Nell Maeve's Story

Morning was nearing and Falastor was about ready to close up shop for awhile. On dreary, rainy or cloudy days, he stayed open longer. Sometimes his store had been know to stay open for twenty-four hours or even longer, if the sun stayed hidden. Today, though, he could already see the lightening of the sky beyond the treeline to the east.

It had been about a month since the "party". Falastor was still a bit unsettled about the plan that Miss had laid out for him that night. That he should be some bridge keeper to allow her creatures into the village to feed and take it over. What would happen when all the humans where dead and gone? There was a constant flow of people in and out of the area, but not enough to keep her brood well fed.

And what about the humans that lived here? They were not bad people. He had made a promise that he would only feed on people from outside of the village, he was not sure that Miss's creatures could make such a promise. He thought about the consequences to his life if this brood would take over as he could only see them doing. What it meant for the humans here and what it would mean to him.

"Hello...? Falasor?" a voice said from the store. Falastor looked out from the crack of his door and saw Nell. He eyed her for a moment. How lovely she looked in her blue dress and flowing hair. Falastor had desired Nell since he first caught glimpse of her. Such a beautiful woman, if only... No! He must push those thoughts from him. He had promised himself to not harm the people here in any manner. While he desired to make Nell his own, he could not do that out of respect to her. He would watch her closely though. If he thought any of Miss's creations were a threat to her, he would then act to protect her.

"Good morning, Nell. Your are working early this morning. What brings you here?" he says as he walks through the door.

Falastor watched and listened to Nell as she moved through his store gathering the goods she needed, placing the basket of pastries on his counter, just..just watching her. Her movements were so fluid, so..womanly. He adored everything about her and her coming to his humble store was the highlight of his day, err, night. If only he could take her aside and share his true feelings for her. But how? What would that conversation look like? "Well, hello Nell. How are you this fine day? You are looking quite lovely. Oh, by the way, I am in love with you and would like your hand in marriage. But, there is a catch..I'm a vampire. That's not a problem, is it?"

Falastor scoffed at himself as this thought ran through his mind. He watched her every move. "I also...I brought you some fresh made pastries...", he heard her say. "Oh, why thank you. They are always a top seller to the people who come here. They rave over how flaky and full of flavor they are." He lifted the cloth she had covered them with, feigning to take a peek at them while his eyes remained on her form.

He watched her depart and waved as she said her good byes. Walking to the window of his store, he got close enough to see out, but at the same time far enough away to remain out of the first rays of the sunlight that started to stream in. He saw him approach her, Elijah. He had seen the young man before. He lived at the edge of town with his parents. Not much of a find for any young woman, Falastor wondered why Nell would even waste time speaking with him.

As he watched he saw the distress on Nell's face and the sneer on the face of Elijah. He was not able to hear the words, but by watching the lips of the man he was able to make out a few statements..."Not very proper of you to be in with the Falasor man without accompaniment from another male...", "I want to make you my wife. I will start courting you today, we should take a stroll to make the announcement.","you think you have a choice? I am the last man around here willing to marry you, and that is only because you have control of your fathers bakery and could make me a lot of money...and your not too hard on the eyes i suppose", and "I don't think you understand. You and your father are kooks and you are going to end up alone".

Falastor's blood began to boil. He would not let anyone man or any other person for that matter speak like this to the woman he loved. While he was not able to address the matter at this time, he would need to feed tonight. "Well, Miss, he said quietly to himself, "I will need to thin out the human population for you tonight. I hope this helps with your grand plan.". With that, Falastor moved the sign of his store from "Open" to "Closed" and went to his chamber to rest.

Victoria had been busying herself around the shop this morning. There were shelves to dust off, bottles of potions to rearrange, floors to sweep. She had also been brewing some tea and had baked some cookies that she would share with her patrons when they would come and sit at one of her three small round tables set in the front of the store. Victoria enjoyed the company and gossip that the locals provided her and some free tea and cookies to offer them was a small price to pay for the entertainment value they offered her.

Today she had tried a new ingredient. A traveling salesman had been through town earlier in the year and offered her some seeds to plant for a plant he called "cannabis". He told Victoria that she could take the leaves of the plant, grind them up and use them for a variety of things from her potions, to things she baked, and even for a replacement for the tea leaves she used to brew tea with. The plants had finally grown completely in the small garden she kept behind her shop and she decided to try it out in her tea and cookies today.

After she had placed a plate of her freshly baked cookies on each of the three small tables, she looked up to see Nell walking to her door. "Good morning Victoria", Nell said as she came through the door. Victoria greeted the woman with a smile and said, "And good morning to you, Nell. I have your father's medicine ready to go for you. It's in the back. Why don't you sit down and have a cookie or two. They are something new I tried." Victoria giggles a bit at this. "I have a new secret ingredient that should liven them up some according to the salesman. I am sure they will pale in comparison to what you bake, but I like to dabble a bit with cooking and baking.

Victoria goes to the back of the store to get the medicine for Nell's father and brings it to the front counter, placing it in a small brown paper bag. She then turns to grab her pot of tea and takes some over to the table Nell is by and pours some in a cup for her. "Try some of this. It's new too. I hope you like it. Victoria sits down across from Nell and pours herself some tea. She takes a cookie and dips it into the steaming liquid and thinks about the encounter she saw earlier that morning. She wonders if she should bring the subject up.

Being bold she finally asks, "So, forgive me for being nosy, but I couldn't help but see the run in you had this morning with Elijah. Is everything ok?"

Darkness had fallen early that evening with the approach of the storm clouds. Falastor arose from his slumber and after freshening himself up and putting on his "work clothes" he made his way to the store level. He would not be opening his store at this time though. No, he had some business that he pledged himself to take care of first. He would uphold the honor of Nell by paying a visit to Elijah first.

Falastor used the back exit of his store to avoid any unwanted eyes that may stop to converse with him. He was not an unsociable soul by any means, but his mind was set on one thing and one thing only at this time. He desired no unwanted attention now, there would be time for that later in the evening.

The trees of the forest were a few short yards from his back door, and it was there that he went. After a short, but safe distance into the trees and brush, Falastor transformed into a large black with grey streaks wolf. It was in this form that he made his way through the underbrush and trees to the edge of town where Elijah lived with his parents. Transforming back to his "human" visage, he slowly made his way around the yard of the home. Looking into windows of the house, he saw no sign of the disrespectful man, but he could smell the scent of his blood...Elijah was near.

A walk to the barn netted no success either, but it was then he heard the voice of Elijah yelping and howling as if he had just won first prize at the county fair preserves contest. Falastor followed the sound of the noise to a small creek that was flowing through the trees some distance behind the house. Elijah was holding up a fish that was dangling from a cane pole, dancing around with it as happy as could be.

The young man never knew what hit him. Falastor struck swiftly and feasted well on Elijah. Standing up he looked at the corpse lying on the ground and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief he kept in his breast pocket of his coat. "He will bother you no more, Nell." Falastor said in hushed tones as he shoved the body of Elijah into the stream and watched it float away like a leaf flowing down the street gutters after a rain storm.

Speaking of which, it appeared the clouds would unleash their wrath at any moment. Falastor made his way swiftly back to his store, refreshed by his feast of blood and knowledge that he had rid the world of a useless piece flesh. Now Nell could once again walk the streets without being harassed but such an ass. He walked into the back of his store and then went to his front window and flip his sign form "closed" to "open".

Falastor was in the back room of his store when the ringing of the bell by the door indicated a customer had walked in. He was still busy cleaning himself off from his encounter with Elijah and took a last look at his clothing to make sure no signs of his "feast" were still there. Satisfying himself at his inspection, he took a peek through the crack of the door to see whom it may be that wandered in off of the street. It was Nell!

Falastor's heart jumped a beat as he saw thew woman in his store. This was not a time she would normally come in and she looked to be a bit distraught. Running his hands down the front of his shirt to flatten it out and make himself a bit more presentable, he walked through the door of the back room and into the store front.

"Oh...oh dear I am so sorry...there where...beasts out" Nell said in a voice that sounded a bit frantic and out of breath. Falastor had now walked to the front of the store to where Nell was standing and looked out the window into the street. Seeing nothing he replied, "Beasts? I don't see anything. Whatever is it you are speaking of, Nell?" Nell was still frantic and now it seemed she had more on her mind to make her distraught, "They chased me...I was out later than I should have been...but the meat..." Falastor took Nell gently by her arm and had her sit down on a stool by the store counter. He gave her a quick glance over to see if she had been injured, but saw nothing remarkable to speak of.

"Nell, what is it that you saw? Were you chased by an animal in the forest? Why were you out hunting so late? Your father must be worried sick about your safety." Falastor now saw that the woman was about to cry. He went to her and gave her a hug. "There, there now. Is there something I can do to help you? Would you like for me to come to help you retrieve your meat? I could close the store down for awhile to do that," Falastor offered. Suddenly the thought came to Falastor, had Nell been hunting by Elijah's house? Had she seen him transformed as a wolf? He had hoped not. He would need to pry a bit more to find out for sure.

"I thought...I thought I saw a ... Wolf...," Nell said. Falator's heart sank some at these words. He knew fully well that wolves were not inhabitants of these woods and that what she saw was him transformed. Falastor continued to hold Nell close in a hug, caressing her back to try to calm her down as she still seemed quite distraught by the event.

"A wolf, you say? I was not aware that wolves lived in this area of the forest. Is it possible for some to have migrated to this area? You are the hunter. Have you seen wolves here before?" Falastor probed. Now taking a step back, but still holding lightly to her arms, he asked "Could it possibly have been one of the villagers dogs? I know some of them have some fairly large dogs, and if you saw this when it was getting dark in the woods, perhaps it could be one of those you saw?"

Falastor led Nell to a table in the back of the store. He had made some coffee he kept on hand for those who came to his store. He pulled a chair out for Nell to sit on and then went to pour her a cup of coffee. After setting it in front of her he sat across from her. "I have a couple lanterns. We could take them to go and retrieve the meat you got today if you like," Falastor offered. He then pushed a basket filled with cookies towards Nell. "Here. Try one of these. Victoria brought them over for me. She said they were a new recipe. I haven't tried one, but they look delicious."

Falastor poured Nell some hot tea to help wash down the cookie she ate and pushed the basket full of cookies before her on the table. "It would be an honor to escort you to your kills, Nell. Business has been slow tonight, so no one will miss me if I am away helping you. If there is some danger in the woods, you should not face it alone at night." Falastor went to the store front window and changed the sign from OPEN to CLOSED and then went back to the back of the store where he took up his overcoat to put on.

He allowed Nell to finish up eating. "So, how were the cookies? Victoria was so proud of her creation when she brought them to me earlier...a new recipe she tried, I guess." Falastor moved to help Nell up from her seat, taking her hand and leading her back to her gear that she had placed on the floor by the store counter. "Do you have something to light your way as we go through the forest?" Falastor asked as he looked for a lantern to take along.

The two finished gathering the items they needed and then went out the front door of the store, Falastor taking a moment to lock the door. They walked down the street towards the edge of town where the forest began and where Nell had been hunting. Passing the Tavern along the way, noise spilled from the establishment out into the street. Falastor took a glimpse through the window and saw it was teeming with business. His attention was drawn particularly to the figures of Miss and Liz as he saw them conversing amongst the patrons.

Falastor quickly looked away and took Nell by her hand, a smile on his face as his gaze fell upon the fair maiden. "So, my dear, where is it that you have stashed your kills form today?"

They entered into the forest. The rain that had been falling was now lessened by the foliage of the trees. Falastor felt Nell's hand tighten against his own. "Those cookies...from Victoria...they where her new recipe...?" Nell had asked as now he felt her body pressed against his own. "Oh, yes, yes they were. Victoria often visits me with new creations she tries. She is quite the little cook and baker," replied Falastor as he wrapped an arm around the shoulders of Nell. "Are you feeling ok, Nell? She seem a bit wobbly."

A few more yards down the trail they came to a stop. A small pile of carcasses laid on the forest floor near the trail. Falastor soon realized that he had passed through this way on his way back from his "visit" with Elijah. No doubt was in his mind that Nell had seen him. He cursed himself under his breathe. How could he have been so careless in this matter. He watched as Nell poked through the pile of dead animals. She seemed a bit, what? Light-headed and now she was becoming somewhat giddy perhaps as she looked the pile over.

Falastor stood there for a moment, admiring her movements..admiring her. He knew it would be easy enough to take her as his own at this moment, but that would not be fair; not to Nell, not to her father. He pushed the thoughts of lust he had for this woman from his mind and moved closer to her to ask, "Is this your pile of kills, Nell?"

"You are amazing," Nell had said. Falastor blushed as much as a vampire could at this comment, suddenly aware that he was being studied by Nell. "I am grateful for your help," she continued, now standing right in front of him and smiling. Her scent was becoming intoxicating to him. His urge was not to feast on her as he had just done on Elijah, but to make her his.

Falastor shook his head to clear it and simply replied, "I consider you a friend, Nell. This is what one friend does for another. No need to thank me." Falastor stepped to the pile of animals lying on the ground and started to scoop them into a sack they had brought along to carry the meat back in. "A friend," he thought to himself. No he had desired his relationship with Nell to be much more than just friendship, but how could that be? His lifestyle would not be conducive for a relation with this or any woman. His curse would prevent that from happening and he was not wishing to share this curse with one as sweet as Nell for his own desires.

Falastor hefted the sack and turned to see Nell standing right behind him. A bit of a grin on her face. "I...I suppose we should head back..."she had said, almost sounding disappointed. Falastor nodded and said, "Yes, I suppose so. We should get out of the rain. I am sure your father must be wondering where you are off to." He thought about perhaps inviting Nell back to his store after they left the meat off for some tea and more cookies perhaps, but figured she would have work to do with the meat and perhaps other chores at home.

As they walked back through the streets of the village, once again passing the tavern, Falastor thought about the plan Miss had put into motion. There was no way he would allow Nell to be harmed by the creatures she set loose on this unsuspecting population. No, If things looked like Nell would be put into peril, he would sweep her and her father away before any harm would be done.

Falastor rushed to Nell's side as she hit the floor, her body lying next to that of her deceased father. He gently rolled her over, seeing that she was unconscious. He stroked her cheeks with the back of his hand and softly spoke her name, but there was no response. Looking out past the opened door to the store, he saw a light glimmering from a room of the Apothecary Shoppe. Victoria was still up.

Falastor scooped Nell up in his arms, cradling her body next to his and draping his cloak over her head to protect it from the rain as he rushed with her across the street and started to pounded on the door to Victoria's shop. A minute later, a lantern was lit in the store level and started moving towards the door of the store. A click is heard and the door opens up. Victoria stands there in her nightgown looking out into the rain at Falastor and the bundle he is holding in his arms.

"Falastor what brings you here at this time? Not everyone stays up late like you do. Who do you have there?" Victoria asked as she saw the bundle that Falastor was carrying was a person. "Sorry to disturb you, Victoria. It's Nell. We were out collecting some of her days kills and we came back to her home to find her father lying dead. Nell became overwhelmed and passed out. She may have hit her head on the floor also," Falastor said.

Victoria led Falastor upstairs to a spare bedroom and had him place Nell on the bed there. Falastor gently stroked Nell's cheek, a look of concern on his face as he stared down at her. Victoria cleared her throat from behind him, "So, umm, are the two of you a couple? I see her at your store quite often and out for walks with you on a rainy night..." Victoria giggles now and Falastor turns to leave, a bit flustered. "Oh, well, no. I can assure you Nell has no feelings for me. We are friends. I, I should go see the constable to have him come and care for the body of her father. Please take good care of her and I will be back later to check in." With that Falastor took his leave and Victoria laid a cold compress on Nell's forehead.

“uhm…why…what happened?” Nell had asked as she tried to stand. Victoria had been sitting in a corner reading a book to the light of a lamp when she looked up to see Nell trying to sit up in the bed. She appeared to be a bit shaky yet, so Victoria went over to sit next to her.

"Oh, hey there. Welcome back to the land of the living," Victoria said with a smile on her face. "Falastor brought you here. It seems you fell unconscious when you discovered your father at your store." Nell looked up at Victoria and said,“What I mean to say is, thank you for taking care of me…but im not sure why I am here? The last thing I remember is Falastor…?”

Victoria looked Nell over as she sat there. Everything appeared to be ok with her at the moment. "Falastor brought you here and asked that I watch over you. He left to find the constable to have him take care of your father's corpse. He will likely return to check on you later, but I think it would be best to have you stay here for the night." Victoria went to a closet and pulled out a dress that was hanging inside. She brought the dress back to Nell and laid it on the bed next to her. "You can wear this if you would like to get out of those wet clothes. What were the two of you doing out in the rain anyway?" Victoria asked, a bit of a giggle in her voice and twinkle in her eye as she watched Nell for her response. "I don't wish you to think I am spying on the both of you, but I noticed you spending more time with each other and the way he looked at you as he was leaving..." more giggling.

Victoria turned to leave the room. "I will let you change and bring up some tea and cookies for you to help settle your nerves a bit." Victoria was about to leave the room when she looked out the window at the tavern down the street. Lights were still on and it seemed from the noise drifting through the rainy night to her window a "good time" was being had by those inside. Turning a bit back to Nell, Victoria says, "Have you been noticing more people in the village lately? It seems like they just came out of the woodwork. And some seem to be a bit, hmm...odd?" Victoria just shrugs and then leaves the room. "I'll be back in a moment," she says from the hallway.

Falastor came back to Victoria's shop to let Nell know that he had spoken with the constable and local undertaker. They would be coming to retrieve the body of her father for her. When he walked into the store and then back to where Victoria stayed he found Victoria and asked how Nell was fairing. Victoria indicated that she was upstairs.

When Falastor arrived upstairs, he found the room he had left Nell in empty, but the shades to the window overlooking the street up. Looking out, he saw a small group standing by the doorway of the bakery, Nell was with them. Giving a small sigh, he turned and went back downstairs and then across the street to his store. It appeared Nell would no longer need his help.

Giles about nearly doubled over when he heard her voice. The worst he feared had not come to past and he felt relieved. He almost didn't recognized the now, grown-up Nell but he could not possibly mistake her for anyone else. "Nell." He murmured. He then sheathed his sword as he went up to hug her. "I am glad to see you unharmed." He said into her ear. He then moved back a ways to give her space to breathe. "Speak nothing of it, you are not at fault this night." Giles then looked over to the body of the Baker. "Ahem. I am sorry about...your father....he was, a good man." He said a bit awkwardly. He then looked to Father Carwen with a smile, "It seems the Lord has shown us his grace this evening. For he has kept Nell from harm's way!" He proclaimed.

He then turned to Nell, "Nell, have you any place to stay this night? Obviously here will be out of the question, not only should a daughter not see her father as so, it is also self-evident that staying here is unsafe. Perhaps the Father would allow you sanctuary within the walls of the Lord's House, yes?" Giles asked as he turned to Father Carwen. "Fret not, I shall be there this evening as well and provide you with protection if there is indeed villainy afoot." Giles stated as he returned his gaze back to Nell. "This I promise you." He said as he clasped her hand with both of his.

He then saw a couple of people walking up to the Bakery. It looked like the constable had gotten wind of the murder that has occurred. Following him was the old undertaker, both wearing grim countenances. "Is the body in there?" The Constable asked. Giles then nodded, "Through there." He said as he pointed past the doorway. "Ah, Father Carwen, I see you are here already." The Undertaker spoke. "This is terrible indeed." The Constable muttered. "Have any of you seen what has happened?" The Constable asked. "No, the Father and I had only just arrived." Giles responded. "Hm, perhaps Biron knows more than he let on. Though I can't say why, he seemed rather in the dark about it all." The Constable said to himself. "Biron?" Giles repeated. "The Shopkeeper, he's the one that brought my attention to this crime." The Constable answered. "I am not familiar with that name. Well, it matters not, by the looks of those clouds the rain shall pour any second now. Best we take our leave now to find shelter." Giles suggested.

As he watched what was transpiring across the street from the window of his store, Falastor felt as if his heart was being pulled from his chest. He watched as Nell approached the bakery and then as the strange man went to her. She seemed to recognize him, no, more than recognize him. She seemed to have a level of comfort with this man. Was this a lover of her's?

The sign in the window of his store would remain "closed" for the night. Falastor went to the door and turned the lock. He was not feeling well..not well enough for customers anymore. He walked to the back of the store and removed his cloak, shaking the water from it. A pain hit him suddenly in the pit of his gut and slowly worked it's way to his throat, almost choking him. In a fit of rage he put his fist through a wall. He had a feeling of blood lust wash over him.

He turned again to look out the window, now seeing the man holding Nell's hand in his. Another fit of rage washes over him, another hole in the wall. Trying to shake his head free of the anger that has overtaken him, Falastor walks to the back room of his store. He leans heavily against a wall and tries to breathe deeply. What was wrong? What were these feelings that had gripped him just now? In all his centuries of life, Falastor had felt this emotion perhaps twice. Both times the feeling was connected with a woman that he felt strongly for. He believed the mortals called the feeling "jealousy".

What a fool he had been, he thought, to think that Nell actually had feelings for the likes of him. Undoubtedly she must have sensed the monster he truly was and now her true feelings were showing as she ran to this mortal for comfort instead of him. He felt betrayed, hurt...he felt, he felt alone.

Falstor walked back to the front of the store and dimmed the lamps that had been shining. He once again chanced a look to the bakery. It appeared all parties had gone inside. He had never felt such pain. He slowly made his way to his back room and sat in silence.

---

Ward barely had the time to take in the scene before Giles returned. Before him, the baker's death throes were still visible on his pale face. Ward felt a knot in his chest at the sight, panic only building when he realised that Nell was nowhere to be found. Had she been killed too? Or worse, taken but whoever– or whatever– had killed her father? Dumbstruck with fear, the Father looked into the young lord's face and for the first time in his career, found himself at a loss for words.

His worries were shortlived, as Nell's voice emerged from behind. "Thank the Lord," he heard himself say. He stood on the doorstep of the bakery, slightly hidden behind Giles' large frame as the two youngsters reunited– a ceremony Ward did not want to intrude on. In the distance he could see the constable approaching, alongside the undertaker. Ward was, perhaps not surprisingly, known to them both– and recognised the distinctive step of the constable as he approached.

"You are of course welcome to the church, miss," Ward said, in return to the young lord's suggestion. He noted Nell's quiet demeanour, but decided against suspicion at this point. He was not one to dictate how women ought to grieve, even though her reactions were far different from what he was used to. "It is important, now, to be in the company of friends," he said, glancing at Giles.

Ward doubted that Nell was listening at this point. She seemed entirely distracted, but before he could open his mouth the constable was finally at the scene.

"Ah, Father Carwen, I see you are here already." He turned to see the undertaker looking at him.

Ward nodded in greeting to the man. "Awful tragedy," he said. "Hopefully our constable will be able to shed some light on the matter before the storm overcomes us."

He turned to Giles. "Take Nell ahead to the church, if you will. I wish to say some prayers for her father's soul before I join you."

Falastor looked up from his seat as he heard the voice speak to him, "What seems to be the issue?" it asked him. Looking up, Falastor saw the figure of Lizette leaning against the wall, a smug look on her face. "What difference does it make to you, you vile creature? Doesn't Miss have you off collecting some corpse or something? Why are you bothering me, and...and how did you get in here?"

Falastor was in no mood to put up with the imp's taunting and teasing at this point. He had just seen the woman his heart ached for be taken in by another and what was worse was she seemed to want that. Falastor wondered how he had not been able to read her signs better, how he had thought perhaps she actually cared for him. It was obvious that was not the case, it was merely what he had wanted and hoped for.

“Falastor….I mean Mr. Biron was with me. We happened upon…upon”
“We found his body together…he was escorting me to retrieve my kill…and when we came back…he was…he was just….”

"I, uh, hm." The Constable stood there in silence for a moment. "I'll search the area perhaps there is something around here that could tell us more." The Constable finally spoke as he moved pass the body.

"Take Nell ahead to the church, if you will. I wish to say some prayers for her father's soul before I join you."

Giles nodded as he looked over to Nell. "Best we leave now Nell before anything else might happen this night." He said as he watched her rush towards the bloodied body of her father. "Nell!" Giles called out.

"Oh...oh god...he's...he's dead....I should have been there....if i had been there...I could have saved him...."

Feeling sad for his old friend he then knelt down beside her as she cried. "Nell...I truly am sorry for the tragedy that has befallen you. But you mustn't blame yourself for this, there was no way you could have known that this would happen." He said as he laid a hand on her shoulder. He wasn't sure how to bring her out of her depression, at least long enough to escort her to the church. He then looked over to Ward. "Father, the church is still open correct? I would hate for us to arrive only to find ourselves locked outside our sanctuary." Giles asked.

---

Falastor didn't have anything personal against Lizette, he just didn't much care for demons as a whole. They too often were harbingers of doom and gloom, and while Lizette had not shown such behavior yet, he felt it would only be a matter of time. He listened to her describe herself as many other things, but Falastor's mind was clouded. Only one thought, nay, one person was on his mind at this moment and that was Nell.

"Have you told her how you feel? Of course not, you worry her reaction...yet you needn't worry. I have seen the way she looks at you. She is not just smitten, she is enamored with you and yet you ignore the signs." the demon had said to Falastor. He thought about this. Could it be true? How could Lizette possibly know? But Lizette had spoken truth if ever truth was to be spoken. Falastor did have feelings for Nell, and strong ones at that. But he did fear her rejection. And what when she found out his true nature. Would that not send her fleeing from him. He sighed to himself about ready to tell the demon these very facts when she went to the door.

"Lets play a game... Since I am such an evil being...", Liz said with a grin as she opened the door. "Maybe ill end Nell, therefore ending your issue.... Unless, that is you can get to her first." Falastor watched Nell pass down the street towards the church. The door to his store went shut and the demon was gone.

"No!" Falstor exclaimed as he rushed to the door. He would not allow the demon to lay a hand on Nell. He must reach her first, to warn her, save her, to spill his heart out to her if that is what it would take to save her from whatever demise Liz may have planned. Rushing out into the street, Falastor saw Nell a few buildings down. "Nell!" he shouted out, hoping to gain the woman's attention, "Nell, wait!"

Giles stood up, still at Nell's side, as she gave them permission to move her father's body. Giles turned to Ward as he spoke about fortifying the door but without barring it from entry.

"That's right," he replied. "I secured it from the wind with a beam, as you may remember, but it is not locked. Yourself and the young lady should be able to enter without trouble." "You may want to leave as soon as possible," he added. "The weather might become an unnecessary hinder to us all. We'll want to be safely inside before the storm arrives."

"My thoughts as well." Giles agreed. He then turned to Nell who still looks shaken up, understandably so. "Are you ready?" He spoke. "Stand close to me, alright? We'll be at the Church before long." Giles said as he turned and walked away from the bakery. He kept a slow pace so Nell could keep up without any trouble. Along the way Giles made sure to walk beside her so he can keep a close eye on her. He wasn't sure what was going on but he hoped this violence wasn't meant for her family alone.

Not to say he hopes other villagers will be targeted as well but he fears that this may have been deliberate. Of course it could have been accidental which is the best case scenario. Yet these paranoid thoughts do raise very disturbing questions as to who and why. Who would kill the Baker? Let alone for what reasons. Already this night seemed like a long one but not a bad one. Sure, the sudden death of the Baker is upsetting but being with Nell has brought him comfort at a peculiar time.

He had wanted to so much, tell Nell everything that has happened to him over the last several years. He wanted to tell her about the Capital and his training. He wanted to tell her about the sights he saw and the adventures he had abroad. He wanted to rekindle their friendship once more and hoped to God that the distance had not killed it. She seemed happy to see him and allowed him to comfort her so that was a good sign. As much as he wished to chat it would seem now is not the appropriate time. Maybe after the funeral that would most certainly take place. Then again, he isn't sure how long the mourning period will last.

Most likely well beyond the time he has left for the Trials. Afterwards he will be unable to journey back home for many years yet again. Then a thought crossed his mind, perhaps he should postpone the Trials at least until after this grim business is settled. On the off chance that someone does mean harm to Nell or even to the village, it would be the job of a knight to resolve this matter. Yes he isn't one yet but knightly duty calls to him as naturally as any other man. The Church was within his sights, they would be inside soon.

"We're nearly at the Church, we'll be inside soon alright?" He then said to Nell in a soothing voice. "And if you wish it, you can talk to me about whatever you'd like, anything at all." Giles then placed a hand on her shoulder, "I just want you to know that I am here if you need me." He reassured. It was then Giles turned around when he heard a shout. "What was that?" He spoke.

"Nell!" he shouted out, hoping to gain the woman's attention, "Nell, wait!"

He then saw someone rushing towards them in a rather frantic manner. Not recognizing the stranger Giles instinctively stood between Nell and the Man. "Nell, is this someone that you know?" Giles asked as he eyed the incoming villager.