Homeage

[Igraine]

Caela froze, barely moving and barely breathing. The only sign that she wasn't a statue was the faint rise and fall of her chest as she watched Thorin. He looked uncomfortable in his own skin and she didn't blame him. He had such a history with this family and this city. When she moved, Caela moved slowly so as not to startle her older brother.

"Your given name was Roen." It was a simple statement and none of the children present would recognize the name. It was taboo for her to speak it. There were scars on her body from Vylrath's anger at the loss of Isabella when she birthed Caela. He was angry about a lot back then, chief among them Roen for starting a war that killed the woman he thought he loved. Vylrath was incapable of love and Caela knew that more than anyone still living.

"My brother, such strife occurred before my birth. I wish you to know that I harbor no ill will toward you. Isabella will not either, you were her first and she has spoken of you to me. I was not raised by her and I have only had a few years to know her." Caela rested her hand, soft and warm, on Thorin's shoulder. She looked unsettling at first glance with her ethereal coloring, but she exhuded a calm motherly exterior and a calming presence. Most people that came into contact with Caela now that she was Vuri found themselves staring more often than not, but wanting to be close to her for her comfort.

"I would like to welcome you back into the Rivenfelde clan, however humbled we may be at this time." Caela cast her gaze across the room. The future of this amazing family was here, in this room, and there was such power in it.

"Igraine will be the one to take you to our mother. She knows the paths of the Faerie Realm like no other. She was born there, you know. She must speak for your presence, because they no longer allow outsiders into their midst. Our family has been the last to achieve any foothold with their kind." Caela smiled at her youngest sister and kissed her forehead gently.

Igraine blushed and smiled at Caela, looking up to her like a second mother. Her glance carried over to the lonely looking Thorin and she held out her small soft hands to him.

"I will gladly take you to see your mother, Thorin. It would be my pleasure to introduce you to the realm that I was born."

[Thorin]

Thorin listened to Caela speak, hearing his sister's voice for the first time. It reminded him of his mother's, with its harmonious tones and soothing words of affection. He didn't need to feel like a burden here any longer. It was obvious that they were welcoming him into the family, but he didn't want to think of it as a solid understanding- so much had happened since he had been practically banished.

When she mentioned the fairy realm, he cringed inside. He had heard of the mystical realm and understood that creatures like himself were not always welcome in. Sometimes they even killed traveler's with the taint. He often wondered how his father had gotten into the realm and still managed to keep his head all that time.

He listened to her explain Igraines past and her birth place. The fae in her would explain her unnatural beauty and the fact that she could attract anyone to her presence. Thorin was surprised that she had tolerated him, being part demon, but then he remembered his nephew. Perhaps Igraine enjoyed the company of the less pure.

Thorin had been born of the shadows and had grown accustomed to that world. He considered himself lucky of the taint, especially after his banishment- it made dealing with his solitude much easier. He glanced toward Igraines hand, it's petite form reaching out to him. He took it, timidly, wondering how she would react to his essence. The shadows were not always kind to something so pure and invasive.

“Please take me to her then and we'll see if they recognize my father in me. Maybe your purity and status will convince them that I'm not an enemy of the outside world.” Thorin said, waiting for her to lead him into the fae.

[Igraine]

Caela watched Igraine take Thorin's hand and head toward the door. Her eyes caught her half sister and she smiled. Thorin had no idea that they were related, but Caela said nothing. It wasn't her place to divulge Kahlan's history. Besides, this family had a...penchant for breeding among themselves.

"Be careful." Igraine heard the warning in Caela's voice and she ducked her head in a nod that could be construed as a slight bow. Caela was her older half sister through Vylrath. She felt the taint in Thorin as they held hands but she thought nothing of it, she hadn't met Isabella before she had a taint herself, so she had no idea that the woman had once been a mortal human.

"The easiest way to pass between worlds is to step through the doorway in my castle. My mother built the castle many years ago and once she decided to stay in the Faerie she gave the Kingdom to me. It is a week's journey from Rivenfelde City, do you still want to come with me?" Igraine searched Thorin's eyes carefully with her own brilliant emerald eyes. She was quickly becoming partial to the strange outlaw. She didn't think it wise to ask him why he had to be reaccepted into his family.

Igraine simply waited to have Thorin's answer on the journey north.

[Thorin]

The shadows beckoned to him, making his nerves go on edge with every movement. “I suppose they'll take offense if we travel through shadow- it would be faster.” Thorin said, wondering how she would survive in their depths. It wasn't he shadows themselves that he worried about, but the creatures that also dwelled within them.

He nodded toward his sister Caela, the one he trusted the most in this room. He still had to feel out Trydian and he didn't like the welcoming he had received from him. Thorin took hold of her hand, noting the temperature change between the two.

“I'm ready.” He pushed aside his coat, revealing a sheathed blade- something left to him by his father. It could only be used by someone of demonic blood. “We'll be safe. I'm not letting you, or this blade out of my sight.”

[Igraine]

Igraine let Thorin's hand go as they descended the stairs of the Inn. She located her coat by the fire. She slowly shook it out and glanced around the room. It was relatively sparse, all things considered, but she thought nothing of it. Igraine slipped her coat on and buttoned it up under her chin. Soon enough there would be snow and she would miss this relatively mild winter in Xexoria.

"My horse is stabled nearby, do you have a horse? If not we can get you one or you can ride with me." Igraine pulled her hair back in a tight pony tail and revealed her softly angled face, a mix of her heritage and the wild faery magic that ran through her veins.

"Let's go." Taking a note out of her mother's book, Igraine walked quickly through the shuffling crowd to another nearby Inn. She tipped the boy at the door and walked out with a tall silver and blonde dappled horse. Her mother's stallion had followed her into the Faery, but this was his offspring with a beautiful blonde mare. With hardly a second thought she pulled herself effortlessly atop the horse and thrust her hand out to Thorin.

"We'll get you a horse in another town, Xexorian's are known to fleece outsiders -- even Monarchs. We'll meet up with my soldiers outside Rivenfelde and we'll be safer on our journey to Ulster, my Kingdom."

[Thorin]

Thorin had never honestly ridden on a horse before, but he felt awkward sharing a ride with Igraine- even if she was trying to be generous and helpful to the situation. He didn't take her hand, but walked forward, knowing he could keep up. He had traveled on foot for years now, so he was used to the rugged terrain.

“Show me the way to the horses. I'll pick out my own stead.” Thorin was always cautious, but Igraine was the first one to actually be social with him and treat him like a person. He shouldn't think too hard about it, since she was some sort of royalty and probably used to the idea of dealing with people. Thorin sighed, feeling for his blade once more and hoping that the guards wouldn't find him untrustworthy for carrying such a curious weapon.

“I suggest you speak to your guards and explain why I'm with you. There has been a history of trouble with demons and I'm sure they'll see that I'm different from you, or anyone else around here.” Thorin looked ahead toward the stables and gates nervously, wondering why he was going through with this- even if it was to see his mother, it seemed like a risk for Igraine as well.

He had been a quiet outcast, until he had recently met Igraine. Since then, his world seemed to be ever changing with her presence. Ulster sounded like it was a place where he could be at peace, but he wondered if they would accept Igraine for bringing in a half demon and tainting their realm.

[Igraine]

"My men will not question me." Igraine spoke simply and without bravado. There was no sense of entitlement from her like a normal princess might have. Then again, Igraine had been in control of Ulster in part for several years now. Kahlan had trusted her entirely, and when she made the final fade into the Faery Realm she trusted her daughter completely to rule a country she had come to love.

Everyone joked lovingly that the new High Queen of Ulster was as Fae as they come, but none of them realized -- truely -- that she was quite the Fae child with a generous sprinkling of Angelic virtues. Kahlan had left none of Vylrath's taint on this child of hers.

"Suit yourself. There is a stable near where my men are stationed outside the city. It is just shy of three miles from here. We'll meet up with my men two miles outside the city." Igraine fixed her emerald green eyes on Thorin and smiled a roguish smile that, if Thorin had known Kahlan, he would have found strikingly similar.

"Do try to keep up." Igraine nudged her horse forward into a trot with her knees as she pulled a hood on her jacket up over her wheat blonde hair and casting part of her face in shadow.

It didn't take long to meet up with the soldiers. Igraine guided her horse off the road and behind a shack that, if one looked closely would see that it was the same shack that Vylrath raised Caela in. She cupped her hands around her mouth and let out a shrill call that sounded like a wild bird.

Seemingly from nowhere men started to materialize out of the sand and shrubbery. They all wore sand colored uniforms made especially for the terrain of Xexoria which had been in use since the treaties of Xexoria and Ulster had been established decades ago. They all wore a black leather strap around their right bicep with short barb-like protrusions. They were an elite force trained specifically for the protection of the High Queen of Ulster.

"Hello boys." Igraine said with a smile. "We're going to have company back home." All of the men would look at Thorin when he arrived, and nod without saying a word. He was accepted among them because their Queen accepted him. That would only change if the half demon man hurt Igraine.

[Thorin]

Thorin watched the guards come out of the foliage in perfectly camouflaged armor. He envied their armor, knowing that his street wear might not hold up, compared to their ingenious design. “You'd think that I would have fancier wear than your soldiers, but I look poorer than a common folk.” Thorin said almost callously, but he instantly bowed to the men who revealed themselves from the shadowy forest. Their eyes held no humor, but a seriousness and wit.

“I suppose I should give you my blade, so that they don't think I'm out to harm you while we're venturing into the fae...” Thorin asked her, almost whispering. He felt like he was amongst statues, because none of the men moved without her word.

When they arrived at the shack, he felt his nerves tense. He almost wanted to draw out his blade, too many memories creeping in. He only remembered his shock and disgust, while his father banished him and his mother did nothing to stop it. If he was going to meet with Isabella, then he needed to put his anger aside.

“This place should be burned and left with only a marker of what it was.” Thorin didn't step as close to the shack as Igraine did, but he didn't expect her to react the same way- she was not tied to his history as the others were.

[Igraine]

"Keep your weapon." It wasn't Igraine's voice that spoke up. She was standing a few feet away discussing travelling arrangements and procuring a horse for Thorin. The voice that spoke was gravelly and coarse, the voice of a soldier. He had the strangest soft lilt to his voice that gave him an exotic appeal in this desert land, and a shock of bright red hair that marked him Ulsterian by birth.

"You wouldn't get a chance to use it on the Queen." The man spoke simply and uncrossed his arms to hold his hand out to Throin. "The name's Aiden McDougall. I'm the second in command in her Majesty's personal guard." Aiden was a wall of muscle and stood at least a head taller than Thorin. Perhaps the jokes about the breeding in Ulster were true.

"Queen Igraine is speaking with Arthur MacFlynn. He's our leader." Arthur was about Igraine's height, strong looking, but not nearly as muscled as the rest of the men idling around. Unbeknownst to Thorin, Arthur had given the order to watch him at all costs. They wouldn't let a half demon kill the Queen on their watch -- and they were always watching.

"Looks like we got lucky, Thorin. The boys bought a few horses while I was in the city and you can ride one of them." Before Thorin could object Igraine raised her hand to cut him off. "Xexoria breeds a great traveling horse. Ulster produces a great plow horse and a great carriage horse. You do the math. We buy as many Xexorian horses while we're here as we can take back with us."

As they spoke two blonde haired young men brought forward a sleek black horse that snorted when it saw Thorin. It didn't look particularly thrilled at having a half demon ride on it's back.

"Well, let's ride. We can make half the distance to the border of Xexoria before nightfall. I don't know about you but I don't particularly like the idea of camping in the sands of the desert if I don't have to." Igraine swung herself back into her saddle and looked pointedly at Thorin. She was actually enjoying herself, which she hadn't done in quite a long time.

[Thorin]

He was beginning to relate to his father, which is something that he never thought would occur in his lifetime. The tone from the man struck Thorin as arrogant and pretentious. Something about the man's stance and gaze set Thorin off- he immediately wanted to be with Igraine. After all, he had sworn to protect her and be by her side at all times, even if this fool would never understand.

Thorin knew that the man's words had cut deeper than any blade. He could never see himself harming Igraine. Thorin wasn't used to her having such a grandeur title. Normally, he wouldn't shake a being's hand, no matter their title or importance to the cause. However, from the attitude Aiden shared with him, he suddenly had a desire to show him who he was.

Taking Aidens hand, he converted his demonic energy into his body. It would feel like a convulsion of sickness that only Aiden would experience. Thorin's strength would transfer, only momentarily- long enough for Aiden to get a grasp of what Thorin was- he was not a normal being, but not someone to intimidate either. He possessed Vylrath Xanathi's blood and this would be the first time he felt the desire to flaunt his blood line.

“My name is Thorin Xanathi...I am here to protect Igraine at all costs. I command the shadow realm and the creatures that dwell within- as did my father. I only use my blade against an enemy of Igraine. I am sure you are a man of honor and will do the right thing for your Queen.” He let go of the man's hand, letting the energy transfer only momentarily- it would appear as if Aiden had some sort of physical upset, but both men knew what had really transpired between them. Thorin had let the man know that he wouldn't be intimidated.

He walked forward to meet with Igraine and calm the steed. Bowing lightly at Arthur, he nodded at Igraine and mounted on nervous creature. After he had shared a brief conversation with Aiden, he decided that the only person he could trust in this party, would be Igraine.