A New Beginning

[Thorin]

Peace?

Thorin tried to dissect the word in his mind. There had never been a time of peace that he had known. Even now, when they dined in these halls, their so-called “peace” would be made by a false security. Jace would be too young to understand that. He couldn't hold his naïve nature against him. Scoffing at the boys words, he was just trying to teach him to defend himself, rather than break so easily in combat.

When Jace requested to understand him, he wondered how he could. They had lived such different lives and Jace had been born under extreme conditions. How could they possibly relate, when his son had lived the life of a spoiled palace brat? Yet, he spoke words of eloquence.

His mind ascended into a calm thought. Thorin was exhausted from the events and knew he should be by Igraine's side with Morgana. Cursing, he began to place furniture back into its place. He didn't understand what Jace was asking for, considering his own upbringing with his violent father. Being a calm Vuri, was more unsettling than being a violent one.

Thorin would have never dreamed of standing up to Vylrath. If he had said the same words, he would have been cut where he stood. Jace carried the same determination and Thorin recognized it. No matter how many times Vylrath had beaten him down, he had managed to fight back. Jace was giving him the same reaction and that filled Thorin's chest up with pride.

“You wanna know who your father is?” Thorin didn't tower over his son, but he did dominate most of the room. “I am a weapon- a Vuri warrior. All I know are blades and blood. Because of Queen Igraine, I saw something in myself that others ignored. She saved me...so I guess we have her in common.” Thorin's voice sounded pained, as if he didn't want to share what he had just revealed. Knowing the circumstances, Jace would have died, had Igraine not taken him in as her own. He owed her for keeping his son safe.

Pausing, Thorin thought about his next words carefully. “I'm sorry that you didn't get to know your mother. I don't know why your mother abandoned you, but I'm here now.” Thorin felt uncomfortable. All of these emotions were beginning to build up in one place. He had never shared so much with an individual before. If he ever laid eyes on Lydia again, she would regret the day she tricked him. Thorin had no idea that Lydia was actually dead, or that Queen Igraine was responsible for her death.

Thorin stretched awkwardly, feeling the silence begin to thicken between them. “So...what else do you want to know? I'm new at this father-hood thing, so you'll have to go easy on me.” It wasn't an excuse, but merely an explanation on why things were so tense between them. He didn't exactly know how to interact with Jace, let alone find common ground, but he was attempting his best.

[Sage]

A ringing grew in Jace's ears as Thorin spoke. He felt the situation slipping away from him as time went on. Along with the pain in his hand, and the inability to concentrate...or perhaps the cause of it, was an intensely growing hunger. His stomach roared at him despite being relatively well-fed, and his mouth became dry as he tried to speak, longing for moisture.

It was a sensation that was mildly familiar to him. Though he did not need to feed as others like him did, he had craved for human before, though the urge had never been as intense as this. Possibilities buzzed in his mind, perhaps it was his body needing to recover from his outburst of untrained power, or maybe even it was an emotional response, making his anger cause a bloodfrenzy in him. He drowned out the words floating in the room, missing out on the important monologue his father was presenting him with.

All of his thoughts turned to the kill. He thought quickly about where he could find a suitable meal, his crazed mind turning each human that had come into his life and that he had come to know or respect into a kind of livestock to be considered for flaying. In the back of his mind, a small, fractured voice warned him of the trouble he might get into for going through with his plan, but the growing noise and hunger were too much to ignore, where his father and conscience were easily put aside.

Making his decision, he came to a moment of clarity where he could function normally for the briefest of moments before he turned for the door. Thorin wanted to know what question Jace had for him next, and he blurted out the only thing he could think of, callous though it would sound.

" When are you leaving? "

With that, he left the destroyed room and began a near sprint to the opposite side of the castle, near the servant's quarters. There was a girl there, a maid who was responsible for keeping the dining areas clean. She always stared at him in the halls, taken with his boyish good looks. As he scurried to her, his body naturally took a more human appearance, overwriting the greyish skin and retracting his deadly claws and teeth. Part of him wanted to go to Igraine, to ask for help, and for an explanation for these feelings and urges. But she was busy, and his mind was set. He would appear irresistible to her, and so it was with no questions or resistance that he took her by the arm when he found her and pulled her into a nearby closet.

His eyes betrayed his hunger, but an instinctive predatory response allowed him to appear more sexually aroused than homicidal. She buckled under his grip, considering how her youthful fantasies might be coming true in the next few seconds, trying to appear seductively innocent though she was experiencing a mixture of thrill and fright at Jace's lustful advances. Little did she understand what blow fate was about to deal her, with Jace's razored claws as it's instrument.

[Igraine]

The whole fiasco that occurred between father and son sent everyone but Kahlan scurrying. She oversaw the removal of Igraine, Morgana, and Nimue to a safer area. Her eyes, a steely grey blue, watched the interaction carefully as she blended into the destroyed scene. A few bits of marble and stone had grazed her arms and face, leaving a few thin smears of blood on her skin. She crossed her arms, quietly keeping track of what was going on.

She had just said no hostilities among the two sides. However, here the father and son duo of the year were at each other’s throats, destroying parts of her castle with their angst. She had eyes only for Thorin, briefly, before watching Jace sprint out of the room. Her voice would come through the settling of dust and debris.

“I will allow this slight against me, just once. You just endangered your wife, your unborn child, and the child you just welcomed into the world with your display. I understand your need to connect with your son, but please consider doing it away from the castle grounds. Igraine and Nimue will be looked after.” Kahlan left then, wandering behind Jace, following where servants directed her until she heard a rattling around in a closet.

Kahlan opened the closet door to see Jace entangled with a young servant girl. Still alive and flushed, thinking she was going to receive a very delicious lesson from what could only be a prince – because he had come with Queen Igraine and was included in the grand party. If she got pregnant she could harass him for money and not have to work. That was the young girl’s plan, but she had no idea that Kahlan was saving her life. The old Queen had some idea of what she was doing as she reached in and tugged the girl out, spun her, and shoved her stumbling down the hall toward the kitchens.

“Out.” Kahlan guided the young Bocan out of the closet and held his forearm lightly in her hands. It was obvious what she was. Jace would know her because of Igraine’s many stories of her mother’s journey through life.

“We don’t devour the servants. If you have dietary needs and prefer human, we have prisoners for that. I prefer you eating the murderers and such, if you don’t mind. I have no use of their kind and they only take up space in the prisons.” Kahlan’s voice was soft, calm, even as she guided Jace on a slow meandering walk through the castle, and up the stairs toward her old rooms – where Igraine would be relaxing.

“Your father is new to his role. I am sorry that you had to go through that unprepared, but I would be very happy if you did refrain from blowing parts of my castle to bits. I can tell you have questions, you may ask them freely. I have no qualms about answering anything that you need to understand.”

[Thorin]

“Jace--!”

Thorin called after his son, but he only saw him running in the opposite direction. Just as he was about to chase after him, Kahlan appeared and shared her view on the incident. Grimacing at the thought of injuring Igraine, Nimue, or the new baby, he kept himself calm. Thorin breathed in, feeling the anger subside with what was at stake.

He wouldn't turn into Vylrath and abandon his family.

With fists clenched, he used his shadow step to keep up with Kahlan and Jace. He wouldn't be surprised if Kahlan sensed him, given what she was, but Jace was barely in control of his powers. Jace might have been raised by another man, another kingdom, but he was still his son. Watching Jace's inner turmoil, he allowed Kahlan to comfort him, not wanting to destroy her ability to calm him. Keeping silent, he would watch in amazement, at the Vuri trait showing so early in Jace. Kahlan wouldn't understand how to handle him, or be able to explain his desires.

Thorin had gone through them all and knew what Jace would experience. As a father, it was up to him to explain his heritage. Kahlan's pace quickened, until they reached the room Igraine was relaxing in. Thorin hadn't forgotten about Nimue, his worry for their unborn child growing. Sharing a glance with Igraine and nodding at his wife, he turned toward Kahlan.

“I would like some words with my son...if you don't mind.” Thorin waited for some intense reaction, even an outburst. Kahlan was known for restraining her anger, but he was Vylrath's son. Moving past Kahlan, he stood in front of Jace, but not in an intimidating manner.

“You are my flesh and blood- you cannot run from that. Trust me, I've tried. You have to accept it, if you are going to overcome it. You are craving blood and flesh, but once you feed, you will not feel that hunger for awhile.” by awhile, Thorin meant weeks. Vuri could go for weeks without feeding, given the proper nutrition.

“As for your question, I am not leaving and don't intend to.” Thorin paused, looking at Jace directly. “You can hate me all you want, even scorn my existence, but I will still be there when you need me.” Folding his arms, he dared anyone to interrupt. He had made a promise to himself years ago, before Jace or Morgana, that he would never be like his father. Vylrath left as soon as things didn't go his way, but he would be a different man and be a different example for his son.

“You can't get rid of me that easily, Jace .Whether you like it or not, I am your father and you are my son.” There may have been someone in his place, but a father's bond to his son was different. Jace would be going through hell and he would be one of the few who could help him.

Going to Nimue, he kissed her and gave her an apologetic look. Igraine would be giving him a glare full of daggers. His mother would be disappointed in him, but maybe she would understand his stance on everything. Vylrath had repeatedly abandoned his family, or turned it into absolute chaos. Isabella would be the one to see him trying to break that cycle. She had been the one to share his pain and inner chaos created by his father.

Morgana had been left in her grandmother's arms, but he took her back in his, so she would feel his security all over again. Thorin could be gentle, but it was a rare sight. Holding Morgana gave him a new outlook on life. Jace asking him to leave, made him realize the importance of his presence to his children and family. He had been hoping for a better outcome and it didn't help that Jace was even more stubborn than he was. Attempting to mend things with his son would be difficult, but at least he wasn't walking away.

“I'm here, if you are willing- you are my top priority.”

[Sage]

Jace sighed, exhausted. As the girl was removed from his presence, he seemed to return to normal, despite being unfulfilled. He saw Kahlan first, and was relieved and embarrassed at the same time. Then he saw his father, and he was as unsure as ever about his feelings for him. What should he feel when he saw his father coming now?

Was he an enemy? A good man? A neglectful father? He was all these things and more, and it was not within Jace to determine which part of his father was more important to him. He allowed his body to collapse into the linens piled around him, drained as he was. His eyes found Kahlan's own stern gaze, and he nodded.

" I would very much like to eat something. Just regular food, anything. "

He turned to his father, a glazed expression overwhelming his usually alert face. He sounded tired when he spoke, and he appeared to be on the verge of nodding off to sleep where he lay. Embarrassed and weak as he was, he wished he could just close the room and pass out in his own wallowing misery. He admired his father's stance. He was as arrogant and stubborn as one would expect from a Xanathi man, but his attempt at fatherhood was admirable.

" I don't think we're ready for each other yet. But you have your daughters, and I will visit when Nimue's child is born, if you let me. "

[Thorin]

Thorin took something that had been tied to his waste. The flask was small, with an oddly colored liquid that churned crimson inside the container. “Catch...you'll need this, before you attempt to eat anything normal. Unless you want to be even sicker than you are now?” Tossing the flask to Jace, he waited to see if he would drink the substance. The blood was from an average human, freshly killed before his arrival here. Thorin always prepared himself, in case his hunger returned during moments like these. He had seen his father go mad from the hunger and he knew what it could do to a man's mind.

“If you do not drink, you will go on a killing spree.” Thorin took his sword back, which was more than likely neglected against a wall. The sword was returned to its sheath and original master. Jace would see the pulsation of runes and its reaction to Thorin's presence.

“I can provide you the blood, so that you do not have to kill.” He said quietly, hoping Jace would come to his senses and accept the blood in the vial. Thorin had witnessed what Jace had attempted on the innocent girl- it could have had a very gory ending. He knew that Jace was not the typical Xanathi type to enjoy bloodshed. His son would not have been able to live with himself.

“You were always welcome in my home. I may have daughters, but I only have one son.” Shaking his head, he knew that Jace possibly feared him, rather than scorn him. "You do not need to use your sister as an excuse to visit." Shrugging, it would be left up to Jace and whether or not he made the journey himself. Thorin knew it was dangerous to intervene and suggest otherwise.

"I doubt it will be very exciting, considering I'm working on weapons and armor for Queen Mab." Cursing silently, he knew he would be missing days work, but he couldn't just abandon his daughter's birth.

[Sage]

Jace made a weak effort to catch the flask, and fumblingly pulled it down from the air and into his grip. He would keep it, just in case, but he felt as though his urge for blood had passed, and he did not want to consume life if it was not absolutely necessary. But it was a caring gesture, he thought to himself, and he smiled as he steadied himself enough to stand. His own sheathed sword had come off in the struggle, and he decided he would leave it.

The warrior's path was not for Jace, and he did not need some flimsy piece of metal to protect his loved ones. It would take a lot more than a single visit from his father to change his mind about the disposition he had developed over the course of his short life. The boy was tall, already the height of his father, but lankier.

" I can kill, if I must. " There was a dangerous undertone in his words. He was not known to kill his own food, but his hands were not completely clean, either. He had never killed someone who was not a complete stranger, and he would have mourned the girl if he had killed her unnecessarily, but that would not have impeded him from feasting on her to sustain himself.

He excited to hear that he was welcome to visit, and then immediately saddened that if he wanted to see him, he would have to watch his father craft weapons that could very well be used to end his mentor and protector's life. Everything about his life was conflict, and he was becoming ever-more annoyed with his neutrality. How could he possibly be made to understand the differences of his family, when all the bad blood had started before he was even born? How could they understand how he loved Seelie and Unseelie alike, when they were all too busy hating and killing each other?

Jace dusted himself off, and cleared his throat, making his way out into the hall passed his father and Kahlan. " I hope I will see you at the feast, " the boy sighed to his father. He shuffled off with one of his many caretakers from the castle to his room to rest until it was time to eat which would, hopefully for him, be soon.

[Thorin]

Thorin smiled at Jace's words. He knew the boy could kill, but he was not as reckless as the other Xanathi males. It appeared that Jace lacked lessons, even in basic logic with rivalries, or potential threats. Filtering into his mind, Thorin spoke with a thick arrogance.

Never turn your back on your enemy. Always make them take the first step.

Jace was not a disappointment, but a curiosity for Thorin. He wondered if Jace knew his full abilities, or that he could use his mind to transfer speech.

Vuri lived in fear and paranoia, but maybe it had been inherited as a trait as well. Thorin only had peaceful moments with Igraine, but even those were stolen by future war. Jace's neutrality, forced Thorin to consider him a weak link. With their connection, King Pendaran could easily make Jace choose sides.

Sit with me at the feast and you can tell me all about the Unseelie. Thorin challenged Jace, since he constantly reminded him that he supported both sides. He wanted to see what Jace supported and what was worth saving with the Unseelie. Thorin didn't necessarily want sensitive subjects exposed, but he did want to see his son's viewpoint on a race he hated with a passion.

Watching his son exit, he shook his head and rubbed at a phantom migraine. Deciding to leave Kahlan, he made his way for the feast, hoping they would have some exotic wine available. It was up to Jace if he joined him, but he wasn't going to force his company. Exhausted, Thorin was beginning to welcome the Unseelie and their celebration.

There would be a reserved seat for Jace and one for his wife. Thorin impatiently waited for the others to join, wishing they were meeting under better circumstances. The Unseelie watched the nervous Vuri, their scornful eyes showing a new kind of hate for the creature.

[Ongaku]

Avery sat at the table, examining the place setting. His gaze was on the silverware. He wanted it impeccable. His slender fingers traveled along the length of a fork. The boy that sat at the table was one of the Unseelie, but he was not the same as the others in the room. He was blissfully unaware of his Unseelie heritage and that was due to the fact that his mother, Cybil, had a bitter hatred for the Unseelie that she never explained to him.

He was a youth with the appearance of a sixteen year old. Avery's fingers gripped the fork in his hands and suddenly his gaze snapped upwards. He looked like a carbon copy of his mother, Cybil, with pale skin, dark hair and bright green eyes. He silently wondered where she was. His gaze was vacant as he met Thorin and Jace with his eyes.

Avery stood slowly. He was thin and tall. "Greetings. Mother will be joining us later. She told me to sit here and wait for you." He sat back down and seemed to drift off in his own world.

He began to talk to himself, unaware that there might be other people listening. "She said I'd belong here and I'd be safe. I don't know who these people are. I don't feel very safe either." He murmured under his breath.

Cybil walked in, staring at Thorin and Jace like she was a cat trapped inside of a small room. She felt out of place. Cybil twisted one of her braids around her fingers. She and Avery sat next to one another. Unlike Avery, she was significantly shorter. Her lips curved upwards into a mad smile.

"Good evening." She greeted Thorin. "It is so lovely to be invited to a feast with such an esteemed guest list." She sounded like she was on the verge of laughter. "I'm sure there is a show that is about to begin." She clapped once, probably catching the attention of the others in the room.

With a blush and a firm grasp from Avery, she was calmed. Cybil looked at Avery, then back at Thorin and Jace. Avery looked back at the table again.

"My name is Avery and this is my mother, Cybil. We are friends of Thorin." He sounded robotic almost. "I'm sorry for being so rude earlier."

He wasn't rude.

[Sage]

It was an hour or so after his departure when Jace returned. He was back to his mortal disguise, but he seemed rested, not at all on the verge of a mental breakdown. His armor and sword were noticeably absent, replaced instead with a loosely-fitting silk shirt and pants, drawn tight around the waist. It was a tad flashy, and perhaps even feminine, though it was worthy of his princely facade.

He paced around the outside of the room, greeting guests, staying purposefully clear of Thorin. However, servants busied themselves' changing the seating at Jace's request, a tiny, frail card representing the youngest Xanathi male now placed next to Thorin's seat.

[Thorin]

Thorin smiled, watching Jace being ushered to sit near him. The boy obviously didn't like the idea, but Thorin wasn't here to pamper him, or make him feel comfortable- he was there to be his father. When Cybil arrived, their situation began to feel awkward. Cybil was someone he had met just recently, but there was still tension surrounding them. Her son was extremely awkward, but maybe he would feel at ease around Jace.

Before he could introduce Cybil, or speak directly to her, he began to feel a beckon from Nimue. His wife hardly beckoned to him, except when she was in need of him. She wasn't the type to abuse her powers, so it was unusual for her to interrupt him during the feast. Apologizing to Cybil, he asked her to keep Igraine company and explain the situation.

Nimue was about to give birth.

Looking at Jace, he shared only a brief alarmed expression. Jaced wanted so badly to be apart of their family, so he saw no harm in taking the boy with him. Hastily grabbing Jace, he forced him into the shadow step. The shadow world was like an extension of their own- it was perfectly mirrored, only showing the truth behind a person's true nature. Normal men would go insane from visiting the shadow realm, but Jace had it in his blood. He would feel a slight pull, until he was fully consumed by a shroud of boundless depth.

This was the perfect way to introduce Jace to his ability and force him to react to a situation. Exiting the realm was easy for Thorin, but Jace would have to disconnect from that reality. If Jace disconnected too soon, there could be greater consequences, but he appeared to be at ease with his gift.

“Welcome to my home...it's now yours too. Nimue is about to give birth. I wanted you to be there for it.” Pausing, Thorin watched Jace advance onto the physical plane. Jace would feel exhaustion and maybe a little frustration from his first experience. Chuckling, he motioned toward a humble estate, which was neighbored by an open smithy.

“Now you know how to travel here...let's go welcome your sister.” Not giving Jace a chance to object, Thorin began to walk toward his home. Amariel would be busy attending Nimue and the servants would be in a frenzy.