existed now for thousands of years. We've had hands in things before, mostly stopping genocide in certain parts of both the Demonic and Angelic realms, but we're fairly used to the sort of tactics that Prince Feyorn and the Lords of Hell will throw at us. It's all a matter of preparation. Once we're settled, it won't seem so chaotic."

 

"Indeed...." Ceata mused and chuckled softly. To think that such a war would be happening in his lifetime. It was utterly amazing. He glanced at Stannis and then down at his leg. "Will you be able to move about in the cold? Your leg must still be stiff and painful... or are you going to stay here and run the operation from the castle?"

 

"No...Urius will be running the operation for me. I may appear at times to supervise, but until my injury is entirely healed, I will not be able to appear in battle," Stannis replies most sadly as he looks down at his leg. What he isn't saying, however, is that there is a good chance his leg will not heal entirely at all.

 

Ceata's lips thin at the mention of Urius leading the operation. It almost seems like a stab at Ceata, which it probably is, but he will go through with it damnit. "I see... well lucky you, getting to stay here and rest." Ceata chuckled and patted the other on the shoulder. "Well then, sign me up for the Northern area."

 

"Very well, then...I will look forward to your service. I suggest, for now, you go to the training rooms we have set up in the compound and see if you can find yourself some gear. That is, unless, you have snow gear of your own that you wish to use," Stannis suggests as he writes down something on a paper with his quill.

 

"I don't think I have any new stuff. So I'll go run by there." Ceata smiled, getting up. "Anything you suggest before I go?" He asks curiously, raising a brow and peering down at the other with mismatched eyes.

 

"Yes...could you check on Urius for me? I haven't seen him in a while...and, if you happen to see Varun, would you send him my way as well? He needs to take some lessons from me," Stannis says at length, looking up at the other with his steely grey eyes.

 

"Of course." Ceata smiles slightly and turns, walking off to go take care of what he has been asked to do by the other man. Seeing Urius is not really something he wants to do, but he will do it if only for Stannis. He sighs softly, running a hand through snowy white hair and hurries along so he can get these things taken care of as soon as possible. Urius first.

 

It was the matter of finding Urius that was such a problem. Ceata went looking in all of the usual spots, finding that there was simply no Urius anywhere. He was not in his office, not in the training area, and not clinging to Rowan's side desperately in the war room. Just walking up to the door and peeking in gave Ceata the heebe-jeebies when he saw Rowan's figure standing beside Death, the two talking over battle strategies. Still, no Urius. It left the poor Shadowshifter very bemused, wondering if he was ever going to get this task done. 

 

He sighed in annoyance. Urius was never easy to find now a days and the young male kept looking, stopping to tell Varun that he was wanted for his lessons before moving on again in his search to make sure that Urius was ok. He hoped he was, Ceata did not want to find him bloody and wounded right now, not when he was feeling so strangely about what had happened the night before...

 

It was only when Ceata ran into Jinaven that he got a possible lead. "Oi, I think 'es up in 'is room...Try that there Starc compound. One o' them rooms should be his," Jinaven offers as advice, smiling to Ceata who he considers pretty nearly a part of the family. All of the Shadowshifters are well received by the Jins. It would be helpful if the rest of the Angels would be the same. 

 

Ceata smiled and nodded, thanking him before going out and toward the compound. He gathers his robes about him, frowning slightly as he nears the compound. He is always nervous when he goes through here, especially recently. He does not really like the way some of the Starcs look at him. It is not as bad as elsewhere, but sometimes he gets stares he does not like.

 

"Lord Urius' room? You're not authorized to be there at this point," one of the Starc soldiers replied to Ceata's inquiries with a stern face. It made Ceata almost want to flip, wishing to howl at this person that Lord Urius was his MATE. He had every bit of authorization to see him. Then again, there were other ways to get into a room without needing someone's permission.

 

"I see... Lord Stannis told me to check up on him, but if you insist, I will simply inform Stannis that I was not allowed." Ceata replied just as coldly, staring the young soldier down viciously. Ceata had peered over and found which room Urius was in, so it was simply a matter of shifting to it if this Starc angel kept giving him trouble.

 

"See to it that you do," the Angel guard returns. "My orders are direct from Lord Rowan." With that, Ceata only felt like disobeying more and gently bowed to the man before turning from the door and into an alley between the compound buildings. He then concentrated on the room he wished to go to, knowing he would find Urius there as the other's presence was so strong in that area.

 

Smirking, he shifted. Rowan was NOT going to disallow him anything. This was his home, this lands his by birthright and Rowan was not going to tell him he couldn't see Urius. Rowan be damned, Ceata was going to do what he desired to do, even if it made him horribly nervous.

 

As Ceata found his eyes adjusting to the dim light, he looked around the lonely room that seemed more a cell if anything. From the shadows, he could see the one window covered up by thick wool curtains, keeping anyone from looking in. A desk sat in one corner, covered with neatly folded parchment, ink, quill, and so forth. A low table sat nearest the window, untouched food on it. There was an adjoining bathroom and a small bookshelf. And then there was a bed to Ceata's left. Upon it, lay the sleeping form of the one Ceata loved.

 

Ceata smiled slightly upon seeing him. Silently he glided over on light feet and sat beside Urius so carefully he did not wake. He leaned down, caressing his cheek with pale fingertips, a sad sigh leaving him. "Urius... Urius... wake up please." He crooned softly, gently. "I need to make sure you're doing alright."

 

Urius didn't wake, for it was the first sleep he had in quite a while. He was hurting desperately from various mysterious cuts that kept popping up and Rowan's general abuse. Still, he sat in his room doing his research. It was all that kept him going....that and the dim shadow against his chest where a locket had been, the faint thought that perhaps, somewhere, Ceata was thinking of him. 

 

Sighing, Ceata sat with him a while and caressed his hair. Such fine, dark hair, how Ceata adored running his fingers through it and enjoyed the feel of that silken mass against his skin. Urius looked so peaceful, it made Ceata's heart ache knowing that he was out of his grasp for now. "I love you Urius..."

 

Urius stirred lightly, his eyes fluttering a bit before opening. Ceata looked down into them, seeing tinges of purple that weren't there before - great big flecks in the steely grey. It took a moment for Urius to realize who was leaning over him, his eyes widening as he almost jumped up with a start. Various wounds stopped him from going too far, however, and he winced. "C-Ceata...!"

 

Ceata caught him and hushed him. "Calm down, I just came to make sure you were alright." He murmured softly, frowning as he gazed down at those grey eyes, now so much more purple flecks within them. He shivered, hands tightening a little on the others arms. "Are you doing alright? You look so sleepy..."

 

"C-ceata....c-ceata, are you real? I'm...not dreaming, am I?" he gasps, staring up at the other with such tired frantic eyes. His hand reached forth and caressed Ceata's cheek, testing the softness to see if it was real. Then again, these dreams he's been having lately - these nightmares - have a similar air of reality to them. Still, the look in the other's eyes and the warmth of his skin...Surely, this can't be another one of his delusions.

 

"Yes, I'm real..." Ceata frowned and tipped up his chin, gently nuzzling into him to calm his mate, feeling how frantic the other was at the moment. "Hush love... I am real and I am here. No need to panic." He smiled adoringly and cuddled up to Urius, careful of his wounds as he was always.

 

Urius seemed to calm down from that, his eyes holding less of an edge as he settled into the sheets. Ceata could feel from his close proximity just where it hurt on his mate. His legs, his chest, his back, his arms...Everything hurt. Ceata was surprised he didn't feel this sooner, but, then again, he had somewhat broken ties with Urius for the meantime and not having sex with him for a while didn't refresh their bond at all. "How did you get in here? It's a restricted area."

 

"I shifted of course." Ceata replied and shoved the other over onto his tummy, straddling him. "I'm going to massage your back, you're knotted everywhere and it's making me hurt too and you know I get pissy when I ache." He chuckled wryly. "How have you been Urius...?" He asked gently, working on the muscles tenderly, watching out for the wounds on the others back.

 

Even with Ceata being careful, Urius winced and grit his teeth. There was just so much broken skin, Ceata couldn't avoid hitting something that was in pain beneath the bandages. "...Perhaps I should ask more how you are doing. I...haven't seen you since my fight with Absinthe," Urius said softly, seeming a bit delicate with that subject. It was understandable, as Urius had gone mad in that moment and nearly killed the young Godling. Ceata had seen it all, too...

 

"I have... been having strange dreams." He murmured slowly. "But utter then that, things have been ok... I plan on going scouting in the North." He murmured, tenderly working on Urius' wounded back, making the muscles relax as best he could. Poor bastard, his back was knotted so tight that he'd have to make him hurt to make it feel better.

 

"Uhng! ..The....the north....My post?" Urius asks as he shudders in pain, gritting his teeth to keep from swearing as it hurts so much. Ceata doesn't stop though, still working his hands to get those knots out of his poor scarred muscles. Urius felt a great deal of pain at first, but it eventually ebbs away and he's able to relax. 

 

"Yes, I will be able to move around better in the snow." Ceata smiled faintly. "You know, white skin, white hair. I am like a living snow man." he laughed softly, lashes lowered over his eyes as he felt those muscles start to relax under his warm hands. "So I will be under your command while I am serving I suppose." He sighed. "I wish Rowan would not run you so ragged."

 

 

Urius doesn't comment on the last sentence, merely staring forward as he winces now and then. Ceata has never had a lover more beaten up than Urius. Inside and out, the man carries scars most people wouldn't be able to live with. Either it is a strong will that binds him to life or a terrible guilt. "The command post isn't totally under my direction. I am the head commander, but there are captains as well and you won't just be taking orders from me," Urius says between gasps of pain.

 

"Good, I'd hate you to take your revenge." He chortled wryly, smiling tenderly as he worked on the others back. He sighed, stopping a moment to just stare down at the others back with a little frown on his face. "We all know how horribly demanding I am. I'd hate to be ordered about by my lover." He leaned down and kissed between the others shoulder blades where he had kissed Urius many a time in the past.

 

Urius winced, shuddering in pain. "G-gah!" he gasped out, Ceata surprised as he had not thought the other so delicate. It's only then that he lifts up the Angel's shirt and stares there at the brand he saw before. It makes his heart skip a beat, seeing his possessive mark there on that formerly flawless skin. Urius grunts, trying to get up. "W-what are you doing?"

 

"Why is my family crest between your shoulder blades?" Ceata asks softly, staring at the red, angry burn marks with a tight frown on his face. He can hear his heart hammer, can feel it slamming against his ribs and making the sounds from the outside world fade till it's steady drumming is all he can hear.

 

"W-what are you talking about?" he asks with a wince, trying to pull himself up so he can get the other to stop pulling up his shirt. He's rather cold at the moment and the air over his back isn't helping matters much. What's more, he feels pain when the air brushes against his many wounds.

 

"M-my family crest is on your back..." Ceata uttered, staring in shock. "L-like the one I put on you in my d-dream..." So it was real, it was not a dream and there was something stranger then he had first thought was going on. He was frightened and he shivered, biting his lip.

 

"W-What-?" Urius gasps, trying to get up and see around him somehow, though Ceata is holding him down quite firmly. "You must be joking...perhaps...you're imagining things..." Urius says with a bit of a stammer, trying not to sound too panicked. He doesn't wish to believe that his nightmares are real. That is the last thing he wants to worry about right now.

 

Ceata bit his lip, wanting to refuse the fact that the crest was on Urius' back, wanting to refuse that Urius had something frightening living inside him. "I am not joking Urius." He replied hoarsely. "Fuck, I-I thought I was dreaming.... I must be dreaming...."

 

"You must be...because I refuse to believe such words. If you're going to continue touting such nonsense, Ceata, you can leave," Urius says sternly, though there is a wavering to his voice. Though he hides it well, Ceata can clearly see that Urius is just as frightened by what has been happening. Obviously Ceata has not been the only one aware of these "nightmares." Urius' back proves that much.

 

Ceata sighed and leaned down, hugging Urius gingerly. "I'm sorry... I must be seeing things, I'm so stressed Urius..." he uttered weakly against the others ear, breath fanning against it gently. "Please don't kick me out."

 

Urius was quiet for a long moment and then sighed, partially out of relief and partially out of exhaustion. He couldn't fight that sweet pleading in the least, allowing Ceata to cuddle close against him as he lay there recuperating. "...Why am I so weak to you?" he asks softly, not really needing an answer.

 

Ceata smiled and nuzzled him in answer, a soft happy coo leaving him as he cuddled up closer to the other. His fingers ran through the others dark hair, happily caressing the dark hair with a soft sigh of pleasure. "I love you..." He purrs softly, kissing Urius' cheek tenderly. He likes this warmth, this tenderness that he has not been able to share with Urius for so very long.

 

"As I love you..." Urius offers in a soft voice, as though more than a whisper will break the magic behind those words. He then kisses the other's lips, slipping onto his back despite the pain and caressing Ceata's cheek. He knows that, in this state, he's far too exhausted to feel any sort of pleasure. Still, just being near to his lover...knowing that desire glimmering in his eyes and feeling similarly...that is enough to rebuild the tattered walls of his sanity for at least another fortnight.

 

Ceata smiled tenderly, nuzzling into Urius and cuddling him close. The big body felt so nice against his, a familiar feeling that had the young shadowshifter feeling much, much more relaxed. He peeked up at Urius and gave him a delicate kiss on the lips, lips quirked in a faint smirk. "I love to be loved."

 

Urius had at least good humor enough to scoff, giving the other a bitter smile. "You haven't changed at all...still as spoiled as you were when you were little," he offers gently as he slips a hand down and caresses that silvery hair. Ceata finds those warm calloused fingers welcome against his pearly-white locks. He glances down at Urius' broken hand, however, seeing it is still bandaged...That was partially his fault, having goaded Rowan on like that.

 

A faint sad smile twinged at Ceata's pink lips. "And you've not changed from then either... " He uttered softly, taking up the injured hand gently in his to kiss at it gently, wanting forgiveness for tempting Rowan to the point of getting Urius hurt. He loves Urius, even if he pisses him off sometimes.

 

Urius looks up at Ceata and then away. "No.....perhaps that is wrong of me to say. So many things have changed...so many things," Urius whispers softly as Ceata's fingers clutch against his injured hand. Ceata cannot disagree with that. He can remember when was younger, those carefree moments nestled in Urius' arms as he waited for his parents to come and find him, the terror of realizing he would be torn away from Urius...and then the joy of finding him again - these things were hardly what existed now between them. So quickly, Ceata was realizing that love was not as simple as the bonds his family shared, where love seemed perfect. Even he and his mates didn't have this kind of pain, this kind of despair...Until Urius, had Ceata really known pain? How sheltered he was...how loved and how sheltered. 

 

"They will change for good..." Ceata uttered weakly. "It is always darkest before the dawn, eh, Urius?" He whispers and kisses the other tenderly, caressing his cheek. "I should probably go before Rowan finds out I was here..."

 

".....Yes," Urius said softly, but it was obvious he didn't want Ceata to leave. He looked so frail as he finally let go of Ceata's hand and watched him get up. It was like Ceata was staring at a child clinging desperately for his mother, wanting all the nurturing he could get before his mother left him perhaps for the last time. So much fear in those eyes...no doubt the realization about his back was lingering in Urius' thoughts even then.

 

Ceata dipped down and gave him one last kiss. Their lips met, soft and yielding before Ceata deepened it and enjoyed the taste of his lover's mouth caressing his own. He groaned, tugging closer to the other for a few more minutes before he let go and slowly pulled back. Tiny kisses pressed at his mate's lips before he sighed and smiled. "Sleep Urius... you need your energy."

 

"I'm afraid to close my eyes..." he admits in a gentle voice. Ceata couldn't blame him for that, but did not know what to offer him as comfort. There was nothing he could do, fear gripping him as well as he knew that, when Urius slept, the monster came forth and stalked him. Ceata would need to bring this issue up to the only person that he knew could help him...the only one that could possibly piece the puzzle together - Varun.

 

"I know, baby.... but you need to sleep." He uttered softly and caressed Urius' hair before he was forced to leave. Perhaps Varun would be able to get him some hints, some clues that he could use to piece this puzzle together, at least a little more if he could.

 

Urius reluctantly closed his eyes as Ceata shifted away back to the outside of the building. He felt his skin crawling from fear, staring forward towards the looming castle. Finding Varun wouldn't be that hard, for he was hardly far from his fiancée or the library...Still, how would he go about explaining this to Varun, knowing the youth was so closely connected with Rowan?

 

Well, he would see when he got there. Frowning tightly, Ceata made his way to the library to look for the elder male. Hopefully Varun would be willing to listen to him instead of just brushing his words aside. The library was never hard to find, though when one got into the library, it was hard to find a person inside it. He frowned and started to look, combing the place over.