Linde Xe' Almna's Story

Borathian Miils meandered casually through the streets of Triveila with Kieran close behind. He greeted people he met along the way kindly, giving them a bow or a nod of his head and a few kind words. A very smooth talker. Eventually, he sat down at a chair at an outdoor restaurant and ordered a meal and a drink, and pulled out a journal and began jotting down a few notes.

"The time is upon me. It's now not but a simple matter of ensuring the final pieces fall into place. When they do, I will ascend the throne at long last replacing the noble's bastard child as the rightful ruler of this land. At last my destiny shall be fulfilled come the fading light of day. And as the sun rises upon the morrow, I will be Triveila's new King."

Time ticked by far too slowly. And for Linde, it couldn't be any more aggravating.

"They should have come through by now." She said quietly to herself.

Linde toyed with a lock of her hair to calm her nerves, glancing back to Lonan.

"You haven't seen them yet, have you?"

Lonán paced several times. He was getting nervous himself. He knew not what took them so long. The crisis he suffered last night made him nervous, and now, the plan probably took off in a different direction, to the point Linde Asked him if he saw them yet.

”No, not yet. Something’s wrong, I can feel it in my bones.” He said shifting his shoulders, testing how his sore one was feeling. If it came down to a fight he hoped that one was healed enough for him to use his sword properly if he had to use it. ”This is going to be a bad day.”

Linde kept watch on Lonan, noting his shoulder test.

"If anything happens, let me deal with it first. That shoulder needs rest. If you tear those stitches or cause further damage, I might not be able to fix you later." She warned.

Lonán sighed. ”I know... I’m just antsy today Linde, and very worried. About a lot of things.” He said, acknowledging her words. ”Alright, I’ll follow your lead on this one then.” he took a moment to take a deep breath and look up at the skies.

It may be a bad day, but at least the sky was still picturesque in his mind. His gaze shifted to the rooftops, just to see if anything was out there.

Linde nodded.

"Let's just keep our eyes open for now."

Time passed, and before long Linde knew something was up. And, almost on cue, Kyero and Aetrius appeared on the rooftops just the next street over.

"Dammit. Kieran must not have been able to woo him. He's on foot. That means it's time for plan B. Let's go. We need to make sure Aetrius and Kyero can take him without anyone seeing!"

”Right!” he replied as he prepared to follow Linde’s lead for the now potential chase. Now wasn’t the time to think about his worries. He had to focus on the task at hand and how to fight without aggravating his wound. Damn that Former Te’i Sai!

So with task in hand he followed Her lead. ”Heresta, bless us for Victory in this our hour of need and ask you to witness us.” He Mentally prayed.

Linde led him through the crowded streets to the next street over which, thankfully, was far less populated. Together, they set about keeping track of where Kyero and Aetrius were and tailing the man they seemed to be following. It had to be Miils.

Keeping her eye on Kyero, she waited for the signal, a flick under his chin, that the coast ahead was clear to shove him into an alleyway for Kyero and Aetrius to capture him by force. And finally the moment arrived. Kyero flicked his chin indicating ahead was clear, and Linde turned to nod to Lonan to help keep anyone off her back while she shoved him into the alley just ahead. His job would be damage control, keeping prying eyes away from anyone who happened to see the shove.

And, as luck would have it, one woman did see Linde shove him into the alley and began walking over to investigate.

Lonán saw the woman approaching. He had to think on his toes quickly in order to get her to leave the area. But if he said the wrong thing, the plan would be ruined. He had to think up a lie and think it up quick! He approached the woman and simply said, ”Excuse me, I’ve seemed to have lost my way. Do you know which way the Inn I’m staying at is?” He asked, acting like a simple tourist, a fresh mercenary face looking for a job that got turned around. Hopefully that would distract her long enough for the others to snatch Miils and get out of that alleyway.

As Kieran returned to the Inn, she was met with unpleasant news. Upon entering the room, both Josephine and Bronsen Furth, the ally with her, had disappeared. In their place was someone new and unfamiliar sitting in a chair with one leg crossed over the other and his fingers interlaced.

"Greetings. Did you come for the traitor?" He asked.

---

Meanwhile, back with Kyero and the others...

As soon as Miils was tossed into the alley by Linde he leaped down from the rooftops and landed behind him as he regained his footing. Grabbing him by the neck and hoisting him up off the ground, he held him loose like a rag doll until...

"HahahaHAHAHAHA!!!"

He was laughing.

"Wonderful, everyone! Just wonderful!" He said, clapping for their efforts.

Kyero dropped him, and he dusted himself off and cracked his neck.

"You seem-" He said, turning around. But he was cut off upon seeing Kyero's glowing red eyes and staggered a step back. "Y-you! What are you-" Kyero interrupted by grabbing his throat and pulling him in close, nose to nose.

"My presence is not your concern... Only that my blade is in your stomach."

Glancing down, Kyero's orichalcum blade was indeed embedded in his stomach to a small degree. He'd slit his flesh and slid the blade inside without triggering any nerves... He wasn't as good as the legends said... He was better. Blood dripped into his clothing and he swallowed a lump before smiling again.

"So the traitor has friends in low places. I see. Well, you may wish to let go and remove the blade from my flesh if you want her to live." He growled.

Kyero wasn't risking it. He removed the dagger and let go of him, causing him to cough his lungs free and straighten himself out.

"Much better. At least the Demon has some common sense. Now, to business?" He asked pleasantly.

Kyero's eyes narrowed.

After Kieran had gotten enough out of sight of Miils, she made a mad dash back for the inn, dodging and weaving between pedestrians and shopkeeps until she made it back to the inn. She pand heavily as she walked into the door and stopped when she entered the room and saw no one, at least not anyone she knew until she saw the man in the chair. She calmed herself down and looked at him with questioning eyes, keeoin her guard up if anyone tried tackling her from out of sight.

She crossed her arms and looked at him, "And who might that be? I don't have a clue what or who you're refering to." she said casually as she looked at him with glaring eyes.

"Come now. We've been keeping an eye on the traitor since she arrived. Our spies are everywhere."

He stood from the chair, keeping his hands clasped in front of his chest.

"Nevertheless, I'll ask a different question... Did you really think she'd be able to return without getting herself caught? Sir Miils owns the guardsmen of this city, you know. And word travels faster than the horse these days. He's known she was coming ever since she crossed the border."

He began pacing like a patient gentleman.

"So then, what's your role in all this, hmm?" He asked, glaring at her out of the corner of his eye.

Kieran eyed him as he spoke and listened to each and every word carefully. She examined the way he stood and carried himself, seemed to only be more so brains than brawn. She chuckled and shook her head, "So what he said was true...Loyalty can be bought so easily. Pity, really. As for the traitor, it's only funny that you're the one working for the very traitor you've been searching for." she said as she gave him another chuckle and sigh.

kieran looked at him with anger in her eyes, "As for my role, I have none. My role is over and I have no more part in this matter. So, just go and I'll act like I never saw you." she said as she walked passed him and gave him another sharp glare.

Keeping his eyes on Kieran, the man smiled.

"You may or may not live to regret that decision, miss... The traitor is being transferred to a secure facility near the Southwestern border, and heavily sedated. We know her warrior status. If you wish to save her, you'd better gather your friends and start moving now. Or you may never find her."

With that he began makin his way towards the exit, but paused as he opened the door.

"Oh, and did she not tell you?"

He glanced over his shoulder to Kieran.

"If she doesn't officially take the title of Princess within the next four days, she forfeits the rights to Sir Miils who shall become the next King. Good day."

And he was gone.

Kieran glared at him all the while the man spoke, her eyes never losing her sharp glare that she held on the man. She watched as he began to walk away, "I know when I'm being threatened...But I can assure you..She'll be just fine.." she said with a sharp tongue as the man disapeared. Once he was gine Kieran sighed and rubbed her temples. " I need a drink... " she mumbled to herself as she left for the bar in the inn.


Meanwhile..

Aetrius watched as Kyero got a hold on Miils and even slightly injured him. Once Kyero had done his part, Aetrius walked up to Miils and glared down at him, "We have a doctor with us...and I don't think she'd even want to hwlp your bastard ass..." she said with a growl as she looked at Linde for a slight moment and then back at Miils. " Regardless..You've lost, Miils." she said as she grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and swiftly smashed his face into her leg, knocking him unconsious.

With that the group swiftly left and eventually made it back to the inn, bringing Miils into the room and tying him to chair, leaving Kyero to guard him. "I'll go see if Josephine is with Kieran...Wherever she is." she said as she began to turn and leave, with a slight pit in her stomach as she began to have a bad feeling in her gut.

Back at the inn, everyone entered to find Kieran and Josephine missing. Miils was tied to a chair and Kyero stood before him with not a dagger, but a wooden spoon in his hand with everyone else either sitting outside the room if they didn't want to see what was going to happen, or standing behind him.

Kyero slapped Miils in the face, waking him up. He struggled at first to free himself, but soon accepted his situation.

"I have to give you credit for taking me captive... Seems you seek to harbor and aid the traitor, don't you?"

Lonán was in shock of the whole thing. Firstly, Josephine was probably in danger, and couldn’t be found. Secondly, the bastard obviously knew something like this was happening, and was probably deluded by calling Josephine a traitor.

”Says the man who paid an assassin to kill the Queen.” He growled out. ”If it was me asking the questions in the mind I was in, Sir, I’d make you wish you haven’t made me cross!”

Lonán took a step back and remained in the room. He wanted to hear from this Man’s mouth exactly what was going on. If he had to witness Kyero’s interrogation to find out where the woman he’s slowly grown to love was, so be it. Whatever this was about, had better be worth this man still breathing. He had to contain his anger for now, for if he let it out, this man would be dead and Josephine forever lost.

The back of his mind however, told him to trust that she’d take care of herself. He nodded to himself and prepared to watch the interrogation.

Aetrius watched as Kyero had taken up the role as the torturer for the meantime with Miils, and she left the room with whoever decided to follow her in the meantime to find Kieran, wherever she was. She had a bad feeling and walked down into the bar end of the inn and just as she thought, Kieran was sitting at the bar counter at the far end in the corner. Aetrius took a deep breath and slowly made her way to where Kieran was, doing her best to remain calm in the current situation.

"Kieran...What are you doing?" she asked calmly as she stood behind her sister who was continuing to drink but was obviously far too drunk for her own good already.

Kieran slowly lifted her head up more as she heard her sister's voice and gave a groan, "What does it look like, Korriban? Leave me alone." she grumbled as she continued to drink.

Aetrius growled softly and continued to do her best to remain calm as she could slowly feel herself becoming more and more agitated as the time went on. "You were supposed to get back after you did your part with Miils and look after Josephine until we got back. This sure as hell doesn't make you look good, now does it? Especially since Josephine is missing, Kieran!" she said as her voice slowly began to rise.

Kieran groaned again and shook her head, "I came back, and she was already gone...Someone said she was being held tightly sedated in near the...Southwestern border, I think? You have like....two days to find her? And something about if you can't, she'll forfeit the throne to that jackass and be never seen again...Just leave me alone in peace, right now." she groaned again as she went back to drinking.

The fury inside of Aetrius only began to grow the more she talked. From calling her by her birth name to explaining what happened to Josephine. She took a deep breath and placed her hand on Kieran's shoulder, "Call me that again, Kie...And I will-"

"Or you'll what? Kill me too?" she said with a tone of spite in her voice.

"Wh-wha? What are you talking about, Kieran? You know you're not supposed to drink." she said as her tone began to slowly grow more angry and unsettled.

"You know full well what I mean, Korriban. You have the mark of one, don't you? Or...do they not even know about that?" she said as she slowly turned around to face them. The alcohol clearly taking its full effect.


Aetrius growled and grabbed Kieran by the shoulder forcing, pulling her around and pressing her hard against the counter's edge, her eyes almost glowing from the rage that caused them to look like Dragon Amber, "A-all that I did for you...In Veilbrand, and even before that...A-all that I did, to survive...to find you...To not kill myself...And this...this is what you do, huh? M-maybe...Maybe I should have just left you there to rot...You've done nothing but cause problems..." she growled and pushed her back into the counter and breathed heavily, trying not to blow up at her sister any more than she already had.

Kieran chuckled with a tone of drunkenness in her voice as she looked at her sister, then at Lolan, "You know what I'm talking about Lolan, the mark that everyone gets when they're convicted of being a murderer in Saharan. You know what that means for her. And why she can never go back there."

Aetrius' eyes slowly grew only darker and angrier the longer that Kieran spoke. Her hands trembled and shook violently as she managed to not let her rage consume her and possibly even kill Kieran or someone else. She only shook her head and stormed out of the room and the inn, disappearing for the next few hours.



Later that day, Aetrius found herself back at the inn, in the bar end of the establishment. She was sitting by herself at a lone table in the corner, several empty tankards and glasses were covering the table, and her eyes were heavy from the amount of alcohol in her system. She was alone to her thoughts, finding the will to not find Kieran and settle it for once, she could only sit there, alone...Among her thoughts as she continued to possibly drink herself to death. "Fuckin' bitch...Who the fuck gave her the right to...hic...feckin' bitch..." she murmured as she continued to drink herself back to a hopeful rightful mindset.

Miils laughed at both Lonan's comment and continued laughing at Kieran and Aetrius going back and forth. When Aetrius left, he caught his breath.

"Someone get that woman a sedative, and get this one a pillow. She's so drunk she's likely to die of alcohol poisoning."

Linde scowled at the man, but restrained herself as she sighed and watched as Kyero approached Miils with the spoon in hand. He knelt down beside Miils on the left, facing the others, and holding it up next to Miils' hand.

"Is that wooden spoon supposed to scare me? Ha! Some demon you are."

Kyero's eyes began glowing brighter.

"Linde, please douse the lights."

Linde did as requested, dousing the lamp lights until only one remained which was barely enough to light the room next to herself, Kieran, and Lonan. Kyero was completely invisible save his eyes and the silhouette of his face against the light from those crimson orbs. Miils felt his hand being grabbed on the arm of the chair, and the spoon placed flat against the back of his hand.

"That's not going to do much now, is it?" He asked.

Kyero made a "hmph" sound, and began gently brushing the back of his hand with the spoon.

"Are you trying to excite me, or torture me?

"Neither."

Miils blinked, thinking this all some kind of joke. However, the spoon was being pushed against his hand a little bit harder which started making it uncomfortable. It was made of wood, after all, and it began to put splinters into the back of his hands making him wince at each one. Harder and harder Kyero pressed the spoon against his hand until the splinters were being dug in deep enough to spike the tendons in the hand causing him great discomfort and sharp twinges of pain. He grit his teeth and growled to stifle the pain, trying to tough it out.

"You think that's going to be enough? Haha. You're just a boy, after all, aren't you?"

Kyero didn't reply. His eyes remained glued to Miil's hand as he rubbed the spoon harder and harder against the man's flesh. The more he rubbed, the more raw the skin became and more its integrity faltered. Soon, the skin began to peel and split causing blood to seep from beneath the spoon. And it didn't take long for Miils to begin grunting and gasping in pain.

With a flick of his wrist, Kyero spun the spoon in his hand until the edge of it faced his hand. Pushing down and turning slightly, the corner of the spoon's edge pressed into one of the splits in his skin causing it to widen and grow which made Miils yell in pain as it grew larger and larger. And, before long, Kyero tossed the bloody spoon over towards the others on the floor. Crimson liquid glistening off its soft wooden surface.

Kyero used his fingertips to grip the flesh of the split and pulled it sideways, skinning his hand. White, bloodstained tendons became exposed. Bone peeked through the gaps in twitching muscle tissues. Kyero peeled the skin further and further, inch by inch, until the flesh of his hand hung from his fingertips lazily like a glove. Blood trickled from the dangling flesh like it did in a butcher's shop from the freshly slain animals. Kyero then grabbed one tendon, the one on Miils' index finger, and pulled on it to both cause pain and make his finger pull back to an uncomfortable position.

Miils, meanwhile, fought the pain well despite his cries. Using a wooden spoon to weaken the flesh before peeling it by hand... Clever. He'd have to remember it for when he got out of this and caught Josephine and tortured her for whatever information she'd be worth later.

"Where is she being taken?"

Miils growled a few more breaths and glared into the burning crimson spheres.

"It's too late even if I did tell you."

Kyero yanked the tendon, snapping both it and, as a consequence, breaking his finger pulling it back against the back of his hand. Miils cried in pain as the white tendon wriggled and flopped out to the side of his hand while his finger then hung limp and lifeless without the tendon to provide it with support.

Lonán glowered at the sisters as they spoke roughly and told a detail Lonán, if the situation at hand wasn’t stressful enough, would have sought answers for right away. But Aetrius’ problems had to wait another day, and it seems it’d require for a little trip back to Saharan to clear up. Perhaps it’s on one of the paths laid out before him, as part of the ‘Seeds’ of the future. No, Find out where Josephine is and help see this man to an executioner with the evidence she has. As far as she is concerned, I won’t let him touch that Throne.” He thought.

Kyero then began his interrogation, and slowly but surely the Saharan began to feel a slightly uneasy feeling in his stomach, like he shouldn’t witness this. He gagged but held it in as he kept the anger on his face. But Miils wasn’t ”Maybe he didn’t ask clearly enough, and you underestimate us, and him. So unless you want it to get worse, and I have a feeling it shall, or you want me to just flay you alive, You’d better answer us right now.” Lonán warned, his mouth turning into a snarl, letting a small amount of his anger vent through, showing his frustration.

”Where are they taking Miss Dezantro?” He hissed out, as he laid his hand on his skinning knife.

Miils growled and stifled a scream as the searing pain in his hand streaked through his arm. The feeling of his flesh hanging like that and the snapped tendon... It was like nothing he'd ever felt before. His hand would never be the same. But it didn't matter. They could cut his hand off for all he cared. He could rule without one hand. If anything he could twist this into a survival of an assassination attempt and a conspiracy against his rightful rule.

"I... Won't tell you anything." He panted.

"My rule is assured no matter what you do now."

Kyero observed him calmly, but suddenly furrowed his eyebrows in a scowl and snapped another tendon, followed by a third and a fourth and finally all five leaving his fingers and thumb all hanging limp.

”I decided to go easy on you to start... I thought you'd be tougher to break.” Kyero said in a low, calm voice.

"Wh-what are you talking about? I'm not breaking, ignorant whelp!"

Kyero smiled.

"Call it experience.”

Kyero reached down to his hanging flesh and pulled it back over his hand like a sick, blood-covered glove. Miils shrieked in pain as the flesh was yanked and slid over the exposed muscle and sinew, as well as the now snapped tendons which dangled loosely inside sliding and grinding away at anything beneath them. Kyero then pulled the flesh off his hand to the fingertips, then back over his hand like a glove. Back and forth, back and forth. Like a game of "On or Off." Miils continued shrieking in pain until Kyero finally ripped the flesh completely off, the flesh tearing at the fingernails with but a few minor bits hanging beneath them as they remained attached to the fingertips.

Miils panted heavily as tears leaked down his face. He'd never experienced pain like this, nor the sickening sensation of flesh being manipulated so... Casually. The Demon, despite the blood covering his hands, seemed to be enjoying this with that calm, confident smile and those glowing red eyes of his.

"Y-you think... You-... You can... Break me?!" Miils shouted, spitting on Kyero's face.

Kyero didn't flinch. Instead, he simply wiped the spit away with one of his thumbs and his smile widened.

”You've already broken. Your brain just hasn't caught on yet.”

"What are you talking abo-"

SNAP!!!

Miils's eyes widened, pupils dilating so small you almost couldn't see them, as the sound of flesh and bone being snapped away echoed through the room. He couldn't even scream as he looked down and saw his index finger had been torn off, left dangling by only a single strand of muscle tissue and bouncing gently up and down like a bungee chord. His eyes twitched and his body trembled as he observed Kyero take his middle finger between his thumb and index finger, and yanked it back snapping it just like the first and leaving it to dangle beside its partner.

At last Miils found his voice and screamed louder than ever before. Thankfully the in keeper was a friend of Josephine's and had dismissed all guests for the night, talking about a minor renovation, so they were free to do this without consequence of anyone finding out.

When Miils finally caught his breath and stopped screaming, Kyero gripped his ring finger the same way, preparing to snap it as he leaned down and looked at Miils out of the corner of his eye with that calm, joyous smile.

”You can make this stop, you know.”

SNAP!!! Another horrible shriek.

”As far as I care about your desires for the throne, it’d be wasted on you! All this for that?! Neither of y-“ Lonán stopped as Kyero began the next phase it seemed. He slowly felt his stomach churn. Kyero wasn’t human, or else he wouldn’t be so calm during all this. Lonán struggled to keep a straight, controlled face as he turned to a shade of green. He knew he shouldn’t kill him, but the smile Kyero gave made Lonán believe Miils is going through hell.

”Must... think of Miss Dezantro, we have to find her and help her. But We have to get him to talk!” he thought. He had to make Miils answer and make sure he lives to see the trial Josephine wanted him to be. ”I swear.... He’ll see justice!”

Kyero grinned wickedly in the dark, his white teeth just visible in the crimson light of his eyes.

"Haa... Haa... Haa... You can... Do as you like, Demon... You won't... Break me."

"Miils... Didn't I tell you?"

His face became visible as he leaned forward out of the shadows right beside Miils' head.

"You've already broken. Your brain just hasn't caught onto it yet."

Kyero's face disappeared into the darkness, and slowly, Miils began shrieking at the top of his lungs as a sickening crunch and tearing sound began to fill the room. Slowly, Kyero's eyes rose up behind Miils and blood could be seen dripping in dangerously from behind the chair. Suddenly, in Miils' stomach, red began to gather. His shirt pushed forward with a small, sharp point. And within moments a metal spiked rod appeared and burst through the cloth splashing a few droplets of blood out in front of Miils' feet. The rod was twisted and turned, rotated and pushed in and out. Miils' screams reached deafening levels as Kyero gleefully pushed it in as far as it would go until his hand holding the rod was against Miils' bloody back.

Leaning forward and resting his head beside Miils', he looked to the man and placed his hand on the back of Miils' skinned hand.

"I told you that you could make this stop... Unless you draw pleasure from this in some way. But by all means, if it pleasures you, I will gladly continue."

Miils' screams began to slow and his breathing came under control as he looked down, green in the face, at the rod poking through his stomach.

"Don't worry. I guided it past your internal organs... You'll be fine." Kyero hissed.

Miils' body was covered in sweat, his clothing gripped tight to his skin.

"So I'll ask one more time... Where are they taking her?"

The rod was pulled back and the tip almost disappeared inside his body, only to be thrust back to full depth again splashing a few droplets of blood to the floor in front of his feet accompanied by a scream.

"G-Gah!........ Haaa... Haaaaaaaa... Haa... Hhh..." He breathed.

Kyero leaned in, his ear twitching as he listened.

"Mo-... Fort Moraello... It's on the South-"

"Southwestern border just above the Veilbrand Northern Mountain chain. I know of it... But what good is your word on its own?"

Kyero twisted the rod making Miils growl and grunt as he tried to maintain his composure.

"I swear... That's where she is!... But you'll... Never make it in time... She's going to be executed upon arrival as a traitor..."

Kyero twisted the rod.

"How do we delay the order?"

"You don't... That's the point. I only told you so you'd know just how hopeless this truly was for you." He said, laughing through his choked gasps and coughs.

Kyero's eyes narrowed, and he removed the rod from his stomach and threw it to the floor between his feet. Walking out and into the light, Kyero gazed at Lonan.

"You and I are going to find her and bring her back. Linde. Remain here with Aetrius and Kieran and keep watch on this wretch."

Linde nodded firmly.

Looking at Lonan, "Let's not waste any time."

Lonán’s eye widened as his pupils turned to pinpoints to focus on the man and the answers he gave. ”Y-You bastard!!” He slowly gripped his knife. He wanted to end him. End this man right now and send his bloody soul into the deepest darkest pits of hell. But at the back of his mind, a voice seemed to pierce his mind, the tone sounding it came like thunder in a sand storm. It only said one thing.

”No Lonán. He’s not a threat.”

Any rage Lonán had in him in that moment fell as it rose like a tide. As if the very nature of that voice intimated him. Then he realized Kyero’s gaze was on him, and not for the fact he was gripping his knife. He dropped said hand as he listened to what they had to do now. He shifted his gear and made sure is weapons were on him.

He took a deep breath, before looking at Kyero with determined eyes. ”Right. Let’s get going.” he stated, showing his readiness to go after them and rescue Josephine. He gave Miils a withering stare before following Kyero's lead.

Kyero led Lonan out of the room leaving Linde to deal with the drunken Kieran and the thoroughly damaged Miils.

As she approached him, her eyes glazed over and she glared at him without emotion.

”Every fiber of my being tells me I should leave you to suffer the damage the Demon has inflicted...”

Miils stared at her with a wicked smile.

"But you can't, can you? Being a doctor?"

Linde approached rapidly and backhanded him as hard as she could sending him and his chair falling to the ground. He grunted and shrieked as his hand and hanging flesh struck the floor, and Linde pulled him upright, slapping him hard across the face.

”I've violated my oath before whenever I encountered men who deserve death. And if it weren't for the fact I want you to face proper justice, I would kill you right here, right now.”

"Ha! I believe you, my dear. That's what's so beautiful about you."

”Be silent!”

"Beauty should be complimented, should it no-"

Linde slammed her boot into the side of his head knocking him to the ground. The impact knocked him out immediately, and Linde cursed under her breath as she propped him up and gagged him before making sure he had no serious injuries. They couldn't afford him dying on them.

She dragged Kieran to her bed, and later found and guided a very drunken Atrius, who threw up all over her favorite night gown, to bed as well. She threw the night gown away and slept naked against her lover as punishment for what she'd done.

...

The next morning, Aetrius and Kieran both would wake up with nasty hangovers while Lonan was with Kyero on the road. Lonan on his horse and Kyero, supposedly, "right behind" him. Lonan couldn't see him anywhere, but every time they stopped to rest or catch a bite to eat Kyero somehow appeared right with him. And, unfortunately, Kyero had noticed something about their progress.

”It's best we slow our pace just a bit. Your horse shouldn't be taking this many rests. It slows us down more in the long run.”

The last thing Aetrius remembered was returning to the inn hours later after the argument with Kieran the prior day, and then having a few drinks and then all went black after that. She had awoken the next morning as pain shot through her head, not wanting wake up as the sun pierced through the room. She sighed and remained lying there silently as she endured that pain that shot through her head like waves during a storm on the ocean. But eventually she would slowly clamber out of the bed and into the bathroom, finding herself further emptying the contents of her stomqch until she had found herself feeling better.

Meanwhile, Kieran had awoken hours earlier and had already endured the same punishment as Aetrius did, her headache had subsided a few hours ago and she was currently in the room with Miils, as he slowly found consiousness and slowly began to wake up. Kieran pulled up a stool infront of him as he was still tied to the chair and watched as he silently looked at her with obvious anger and spite clear as day on his face. She smiled at him and leaned forwards, "I want to say something to you, and then I will never say another word to you, alright? Good." she said as she gave him a sly grin, knowing full well he wouldn't be able to speak as he was in immense pain.

"I like to play a little game with people every now and then...I admit, I am a slow learner, I admit it. But trust me, it's better that way. Otherwise, I truly do think I'd be far more dangerous than I am already, unlike my sister. You see...I like to meld the truth with lies." she said casually, and then looked up at him with anger filled eyes that could very easily shatter the rwst of his pride, if he had anymorw that is.

"You see...What I told you, most of it was true but not all. I admit I lied, but what I told you was mostly true. I told you my name when I asked for it, but you see...I mixed it with a lie. You asked if I was Saharan, I am. And what kind of people my family were, it's true. They were simple merchants and they were indeed supliers for the royal family, as many other famlies. And were nothing more than that. So, what I said was also true. But you see...I'm loyal to no one, unless I see them deserving, and then my loyalty is even harder to lose. It's true, I have no loyalty to the royal family here, but the least that I can do is bring justice to someone that was murdered by the likes of you, Borathian Miils. You underestimate us, and you realize that now...But there is one thing that you haven't realized yet, it's how fucked you really are." she said with a snarl as she looked him over one more time, stood up and started to turn hee back on him and began to leave the room.

" Now...I'd say goodluck..but...The gods wouldn't even have pity on you. " she said as the door was opened and in stepped Aetrius, who looked passed Kieran and directly into Miils' eyes, if she could she would be glaring into his soul. Kieran gave Aetrius a silent nod and left the room, the last thing seen before it closed was Aetrius standing infront of Miils with her hands claspes tightly behind her back as she towered over him, "Have you ever wondered what the inside of one's toes would look like?" she asked in an ice cold and spine tinglingly calm and cool tone as the door behind them closed shut with the metal lock clincking as it closed.

The next morning at the inn, Linde awoke and went about her daily activities before going into the room with Miils. She had been tending to the wounds inflicted by Kyero and Aetrius, and was struggling to keep up with them for a number of reasons. First reason was that part of her didn't want to help. Given the kind of person he was and what he'd done to Josephine, he deserved every bit of pain he was getting. The other reason she was struggling was because, following Kyero's example, Aetrius enjoyed damaging his body in rather difficult ways.

Still, today she did her best to finish the wounds which had been given him over the last day or so. She remained with him for almost two full hours carefully restitching his flesh to his body as it should have been, at least to the best of her ability, and stopping any flows of blood which were threatening to burst free.

"You are a kindly doctor, aren't you?" Miils said in a hoarse voice.

Linde didn't answer.

"You've done remarkable work. My hand may actually look semi normal when it's done healing."

"No, it won't."

"You don't think so?"

"I know so... I've made sure of it."

"... Well then... At least it will heal."

"To a certain extent, it will. But the chances you'll ever need to worry about anyone seeing it and pointing it out aren't very high."

"You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you?"

Linde glared at him quietly, giving a small jerk of her needle and thread to make him grimace before returning to work.

---

Back with Lonan and Kyero, they were making fantastic progress with the resting of Hawk for an hour before continuing at a brisk but not break-neck pace. Another day or so and they'd arrive at their destination.

For now, they were meditating together on a pair of conveniently flat boulders in the sun with Hawk tied to a tree nearby.

After a few hours of torture, Aetrius left Miils to the devices of Linde. What she did would probably make any butcher proud of her work, but would make anyone with a weak stomach easily lose their appetite for any form of meat in the future. His feet would most likely never be the same again, at most his walk would be a bit slower and now a shuffle and hobble at most due to the damage she did to the tendons and muscles in the feet.

But once she was done, Linde had entered the room and calmed her down enough to make her stop. Begrudgingly she left, having not gotten a word out of the man in question, she'd have to be more forceful in her actions, not just mutilation. Once she had calmed down enough again, she saw Kieran in one of the rooms silently. They made silent eye contact again and nodded as Aetrius entered the room where Linde was tending to Miils' injuries. Aetrius stood by her and sighed.

"I...I'm sorry, Linde...I..I don't know what to say...From what happened the other night, to last night, and then this..I just...I'm sorry..." she said softly as she looked at her and then looked away, feeling awkward and ashamed of her actions lately.

Miils sniggered as Aetri apologized to Linde while she continued working on his injuries. But Linde remained silent and simply stitched his wounds a bit more forcefully to draw out more pain and grimacing from him. When she was finished, she glared him down and gently escorted Aetri from the room, closing the door softly behind her as they went.

In the privacy of their room, just the two of them, Linde took Aetri's hands gently in her own.

"You needn't apologize, Aetrius." She cooed, leaning in to kiss Aetri's cheek with a smile.

"I know how you are, and I know the stress we're all under. It's natural for you to become more... Aggressive, when things like this happen. And to be honest I'm impressed by how well you've handled yourself given all we've been through lately."

She came forward and gently hugged Aetrius, resting her head in the crook of her shoulder.

"It will all be fine, Aetrius. Just try to keep your cool. When you let anger rule your thoughts and actions, he wins."

Aetrius had silently watched as Linde stitched Miils' injuries, never breaking her silent eye contact with him until Linde was done and left the room. As they made their way out, Aetrius silently followed behind her as they reached the room where they could speak privately.

She nodded as Linde spoke and reasured her that her actions were understandable in this situation. Aetrius looked at her as Linde gave her a hug and reasured her again, and nodded.

"Alright, Linde...I'll try to get him to speak at some point...I'll think of something...So...I guess until Lonan and Kyero return with Josephine, we stay here and keep an eye on him?" she asked as she looked at Linde with a rather somber look on her face.

Linde offered a calm smile, and gave Aetri a soft peck on the lips.

"We keep an eye on him, yes. But we also take our time to remember what's important."

She slipped forward and wrapped Aetri in a warm, tender embrace.

"Don't worry about getting him to talk anymore. I believe I've figured something out about him that will help. So leave him to me."

She continued holding Aetri, but leaned back to look her in the eyes.

"Why don't you take this day to get some rest?"