Vayond: The Shadowed hunters

"Yes, I know a good deal of him" Jack said, planting himself firmly in front of the towering captain "He has been staying in the Inn, sheltered by a woman there named Grace. He's been there for over a month, hiding out. He left only today, and I'm not sure where he went, but I'm sure Grace could tell you" with that, he set his jaw, and waited for the captain to say something.

Several village men straightened their shoulders and glared at Jack's back, as he told of Liam.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Viris gave a short nod, "We'll go to the inn then, and see what this 'Grace' has to say about this. You'll come with us." he ordered, spinning on his heel. The Lieutenant stepped between the captain and Jack, and they stepped back out into the sunlight.

Viris headed down the street, while his subordinate gave orders for a few of the men to stay with the horses, and the others to follow them.

At the end of the street, the inn stood, looking a bit lonely, and rather deserted since no one was staying there. The guards marched straight up to the door, and stepped through one by one (since they couldn't fit more than one of them through the door in their armor anyway).

Viris immediately stepped over to the reception desk, and pounded a fist into it.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Jack hadn't expected to be drug along with the captain and his men, but walked smoothly with them. When they entered the Inn, his face curved into a malicious grin, and his eyes sparked. Only a month ago he had entertained thoughts of marrying Grace, but after many weeks of watching the 'Fugitive' and her, he had grown to hate her for betraying him. Yes, he saw it as betraying, and all he could think of now was revenge.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters:

Grace heard him bang on the desk, and she came into the room. "Hello. How may I help you gentlemen?" Grace said, eying Jack.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Viris nodded, "Ma'am, we are searching for this person." he held out the wanted poster, showing Liam's face.

"He is a fugitive from the law, we are King's soldiers, looking for him. He was reported to be in this town, and this young fellow." he motioned at Jack, "Said he had seem him staying at your inn... do you have any information?"

~*~~ Terribly Secret~~*~

"Lewis?"

This was the first time in hours that he had felt relaxed, comfortable. Lewis sighed and stretched out in his armchair as his mother came into the room.

"Lewis, it's you! I'm so glad! You should have visited sooner!"

"Couldn't get off work." Lewis yawned.

Plus, I had other problems of my own.

"How's Kirsten? And the baby?"

"They're fine. We're still trying to figure out a name for the little guy..."

Lewis allowed his thoughts to drift. Why did everything have to be so difficult?? He had plans! Plans for him, for his dear wife, Kirsten and their new baby. After three years of marriage, they'd finally fulfilled their dream.

And now, this to muddle things up.

Why does it all have to happen to me, when I should be the happiest ever? I can't even enjoy my wife and new baby, and all because of...because of...

My sister

****

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Jarien sat listening to the small talk that went on. Adi sat next to him, leaning on him slightly as if for support, her own knife sheathed and tucked beneath the folds of her shirt. He was flipping his white-bladed knife in his hands, and the motions made his mind wander.

He thought about how quickly he had become friends with the others in their little group. People he wouldn't probably have ever met or gotten to know, thrown together... it was amazing how fate conspired.

He felt more than saw the subtle change in the mood around the camp when the woman got up and began to braid Shyanne's hair. Something wasn't right and he snapped out of his thoughts. He looked at the old woman, and then saw something he should have earlier. Her hands... they weren't old and careworn.

He stood, too late. The woman had a knife to Shyanne's throat, and threatened to kill her if he didn't drop his weapon. He held his hands out, but didn't drop it yet, "Just hold on... wait... let's talk..."

He prayed that the woman wouldn't hurt Shyanne... and something told him that they wouldn't. They looked like bandit's that wanted money, something they didn't have much of... but Shyanne could be used for ransom.

Adi stood as well, but didn't draw her knife yet, keeping it hidden. She stayed slightly behind Jarien, and then heard noises outside the cave, more bandits.

~*~~Terribly Secret~~*~

Lewis realized that this was the time. Now. Now, or never.
He approached the petite woman, gluing his eyes to her mass of curly blond hair. She turned to him with a smile that slipped off of her face as soon as she saw who he was.

"Brother," she said "You have put this off far for too long. No- we have put this off for far too long."

"I know, Emily," he said, tears blurring his vision, "And I'm sorry. That's why I'm here."

Lewis bent down to the ground, hands clasped , face looking imploringly towards the woman.

"Emily, sister ...will you please forgive me for all that I've done?"

He waited, tears dripping onto the knees of his khaki pants.

"Of course I forgive you."

He had said it. She had said it. Lewis jumped up and embraced her.

~^*^~Remember~^*^~

For a moment, Justin felt as if he were suspended in the middle of the sky during a storm of thunder and lightening, because of the glowing flashes that somehow penetrated through his closed eyelids, and the rough, cold pummeling that felt very like a heavy wind. A roaring sound filled his ears, and then it subsided to a tension-filled murmur. This last noise sounded strangely out of place in his stormy surroundings, so he opened his eyes, not sure what to expect. A myriad of people surrounded him, no, not him, something else, though they pressed so close about him that it was hard not to feel a little defensive. He tried to brush of his shirt, which he suspected would have accumulated more than its fair share of dust and grit; he was surprised to see that, not only were his clothes completely clean, they were changed entirely. Sturdy red trousers under a black tunic, around which a leather sheath held what appeared to be a sharp-edged scythe (he grimaced, knowing that he really wasn't the violent type) and around his upper arm was a thin banded copper bracelet, he wondered if his arm had turned green yet.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

"Oh, we will talk about it." Sephora said, even having the audacity to chuckle as she adjusted the knife. "When I say so."

"Now, I'm losing my patience and I don't think this poor girl can hold out much longer before she loses consciousness. Having a knife to your throat is a very tiring and frightening ordeal, you know.." Sephora shrugged lightly. "Put your weapons down." Sephora said through a clenched jaw. Her eyes snapped with impatience as she gave the command.

"Put them down!" Shyanne said, her eyes widening in fear. Her voice quivered, despite her attempt at remaining calm.

~*~Brywahr Academy~*~

Lilly looked around again to regain her bearings. Her leg still hurt like it had been kicked by a horse (which when she came to think of it wasn't to terribly far from the truth). She stood and started again to walk down the hall to the boys' room; as she walked she tried not to think about how badly her leg hurt... and how much she wanted to twist her braid. She reached the door and knocked, trying to straighten herself out so that hopefully she wouldn't look like she'd been limping as badly as she had... Lilly never had liked feeling week or insecure.

~Lady Fiona

"Lead on, prudent sir!" She gave an odd little tilt of her upper body that wasn't quite a man's bow but almost could have been the beginning of a woman's curtsy. Somehow it suited her well. However, she suddenly froze as if she had just thought of something and quickly interrupted her gesture of deference and straightened. There was an unexpected flavor of mischievousness in her manner. "Actually, perhaps I should walk in front of you. Since you don't trust me. Which you shouldn't. Not yet, anyway." Her eyes twinkled merrily.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

~*~ Brywahr Academy ~*~

Atom shut the door behind Brownie after a surprisingly brief check on his project. He barely had time to sit down again before another knock came at the door.
"Wow, busy day," he grunted and rose to open it again.
"Lilly again," said Darek.
Atom opened the door- and suddenly there was a crash behind him. He spun around, heedless of Lilly, saw Darek sweeping something off the floor and suddenly it was gone. Darek's composure was perfect and he sat back down with his journal, greeting Lily with a cool smile.
"Come in!"

~*~ Brywahr Academy ~*~
Lilly stepped in the door and started talking, "It's Nan." She said "She's gone... We're going to have to do this entirely without her..." As she walked over to the wall so that she could lean against it she limped slightly, she hoped neither of them would notice. "I don't even really know what I'm supposed to do!"

~Lady Fiona

~^*^~Remember~^*^~

Eavan Carrick took a deep breath as the chilly wind whipped her very red hair around. She pulled her worn-leather jacket closer around herself and then leaned on the hood of her car. She faced the awe-inspiring Stonehenge.

The huge stone arches had always been a favorite place to visit to her. Eoghan Carrick, Eavan's very adventurous father, had made it a tradition to take her to the Stonehenge every year for his birthday. It was a way for him to celebrate the blessing of another year and for both of them to honor the memory of Eavan's mother, who had grown up not too far from the stone wonder.

Eavan reached inside the open passenger window. She pulled out a thick scrapbook. The book contained so many memories, but not all of them. She placed the book on the hood of her car and turned the cover over. Her father had suggested looking at the scrapbook every time they came to visit. Despite the fact that her father had passed away, Eavan was careful to keep the tradition going.

However, with such a windy day, Eavan thought about putting the scrapbook away and just relive the memories in her mind. As she began to shut the book, a small piece of paper flew from the weathered pages. With a slight gasp, she put the book back through the open window. Thankfully, she had decided to wear sneakers today, rather than her usual boots.

Eavan chuckled to herself as she ran after the paper. Just when she was about to get it, the wind picked it up again and she had to race after it, like a game. Finally, it floated to a stop in the middle of the Stonehenge. Eavan grabbed the piece of paper with a satisfied, "Ah-ha. Gotcha."

Flipping it over, she looked at it. An exasperated sigh escaped her as she realized it was nothing of importance; only an old receipt that must have found its way into the scrapbook. Eavan folded it and put it into her pants pocket.

A frigid wind swept through the Stonehenge and Eavan shivered. It felt eerier than usual, but she shook her head and thought to herself, Oh, Eavan, you need to take your head out of the clouds--

Her thought was cut off as a bright light suddenly burst through the arch in front of her. She held up her hands, spreading her fingers apart and looking through them. Her eyes squinted against the brightness, but curiosity got the best of her.

She dropped her hands as she thought she saw a figure in the brightness. This can't be real. Shaking her head, Eavan took a breath and walked back through the arch, through the golden light.

A strange feeling engulfed her as she walked through. Shaking her head on the other side, she looked up and started walking to her car. However, she couldn't find her car. Eavan looked side to side, looking for the old car, but she could find it nowhere.

"What on earth?" she audibly said.

~*~ Brywahr Academy ~*~

"She's what!?" exclaimed Atom.
Darek stiffened. He fixed his eyes on Lilly and waited for her to continue. Being a detail oriented person, her limp was duly noticed but politely ignored until the right moment.

At her confession, Atom and Darek exchanged glances. "Well," began Darek, "It seems to me that you have a better idea of what to do than we do... But, perhaps if you told us what you knew..."