untitled: Seeking

 

Stannis watches as the other heads his way back to his room, smiling sweetly like he has found his niche in the world. However, the stern Starc can't help but feel he might be sending Ceata to his doom rather than giving him that one glimmer of hope. Certainly, Ganidrad won't know the whole story and Ceata will soon find himself running all over Tenshihana to gain the pieces of such a twisted romance. At least it will keep him busy, though Stannis ponders if it's good to have Sorrow and Ceata in the same country at once...if they were to meet up again, there's no doubt the beautiful Shadowshifter youth would be quickly seduced.

 

Ceata was not stupid enough to deny Sorrow anyway. Sorrow could easily enough kill him if he saw fit to it. But Stannis was correct, Sorrow knew how to get into Ceata's darker needs and twist them to his own needs. Even so, Ceata was damn set on figuring this out and trying at least, to help those he loved.

 

It was in the morning that Ceata quickly got himself a pack, found the most conservative and Angelic-like clothes he could find, and went to grab a disguise cloak from the vault. This he placed around his shoulders, looking in the mirror with a smirk and finding his eyes a dark brown and his hair a dark brown, thus giving him the look of an everyday normal person. This pleased him as he slung his pack over his shoulder and went to find that portal that led to Tenshihana.

 

He had to hurry along though, before anyone else found out where he was going. His lovers did not even know, which made Ceata feel bad, but he could not afford to allow them to go to anyone about it. He smiled to himself, pleased as he hurried along swiftly as possible.

 

However, it was just Ceata's luck to turn the corner and ran smack dab into the firm muscular chest of a Starc. He almost went flying backwards, finding himself caught. Oh, no...He was screwed! No doubt, this stern man would turn him in or tell someone where he's gone and then he'd be in trouble. However, looking up, he found himself staring into the jolly face of everyone's favorite drunkard, Farryn. "Well, well, now....where would you be running to?"

 

Ceata flushed, looking up at the other with wide eyes and a most embarrassed expression upon his young face. He smiled sheepishly and got up, brushing himself off. "Somewhere." He replied innocently.

 

"Oh? Dressed in such strange garb and wearing a disguise on your hair and eyes? Yeah...that seems likely," Farryn says as he still holds the other's shoulders and smirks a bit, knowing he's caught Ceata when he's off to cause trouble. 

 

Ceata pouted some and gave the other a scolding look. "I'm an adult; I can do as I please. This is important." He uttered and tried to squirm away without causing much noise or attracting attention. That was the last thing he needed!

 

"Yeah, but where could you be going dressed like that and so close to that portal to Tenshihana?" he asks slyly, motioning towards the room behind him where the portal has been placed. Farryn gives a wry smirk. "You're going to do something naughty, aren't you? Care to tell your dear friend Farryn?"

 

Annoyed, Ceata pouted all the more and wiggled. "Farrynnnn! I have something to doooo!" He whined sharply, pouting up at the man. "If I tell you, will you promise not to say anything?" he demanded.

 

"That depends on what you tell me, little one...but I'll certainly let you go if you tell me," he purrs as he holds the other still and enjoys his cute pouting. Ceata is so much fun to tease and Farryn can't help but like the guy. It helps that Kite likes him too - all the more reason to be buddy-buddy with him.

 

"I gotta go talk to Ganidrad about something important." Ceata uttered softly, allowing Farryn to keep a hold on him for the moment. "I may have to go elsewhere for info too, which is why I have to wear the disguise." He skirted around the exact thing it was he wanted to talk about, but he had told the other just what he was up to.

 

"Ooh? And what exactly are you looking for information about?" Farryn says, catching the other in his maneuvering as he held him there with a stern silvery gaze. He was so unlike any Starc that Ceata had ever met. Farryn wore his hair loose and messy, he liked to drink and curse and screw...and he was pretty good at catching a little lie when he heard one. 

 

Ceata whined even more and squirmed in Farryn's arms. He shot him a glare and sighed. "About Urius and Rowan..." he uttered with a pout, glancing down at the ground.”And.... Rowan's dead wife."

 

Farryn's face went a bit hard. "And who told you to go to Tenshihana all for that?"

 

Ceata replied with a grumble. "Does it matter?" But the way Farryn was looking at him made him sigh and pout before replying with a soft groan. "Stannis told me he would know... and he's in Tenshihana..."

 

Farryn just about burst out laughing, holding to the other's shoulders as he shook with a great chuckle. "Oh, God....you had STANNIS tell you?" Farryn couldn't stop himself from laughing, causing Ceata to pout and look all the more pissy and cute. However, Farryn eventually got over his fits of giggles long enough to tell Ceata, "NEVER trust a Starc to give you a straight answer! Are you kidding me?! Ganidrad may know a few things about Rowan, but he would be the last man to talk to about his marriage! ooooh...ohoho....my sides hurt....Wow....I just can't believe you would trust Stannis to lead you on the straight path. He's more deceptive than Urius. Hell, where do you think Urius gets it from?"

Ceata pouted all the more, in fact, he looked ready to cry. However, he fought it of and gave Farryn the most scalding, angry look he could muster. "W-well, I just want to help, Farryn!" He growled and went quiet.

 

"Fine....if you wanted to know about them, you should have just asked," Farryn says with a smile, standing there with a hand on his hip. "I promise, I won't tease you...If you come with me to Tenshihana, I'll show you what you need to know."

 

Ceata nodded, rubbing his eyes. He was only just nineteen, very young yet and even though he was confident, he did have his fallings. "Really? Thank you Farryn." He uttered weakly, shyly tipping his head down in a small, respectful bow.

 

"Well...don't bow and look all grateful just yet. Even I don't know everything...but I know a hell of a lot more than Ganidrad. Come on, let's go then. You're all dressed up for the occasion, so we might as well go out...I'll even buy you something from a street vendor, just to get that adorable pout off your face," Farryn offers with a kind smile, turning then and heading towards the portal he just came out of.

 

Ceata smiled slightly and allowed Farryn to lead the way. Perhaps now he'd be able to get more info then he would have previously - especially with what Farryn had said! - and that pleased Ceata enough not to be pissy with the angel.

 

"So...what did Stannis tell you? Just that you were supposed to go see Ganidrad?" he asks as he steps through the portal and they end up on a sun-filled street with the windows open on the high rising apartments, the sound of the city all around them and the looming image of the Tenshihana palace in the distance. The cramped conditions of the Tenshihana citadel seemed to fit in well for them as they could easily flow in with the crowd and make their way up through the market street, stopping and getting the most delicious pork kabobs that Ceata had ever tasted before heading on towards higher ground. One thing about Tenshihana - there was a lot of steep hills and many strange side streets that would be hard to navigate without a guide. Everything seemed to be built up on itself with all of these large white stone buildings housing several families. Of course, there were the Commons where many of the regular Angels lived, but then there were the Manor quarters, which included a large section of less densely populated mansion areas for the elites from each family. The only ones among them that didn't have a respective quarter where the Starcs, for they would rather be entirely Antisocial and live in the mountains beyond the Vale. 

Ceata frowned some. "Well, I was wondering about Urius and Rowan and their connection to the Jin girl. He told me that if I wanted to know more about her, to go to Ganidrad. So that was what I planned on doing." He shrugged slightly, sighing as he padded along slowly.

 

"It would figure he'd pick Ganidrad...but Ganidrad was out to sea while everything was going down. However, he's a good start, now that I think of it...He grew up with Rowan, was one of the closest things Rowan had to a real friend before Urius came along. Ganidrad lost his eye over something he and Rowan walked in on...Rowan did confide in him a lot, but never about Remalphia. In many ways, after Remalphia appeared, the three of them - Urius, her, and Rowan - sort of left us all, but that's a long story. I'll explain a little better when we get to where we're going."

 

The young shadowshifter nodded, sighing. It felt odd to not be stared at. Right now, he looked like nothing more than a normal, run of the mill angel. A handsome one, but nothing all that special. He huddled a bit more under the cloak, frowning slightly.  "I should punch Stannis when I get back... damn him being a brat like that."

 

"You shouldn't...Because, really, it does nothing," Farryn replied with a heavy sigh. "Trust me, I speak from experience when I say there is nothing you can do about Stannis...everything he does, he does it because he believes it's for the good of everyone. No doubt, he doesn't want you involved in this because you are just a vulnerable youth...So, simply put, he has the best intentions for you, he's just rather twisted in the way he goes about things," Farryn replies with a great deal of sorrow in his voice. Ceata can't help but be a bit curious as to why Farryn, Kite, and Stannis all have this strange relationship. It seems every Angel has their problems.

 

The young male frowned, looking up at the other thoughtfully. What was it that made Farryn sigh so sadly? He smiled a little, trying to lighten the mood. "A hard ass with a soft side, how cute." He crooned playfully.

 

"Yeah...if only that ass would soften a little and maybe I wouldn't have so much reason to be depressed, but that's a WHOLE other story," Farryn sighs as they turn the corner and then head up a hill again. Really, Ceata's feet are getting tired!

 

"Oh?" Ceata purred, trying to weasel information out. Saying stuff like that only made him all the more curious and he would not let up until he'd found out what it was that made Farryn so sad.

 

"Oooh, no, no, no...you have your own hard-ass-soft-ass to deal with, so you might as well just keep your pretty little nose out of my problems," Farryn chuckled, tweaking the other's nose affectionately. "But I will say I'm not a drunkard for the glamour of it. It's just that being sober sometimes is a little harder than not giving a damn while you're wasted."

 

Ceata frowned and pouted some. He knew how the other felt at times, but he had lovers to fall back on when he was having difficulties with his mates. Sighing some, Ceata peered at the other male with a slight grumble. "Now I'm all curious damnit."

 

Farryn laughed outright. "You are quite the curious little thing! No wonder you get into such trouble," Farryn smiled as they headed out from a crowded center and began to step over a bridge. Ceata stopped a moment and was awed as he stared out at a man made lake that the bridge seemed to partially cross. Ships glittered, as did the distant white towers of churches with the golden bells ringing out the afternoon hour. Farryn stopped at a vendor on the bridge and bought Ceata some shaved ice cream with little berries in it. They enjoyed their cones as they kept walking, Ceata wondering how long it would take. Then again, Tenshihana was HUGE.

 

But it was certainly beautiful and he stared as he walked, eyes wide. The lake was huge, disappearing in the distance as light glittered and flickered. He smiled some, glancing at Farryn impishly. "Part of my charm of course." he replied with a large grin.

 

"I'm sure that's what all your mates tell you," Farryn teased as they continued to walk over the bridge on the beautiful sunny day. Though it was winter and it was a bit cooler, here in Tenshihana the sun shone brightly and there were puffy white clouds in the blue, blue sky. Ceata found himself watching the large ships as they came and went from the Snoicelle Canal, their sails as big as the buildings on the other side of the lake. "This is Maestar Lake, by the way...You see that large building to our right and that castle that seems built on the water?" Farryn asks, pointing over towards a very large structure with high spiraling towers that indeed seemed to be built on the water, various thin walkways leading over the rippling waves of the lake to get to it. Beyond that was a star-shaped structure with many small buildings around it. "That cluster of buildings is the Maestar Academy...it's where the magic-users go. And that tall castle on the water is House Maestar. They made this man-made lake and it's also said they made the Snoicelle Canal, which reaches all the way across the continent and cuts through the Northern Mountains like a knife through butter..."

 

Ceata gazed out with interest, cocking his head some. It was beautiful, though to think it had been created by hand and hard work, was startling. "Yes... it must have taken many years..." He murmured softly.

 

"Actually, it was reputed that one mage did it...but that's ridiculous. The guy was given sainthood anyway. Strange how that happens, hmm?" Farryn remarks with a bit of a chuckle as they get off the bridge and continue on into the Maestar Quarter. They pass by magic shops and shops for potions, for various magical roots and plants. Everywhere around, Ceata can see street performers using their magical prowess to make butterflies dance on their fingertips or lights to make a flashy show for dazzled tourists. They walk right among them, Ceata thrilled to see all the strange sights that the Maestar Quarter has to offer. It's all quite colorful and pretty - much different than the Angels he's used to. "The Maestars are very playful most of the time, but they are quite vicious...You can always tell a Maestar by the fact they are born in pairs and have really pale eyes...that and they're a tiny people. They're more closely related to Cherubs."

 

All very interesting. Ceata glanced around, now brown eyes wide and curious. Curiosity got him into so much trouble. His parents were sure he took after his grandmother in that aspect, though he did not have the scars to prove it.  "Really? So.... if Locke was here, where would he be placed?" Ceata asked curiously.

 

"Locke? Oh, yeah...Exodus' little Choir Angel...Well, he's what you'd call a regular Angel, since he doesn't come from any of the noble families. However, because he has his amazing ability to sing, he would be placed into his palace where all the Choir Angels work. However, his race really isn't one that you can peg based on looks. My bet, though, is that he's a little bit of Maestar and a little bit of Tenshihana. He's got the looks of a Maestar, small and oddly colored, and then he has the gentle nature of a Tenshihana and that unspoiled nature about him, no matter how many times Exodus has him...That's what I think, at least, but he's obviously not nobility," Farryn replies as they make their way through a few more questionable alleys and head up onto another street with a lot of vendors. They bypass this one pretty quickly, turning and stopping at an open gate of wrought iron - it's huge and almost foreboding. Beyond it, some low buildings...they're tombs.

 

How very interesting.  Ceata thought on it and pondered. What rank would he be if he happened to be an angel? HA! He was too much of a slut to be anything high. The grin on his lips disappeared as they came upon the tombs and he frowned slightly.

 

"We're here," Farryn said with a bit of a smile, looking over and seeing the other's frown. "You wanted to know about Remalphia, didn't you? Well, you get one better...we're going to pay her a visit." This makes Ceata a bit more nervous than before as Farryn begins to walk down the cobblestone path that leads through the somber low buildings with various names inscribed on them. Everything is quite. Even the noise of the city beyond them seems to have disappeared as the grass only rustles now and then by a faint wind. It's very calm here...but also very foreboding.

 

Ceata shifts uncomfortably, following his companion warily. He had not expected going to the graveyard, and a little bit of unease overcame him before he shoved it back and stroke confidently forward. "Oh?

 

"I think she's in the Jin section, since Rowan's father would never let her be buried anywhere else....Oh, but, then again, Rowan fought hard to marry her. That's why he went ahead and eloped..." Farryn says, searching the names on the stones as he looks around for Remalphia's final resting place.

 

Ceata followed, looking as well. He frowned a little, wondering just where the woman could be. She was the key to some secrets that Ceata wanted to get his hands on and he wanted to get them on them so very badly.

 

Thus, Ceata read name after name on the tombstones, staring at the script as he thought of the lives of these people. Valens, Maestars, Tenshihanas, and even a few Jins...all of them had ended up in the same place. Ceata couldn't believe he knew the man that had touched their lives, taken them and given them back to God to revive as he willed. Ceata stood and pondered over the grave of one child in a family, wondering how it was that his Lord chose who stayed and who left. "Ah!" he heard then coming from Farryn's lips as he turned and saw where the other was looking. On the top of a hill, the sunlight streaming down, stood a monument to love with a little building with lovely carvings on it of Cherubs and birds and all the lovely things one might wish to have surrounding them in heaven. "That has to be it."

 

Ceata loped over to him, looking with interest upon the find. The pale marble of the monument gleamed prettily in the cold sunlight, all the little carvings making it less harsh. Ceata glanced to Farryn before reading the name with a slight smile of excitement on his face.

 

"Remalphia-Jin Valen...A loving daughter, sister, and wife," Farryn reads as he looks down upon her plaque. Ceata is surprised that it doesn't say "mother" as well, for was not Sahenna her child? Then again, Sahenna was found only after his first lifetime. No doubt, Rowan didn't know about him...but then why? "Well...it's good to see you again, Remalphia. I imagine you're watching us right now, thinking what a madman your husband is."

 

Ceata snorted softly at the others words. "More than likely." he uttered, crouching to get a better look. He cocked his head thoughtfully and frowned. "Did no one note that she had a child? I guess not..."

 

Farryn says nothing to that, his eyes flicking away for a moment as though he knows something. Still, the look quickly leaves and he smiles warmly. "So? Would you like to sit down and hear one of them warm-n'-fuzzy feel-goody stories about romance and hatred and all that jazz?" Farryn asks with a bit of a grin, trying to get the other off the topic of Remalphia's child.

 

Ceata frowned and eyed him in annoyance. His eyes were not as piercing without their normal colors, but they still got across his agitation with the others changing of the subject. He sighed and flopped down into the grass. "Sure, why not?"

 

 Ceata frowned and eyed him in annoyance. His eyes were not as piercing without their normal colors, but they still got across his agitation with the others changing of the subject. He sighed and flopped down into the grass. "Sure, why not?"

 

"Well, where to begin...I guess we should start when they met. By now, I think you've already seen the memories attached to that locket of yours. Everyone knows your little escapades with Agenta, seeing as we keep such close tabs on him...Still, I'm sure you aren't really aware of what happens when Rowan blacks out, hmm?" Farryn asks, sitting back and running his hand over Remalphia's grave stone as he wipes off some of the moss.

 

Ceata shook his head, looking at the other thoughtfully. It was annoying that people knew of his escapades with the young Seer - dangerous in fact - but there was nothing he could do about that. "No, I don't."

 

"Well, I thought you might of...But, oh, well...Simply put, when Rowan used to black out, it was Adonis that caused it. One incident that I heard about was when Rowan was young. He was out trying to gain information to sabotage his father - you know, like what he tries to do as the Lord of the Lion. Well, he got in a pickle and a man tried to rape him. In sheer terror, Adonis was unleashed and...well...there was little left of the man to even discern who he was. If he wasn't wearing his wedding ring, they wouldn't have known who the pieces belonged to...Anyways, Rowan would always run to Urius after every black out...but this one night...."

 

~ ~ ~

 

Rowan pants as he stands in the street, covered in blood again and trembling. A young boy of about fourteen, he woke up in an alley after having done some midnight work, covered in the blood of several men who attempted to rob him. In his mind, he remembered his hands as they dug into one bandit's flesh and ripped out his still pumping organs. He can only give a silent rasping scream, staring at his hands.

 

Urius...He needs Urius!! He rushes down the street, not really knowing in which direction he's going. Terrified, driven half mad, he bumps into some drunkard on the street with a heavy thud. "H-hey! Whatch it, yah.....huh.....blood? Whut the...?" Rowan gasps and turns and bolts down the street the other way, the drunk's cries ringing out behind him. He jumps over a fence as the drunk and his friends follow after, trying to lose them out of desperation. With a heavy THUD he lands in a garden, briar bushes cutting at his soft pale skin. He gives a cry of pain, rolling on the ground as the thorns have scraped him deeply.

 

"...Who is there?" comes a soft voice moments later. Rowan sits up, terror in his big green eyes - fear unlike anything of being found out to be a monster. It's then, through a lantern’s light, he sees a young girl in a long white shift. Her hair is black and curly, her eyes a soft blue-silver. Rowan is like a scared animal, cornered by her. He tries to turn and run, but she calls out to him again. "No, don't be afraid...don't be afraid." Softly, a hand caresses his cheek as she reaches out to him in his fear. That night he sleeps under her silk sheets, bandaged by her delicate hands and washed from a basin of water she drew for him. Like the mother he never had, she soothes his hurts and he is at once spellbound by her. 

 

Ceata listens quietly. He knew of the blackouts, but at the time, he had not connected them with Adonis. So, even as a child Rowan harbored that beast. How sadden for the little child.

 

"Rowan became obsessed with Remalphia ever since...The next day, he had her come back with him to his manor. By now, Urius was sick with fear. He had stayed up all night waiting for Rowan and was almost mad with him when he came back...Well, you can imagine his surprise when Rowan not only comes back late the next morning, but with a girl as well," Farryn says with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Now, I'm sure you know Urius...I'm sure you know the way he thinks isn't exactly always the normal way of thinking...He'll push someone away to keep them safe, and, likewise, he'll make someone think he likes them to make them leave."

 

~ ~ ~

 

"You think I'm pretty?" Remalphia asked with a coy voice as she looked up at Urius. He was by far her ideal man - so much stronger than his companion who clung to her like a child to his mother. This man was stern and seemed cold, but he had pulled her aside that day when she had been getting particularly close to Rowan and kissed her. It was glorious, for Remalphia fed off this attention. Her heart was not a bad one, it was simply greedy. She wanted Urius because she knew he would dote on her like he doted on Rowan.

 

"Yes..." Urius replied simply, caressing her hair softly and letting the little black ringlets run through his fingertips. Remalphia almost purred, finding her favored suitor to be much more physical than the others. Where as she had far too many men that would promise her things, give her words and dainty kisses, Urius was so much more touchable...She ran her hand over his chest, feeling the muscles beneath his clothing. As a young teen, one can imagine the excitement. She batted her eyelashes and pressed her growing curves against Urius' body in seeming coy invitation.

 

"What best do you like about me?" she asked, flipping her hair as she looked up at him. He was so stern, but his sternness held much passion. And he seemed to be the only man not fawning over her. He simply took what he wanted, like a real man should in her mind.

 

"Would you have me say just one thing?" Urius asked, looking down at her with his dark grey eyes. She pressed into him more...What a slut, he thought. He found her more than displeasing - in fact, he hated her. What he hated most about her was how close she was to Rowan...how he would look at her, his eyes starving for her care and her compassion. She was a spoiled little wench, just like he thought, with such a thin loyalty that she would be dissuaded from Rowan's side with just a kiss. Even now, his lips burned from her touch. It was like eating an overripe apple, soft and sickly sweet.

 

"Urius! Urius, Remalphia! Where did you go?!" Rowan cried from the garden beyond, looking hopelessly for one of his two companions. Urius turned quickly, meaning to go to him, but Remalphia stayed his hand.

 

"Leave the little boy to his play..." she purred, looking up at Urius with gleaming eyes. Urius didn't disguise his glare and simply walked away from her, causing anger to glow in her jealous heart. 

 

Urius' stupidity knew no bounds sometimes it seemed. Ceata sighed and shook his head, showing his annoyance at his mate's youthful mistakes.

 

"In some ways, I suppose he was just trying to keep Rowan's heart from getting hurt...Remalphia wasn't a bad girl...she was just....very spoiled. Her mother was a famous stage singer, you know. She was born in a fleeting romance with a Jin. When her mother died, her father set her up with the best means available, but was frequently off earning his livelihood in wars. Thus, she and her twin brother, Raoul, were left alone to their own devices with only presents and money and toys to keep them happy. Remalphia was also a beauty, so she grew up with a bit of a vain heart. Now she wanted Urius and you can bet she tried hard to get him...but, after that little encounter, Urius left her well enough alone - the worst thing to do to a pampered girl like her."

 

"Damn stupid, the worst damn thing he could have done." Ceata snorted in annoyance, twiddling with the hem of his cloak. "Do go on, this sounds like it'll only get worse."

 

"Well, from what I know - and that isn't much - it got to the point where Remalphia became desperate for his attention...and you can only imagine what she resorted to then..."

 

~ ~ ~

 

"Ahahaha! Oh, Rowan, you're so foolish," Remalphia giggled as she leaned into Rowan. She was sixteen now, a beauty beyond compare with her petite little frame and her teacup breasts rather beguiling. She wore a white silk gown that hugged at her body, pulled back her hair to show her best profile, and did her best to make Urius seethe with jealousy as she pressed her budding beauty against her bashful blond friend. Rowan was quite surprised with all the attention he had been getting. Remalphia seemed to return his doting affections and made him feel...well...comforted. It was good to lay in her lap, to feel her gentle feminine beauty radiating down on him. Rowan had never known a mother, he had never had someone to hold him and tell him all was alright. He looked to Remalphia as a sister who could heal his hurts - as the maternal glow he so lacked as a child.

 

"I cannot help my foolishness...Truly, I think your butler looks like a ladybug...his two little hairs on his head are his antennae and his mustache could be pinchers," Rowan chuckled as he looked up at her, the picture of a beautiful young man. They seemed the perfect couple. The image would have been complete if not from the cold and emotionless Starc that sat not too far away from them, sipping tea.

 

Urius practically seethed at the sight of Remalphia's hands on Rowan...How she fawned over him now. He knew very well what she was doing and it made him all the sicker. Every day, he would try and dissuade his master from going by to visit her at her manor, but of course that would be to no avail as Rowan found his new toy rather fascinating. To be truthful, Urius was getting quickly sick of them. "Sir...your lessons are in an hour. I suggest we get ready to leave," Urius said at last, hoping this would shake Rowan from the harpy's spell.

 

Rowan simply groaned, flopping back into Remalphia's lap as he lay there in the sunshine. "Must we go through more boorish lessons? I was going to play the piano for Malphia and you...then we could have some more tea and generally talk ourselves to death. I find that a much more pleasant alternative," Rowan whined, staring up at the girl as she smiled sweetly at him - all a ruse, of course.

 

"I do no doubt your pleasant alternatives, My Lord, but I hardly think your father will find that a worthwhile excuse," Urius replied, standing and dusting himself off. Rowan sighed and nodded, grumbling something despairing about his father as he went to get his coat. As he did so, Remalphia cast a glance towards Urius and got up to walk over to him whilst Rowan struggled on the boots he had taken off. She leaned down, whispering into his ear.

 

"Rowan is a wonderful kisser...." Urius just about snapped, grabbing her so that Rowan couldn't see, but his hand was at her throat and his eyes gleamed with anger. They shone lightly purple and Remalphia gasped under their gaze.

 

"You are a toy, my dear...I suggest you remember your place."

 

Ceata bit his lip, closing his eyes a moment as he tried to digest this. What the hell? The foolishness of all of them had Ceata seething.  He glanced up at Farryn, sighing with a look of agitation on his young face. "Go on."

 

"Well, it all came to a head some two years later - only the start of the year for most Angels. Remalphia knew well enough by then that Urius was a monster, but she wanted to make him pay for toying with her. A part of her still wanted to be with him, it was plain to see with the way she looked...at least, that's what I'm told. So, in her youthful need for vengeance, she devised a way to make sure Urius would never have the real person he loved. After all, it didn't take a genius to realize Urius' devotion to Rowan was beyond his duty as a Second...."

 

~~~

 

"....You're a monster, Urius...I know it. I see it in you," Remalphia said softly, looking to the other with the coldness of her gaze as Rowan busied himself ordering their food at a local tavern. Urius sat there at the table, his face stern and cold as he didn't bother to acknowledge her. He hated her so deeply. "You and I have a lot in common...We both want things, we'll both do whatever it takes to get them." She reaches up and tilts his face towards hers. "I want you...I want to have you begging to be with me. I want you to love me, even though I know you want...Rowan." She glances back at the other as he waits for their meals, being sure he's not noticing. Urius sneers.

 

"So you take advantage of his vulnerable nature...Women like you are beyond disgusting," Urius growls, turning his head from her and she simply sighs.

 

"You made me the way I am, Urius...and now I'm going to repay you for it," she says softly, coldly.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Farryn paused a moment. "I don't know if I should go on..."

 

"Go on." Ceata growled softly, piercing Farryn with his eyes. "I need to know how this damn game played out and if you don't tell me, I never will." He crossed his arms about his legs and watched the other, waiting.

 

"The fact is, this really isn’t my story to tell...Besides, it's getting late. Perhaps we should go to dinner, hmm?" Farryn offers as he's already standing up, not giving the other a chance to protest as he begins walking off. Ceata growls, anger filling him at the other's stalling...but he'll get it out of Farryn, one way or another. Besides, he is kind of hungry. "Now, what would you like to eat? There's ALL sorts of things in Tenshihana..."

 

"Don't care." Ceata replied snappishly, pouting as he walked behind his guide. Oh Farryn was cruel, stopping at such a point in his story. Was everyone hiding things from him!? All he wanted was some simple damn information!

 

"Are you sure? We could have sweet beef or maybe some cooked frog...eh? What if I made you eat cooked frog?" he chuckles, trying to get a rise out of the other. He sighs though as they leave the graveyard, walking along through the lit city streets. It's almost night now, the sun setting slowly into the horizon. "Really, Ceata, you can be such a cruel kid...Don't you think you should be more mad at Urius for withholding this kind of information?"

 

"Oh, you've not idea how much I want to beat it out of him, Farryn." Ceata seethed, grumbling to himself. "But than I'd be as bad as Rowan...." He made no mention of the fact that he HAD been as bad as Rowan (well, Adonis). "You're gross, cooked frog? That's worse than Seir eating demon penis on a dare."

 

"Hey, I wouldn't mind wolfing down demon penis, depending on whose penis it was," Farryn smirks as he walks along, enjoying the scenery around them. Tenshihana has quite a bit of night life - people going in and out of taverns, couples walking to look at the evening shops. There are several little cafes and then there are street bands and sometimes little theater shows. Everything seems warm and comfortable here. Though the presence of war is just about everywhere. Ceata passes by several shops with signs that speak of killing demons and supporting the war effort. Even though this seems like such a lovely evening, it has to go and be spoiled by that...

 

"No, I mean chopped off penis." Ceata glanced at Farryn. "Seir is a Flesh eater, they eat other magic born creatures and people. It was really gross, cause he slurped it down like a noodle."

 

"Awww, man...I would have paid MONEY to see that," Farryn laughs as he walks around. "Now if only Stannis would let me slurp his noodle, then all would be right with the world..." he sighs as he looks all dreamy and Ceata gives him a strange look. Who would want to slurp Stannis? He probably wouldn't make any interesting sex sounds. He'd be like a robot going "ah.....ah.....that's nice....good....okay....I love you....and we're done."

 

Ceata laughed at the mental image and covered his mouth. "Stannis? Would he even squirm? I can't picture him doing anything sexy, nope, not at all."

 

"Oh, he'll squirm if you know where to get to...Kite's the loud one, though. Stannis would probably suffer quietly and be really shy and cute and coy....but Kite will start wailing like a cat in heat if you lick her...It's cute," Farryn sighs, looking all blushy and dreamy at the very thought of it.

 

Ceata smirked some and leaned over, licking Farryn's cheek like the brat he was. "ooooo? Oh my, naughty. You like Kite AND Stannis? But we all know Stannis is a jealous bitch. Wouldn't even let me snuggle Kite without growling."

 

"Well....Stannis knows about us...or, at least, I'm pretty sure he knows about me and Kite," Farryn sighs, looking over at Ceata's shocked expression. "Yes, yes....we've been having an affair since Falcon was about twelve...I love her, okay? I.........I always did. But, the thing is, I loved them both. It seems like Stannis doesn't get it. He doesn't realize that not only does Kite love the both of us equally, but I love him too. He's just...well...impossible."

 

"Pft! No shit." Ceata wrapped an arm around the others shoulders. He thoughtfully gazed at the other, frowning. "Hmmnn... gotta be some way that you can get Stannis as well, my lord Farryn..." he whispered, smiling. "

 

Farryn sighs. "...Trust me, I've tried. He's even more bitter now that he's found out that I'm sleeping with his wife...but he'd never tell Kite. He'd never do a thing to make her suspect he wasn't dumb to it......because he loves her. He desperately and completely loves her, so much so that he had me transferred out from under her command when we were younger so he could woo her. Stannis is...a good man. He has mixed up priorities, just like Urius, but he is a good man."

 

"Catch him off guard." Ceata yawned. "The man just needs a good push and a severe dose of affection. Just like Urius needs to be tied to the bed and ravaged." Ceata purred slightly with delight at the thought. "But I'm sure if you talked with Kite, you'd be able to figure something out."

 

"Aaaahhh, so it's true! Not all of those scars were from Rowan..." Farryn teases, chuckling as he sees Ceata blush faintly at the truth of the other's words. "Well, if it works for Urius, then it should work for Stannis. The two are essentially the same....but they hate each other deep down, I think. If it weren't for Urielle, they wouldn't even pretend to like each other."

 

Ceata blushed and squirmed some, glowering. "Well, that shouldn't matter! Just go and talk with Kite and figure something out. You don't wanna be alone all your life."

 

"Oh, hey! Let's eat here...You know what they say, the dirtier the bowl, the better the noodles," Farryn says, pointing over towards a little tavern down an alley that doesn't seem to get much notice. They walk down there, taking up a table and ordering some mutton. It actually looks quite tasty, as does the ale. "So...what are you planning to do with the information I tell you, Ceata?"

 

"Piece things together." Ceata replied, glancing at him with a little smile tugging at his lips. "At least it keeps me entertained I suppose." He mused and licked his chops.

 

"Yeah...but...really, what are you going to do, Ceata? I tell you this and you could either put your relationship with Urius in danger or, worse, get Adonis to target you even more...I just want to know, before I'm about to tell you anything else, what you're planning," Farryn says as he sips at his ale, watching the other with those steel grey eyes. 

 

"My plan? Like I said, I'm just piecing things together currently. I have no plan and I do not plan on making one until I have as many facts as I can get." He uttered softly, glancing at his companion. "Why? I'm no threat just yet."

 

"You are a great threat, Ceata...you are Sorrow's chosen 'incubator,' or whatever you call it...You're going to possibly birth the next Sorrow. Everything I tell you, Sorrow may be able to find out somehow and use against me or others...I need to know, what do you intend to do? If you somehow find out Rowan's great secret, would you act on it? Or would you lash out at Urius? Whose side are you on, really?"

 

"My own side. I'll do what needs to be done." Ceata replied softly, flinching slightly. What if he had to... do away with Urius? The thought hurt and his heart clenched up painfully.  "I'll do what I need to do."

 

"Well, until I really know what you're up to, I can't tell you anything...After all, it's easy to see that Absinthe is too weak to fight Adonis...I don't know if I can trust you with this information, knowing that you're near to Sorrow," Farryn says, biting off a piece of mutton with a purr.

 

Ceata frowned. "I am not like Absinthe, Farryn. He allowed himself to be dragged down and is nothing but a pet. I'm not going to allow Rowan OR Urius to take from me any information. Damnit, I can't do anything unless I know what went on!"

 

"You're not being very smart here, Ceata...To want information just so you can know it is not a good idea. Once it's in your head, that knowledge can damn you. It can taint you...In reality, what Sorrow and Adonis and all Gods do is not literally place a poison in your body, they fill your mind with them. It's a simple spell, much like telling someone a secret...Now, don't ask me how I know this, but I've been investigating a lot longer than you have - Stannis and I both...and we've come to find that the more people who know, the more end up meeting unfortunate ends. THAT is why I want to know what you mean to do with this information, Ceata...and it has to be a better thing than 'you just needed to know.'"

 

"It's going to Death first of all." Ceata replied with a growl. "Cause if we don't find out what is going on, we'll all be screwed over. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to have Rowan and especially Urius anywhere near Death? What if Sorrow was to come upon Life? She's fertile then, he could easily rape her and I'll allow you to guess at what would happen." He growled softly. "Being left in the dark makes us vulnerable. More so than knowing does."

 

Farryn sighed and rubbed the back of his neck a moment, staring at the other's intense gaze. "I still say Urius should be telling you this himself...I don't really feel comfortable saying it, but, hearing your words, I suppose your choice is a good one. Even so, this information may destroy someone's happiness. If I tell it to you, then...well, I hope you'll be discrete about what you say."

 

"Of course." Ceata uttered softly, watching him with a tight lipped frown. "I will be my most discrete, Farryn. I promise you this."

 

"Very well, then. I'll tell you after dinner. We can go to my house...how about it?" he says with a smile, Ceata seeming quite pleased with the idea. Farryn is a nice guy to hang out with, after all. 

 

"Why not?" Ceata replied and smiled back for the first time in a while. He cocked his head, peering at the other male thoughtfully as he waited patiently for their food.

 

It arrived soon enough, allowing Ceata to dig his teeth into a big piece of juicy meat. It tasted good as he sat there and sipped at ale and talked to Farryn a bit more about his relationship with Kite. It was nice. Farryn seemed to have a great desire to be with both Kite and Stannis, but he was such a damn coward. Ceata told him to grow some balls already and have at it. After food, though, they had themselves some sweet cakes from a vendor they passed on the street. These sticky sweet honey cakes were delicious and Ceata was still licking his fingers when they finally made it to Farryn's apartment. "Here we are! Home sweet home..."

 

Ceata glanced up curiously, a finger in his mouth. He was nice and full and had been wondering just what Farryn's house would look like. What sort of home did a man like Farryn have anyway?

 

They stepped through a wooden door and headed up a few stairs, stopping at the top when Farryn opened his door with a key and then let the other inside. It was a decent enough apartment, for Tenshihana standards. There was an indoor toilet, a medium-sized fireplace for food, a kitchen table with a few chairs, and a bedroom in the back. Farryn hung his cloak on a peg and let the other step inside, shutting the door and locking it as he went to the cupboard to get some glasses and wine. 

 

Ceata removed his cloak and the illusion on him disappeared and allowed him a sigh of relief as he was allowed to feel normal again. "Nice little apartment, Farryn..." He mused softly, glancing at the other with a grin.

 

"Yeah, it's nothing special, but it's certainly better than a soldier's tent. I'm actually kind of pleased with it...no excess for me...just what I need to get by. Oh! Here's your glass. It's not the best wine, but I like getting drunk off it." He holds up his glass. "Cheers."

 

The shadowshifter smiled and raised his glass as well, lashes lowered. The first sip was pleasant enough and he sighed, licking his lips before gazing with curious interest upon Farryn. "Hmm...."

 

"What shall we toast to? There certainly isn't much to be glad for, considering," he says as he holds up his glass with a kind smile. Ceata has been pondering himself just what they should say. After all, it doesn't seem like the world is going to get any less fucked up just for them. 

 

"Let's just hope things don't go further down the toilet." Ceata smirked slightly, cocking his head to the side. "Or we could always just toast the three new babies I suppose."

 

"Three new babies?" Farryn blinks, looking a bit confused.

 

"Rei's twins and Lazarus' newest little one." He replied and smiled. "So, toast to the little babies and hope they grow up well."

 

"Yeah...let's hope neither of the twins are like Rei, because we already have one too many of him...and let's hope Lazarus' kid doesn't end up carrying Adonis's genes," Farryn says with a smile as they clink their glasses together and then drink. The two then settle down into the chairs at the kitchen table, the light from the hearth warm, though candlelight around the room also creates an inviting atmosphere.

 

Ceata lazily leans back and tips his head back, enjoying the soothing evening and the warmth in the apartment. "Hmmnn... now then, you were going to tell me more?" He purred sweetly.

 

"Yes...." Farryn says softly as he looks down into his wine. "I am going to tell you everything...."