Loss of Innocence

[Sage]

Xavier watched, secretly, from afar. Her progressive would prove impressive, even in the military, but it would take more than talent to keep her alive, considering who was after her. She needed to be a prodigy, like her sister. She needed to acquire Focuses as Destiny had, even if Xavier had to take shortcuts to get to them. There was a sharp pain in his chest and throat as he considered his options, and he began to descend as the statue crumbled after the her eleventh try.

He was surprised she hadn't acquired a Focus when attacked by her own mother, but perhaps she was too scared and hopeless for victory. But he had instilled in her the knowledge that lake devils were weak to fire. He hoped that was enough to trigger the right combination of emotions in her to gain her first Focus. He searched for a suitable candidate for this hard lesson. On the shore of the far side of the island he was rewarded.

Lake devils were a hideous and terrible sight to behold. They walked on four legs, like a dog, but were scaly and reptilian, almost like wingless dragons. In place of plated scales, however, they had a hide with a coat of ten to fifteen sharp spines along their back. These spines could bristle and flay, allowing them to become hydrodynamic for swimming, while they could also flex and retract them to propel themselves through the water at incredible velocity.

He grabbed the shrieking creature by it's long tail, which ended in a flat, bladelike protrusion and drug it through the forest toward Claire. The sound of the approaching creature and it's shrill wails would likely scare even the stoutest man senseless, but he hoped Claire would react aggressively, before he had to intervene. The creature he had grabbed was a juvenile, easily something Claire could deal with if she developed her Focus in pyrokinesis, but whether he had to save her or she succeeded, he could only imagine how angry she would be with him.

As he approached the outer ring of the clearing, still unseen, he flung the creature toward the girl. It hissed as it rolled along the ground, and jumped up, spitting a purple mist of semi-acidic liquid onto the ground as it's attention turned to the young noble. Agitated and hungry, it began to circle her, being careful not to get too close to the bonfire.

[Claire]

Claire stood up immediately when the creature rolled into the campsite. She kept her eyes on the hideous beast as it began to circle her. She was ten years old but she had enough snap to realize she needed to keep her eyes on the beast, that taking her eyes away from it would mean certain death. Was there fear? Of course, who wouldn’t be afraid of something that spit purple acidic clouds and looked as if its maker had a great sense of morbid humor?

It happened so fast that Claire would have a hard time reconciling exactly how she’d known what to do. It had just seemed natural. As the beast lunged for her, Claire leapt backwards off the pile of rubble she’d been standing on and drew a fireball from the fire. There was a moment when everything went completely still, that moment she’d heard so many people describe as they thought they were about to die, and then she launched the fireball at the creature.

There was adrenaline pumping in Claire’s veins as she landed hard on her back, the creature sailing over her with a sticky ball of fire attached to its chest. As Claire rolled to her feet and into a crouch, something that came so natural to her that she didn’t even have to consider how she should maneuver, she watched the creature writhe and roll to put the fire out. Taking advantage of its distraction, Claire launched another fireball at its backside. The exhilaration she felt at the moment she lit it on fire made the young girl heady with relief and control. The feeling that she could take care of herself nearly made her want to scream with triumph as the creature burst into brilliant flame, a reaction to its creator’s emotions.

As the lake devil collapsed into a stinking pile of charred bone and flesh, Claire sat down by the fire again. She allowed everything to wash back over her and when she realized it she stood up so fast she nearly fell over.

She had a focus. Destiny had talked about the feeling before, what it was like to get a focus. How it was the most exhilarating feeling in the world. Claire literally felt as if she could fly she was so thrilled with herself for being able to conquer what most people would consider a dangerous creature. She sat back down again and focused on the fire, pulling a stream of it out and worked it between her fingers and around her arm and wrist; she switched arms and was no less enamored with the element at her disposal. Her face was awash with orange and yellow light, and to her complete interest she was able to make the blue flame at the center grow larger. She wasn’t able to make the flame completely blue, but she wondered if Xavier would know what she needed to do in order to change the color.

Xavier. Where was he? Claire lifted her head and continued to play with the fire on her arms and hands. Surely he wouldn’t be so far as to really allow her to get killed by a lake demon? Not after he had saved her at her sister’s request. Claire began to wonder if Xavier was behind the whole event.

In reaction to her sudden realization that Xavier might have put her in danger, the fire flared blue and held. Her arms held white hot fire in intricate rivulets that curled and wound their way around their new mistress.

“Xavier, where are you?” Claire said in an even speaking tone, knowing that Xavier would hear her if he were nearby. She hoped that she was wrong, for his sake.

[Sage]

She picked up on his rouse quickly, even after being in such a panicked state. He was proud of her, and scared for her at the same time. He did not trust himself enough to believe he could prepare her for the truth about what had happened that night, much less the eventual encounter with the real monster behind the mask of her mother's face. But for the moment, she would have to deal with the imminent disappointment of her dinner for the night. Devil for dinner, was an acquired taste.

Moving along...

Over time, the pair would have made their home in the ruins of the Gottheit Shrine, converting the old buildings into a passable self-sustaining homestead. They had everything they needed, and what people were not kept away by the devils were met with the 'Ghost of Xavier Gottheit.' As Claire grew, and learned from Xavier, disguising themselves' to venture back into the world became a possibility. Eventually they became travelers, and Claire went with Xavier on more and more of his bloody errands.

She had not been with him when he had originally captured the Fang and died attempting to return it to the kingdom, but she was made to watch her mentor die, a second time. He was stalked by an assassin and a reaper into the capital and flung into Reverie, severing Claire's access to him for nearly a year. She thrived, despite being alone, thanks to Xavier's lessons.

When Sieg usurped the throne from his brother, the trauma of seeing his King flung into Reverie next to him awakened his willpower, and he was able to escape. When Xavier returned to his student, they had each begun an entirely new chapter of their lives. Claire was becoming quite the talented young woman, and Xavier was filled to the brim with new purpose, where his first death had left him with none. Claire was all that was important to the ex-soldier/ex-mercenary.

He saw in her now, what he had seen in her sister. She was still unable to fill the shoes left behind by her prodigal sibling, but she was closer to safety than he had ever thought possible for her. Thanks to her training, she had become proficient with throwing knives. After a fateful duel between Xavier and a Gartel, Claire had begged him to teach her how to fight with a weapon like him. She would be able to fling and curve the flight of the blades much like Xavier's own interlocking butterfly sword.

In addition to her new physical skills, she had become insanely talented with fire magic, as well as picking up a few lesser tricks along the way. She could control and superheat the flame to a blue hue, though she could still not create white flame, a signature trait of the True King, Syrus Warheight. It was a point of great contention between the two, as Xavier pushed her to train harder, and she adamantly stated that it was not possible for her. Truly, it was the only thing they fought seriously about, anymore.

It was during one of these arguments that Claire had viciously reminded Claire that, 'at least she could perform magic with her meager aura, unlike Xavier' who was well-known for his incredible aura, but inability to perform even the slightest magical feat, that Xavier went to the capital alone, and was taken from her for a year. Upon his return, he chose not to speak of it, and it had not yet been mentioned almost another whole year later.

At present, Claire's birthday was less than a month away, and she would be sixteen years of age. It was a momentous occasion for most Algerothian girls, and Xavier tried to prepare in secret as much as possible for a practice in normalcy for his ward. She had made inquiries, suspicious of his frequent absences, but she had thusfar been wrong. What she wanted most was a pet, something to care for and foster motherly instincts she had forgotten since she was a child, with her little ragdoll.

But Xavier, wise in the matters of attrition and violence, would not allow it. Having a pet created an unnecessary weakness, something to be used against you, and force you to act as you normally wouldn't. Unrelenting were her questions, for a time, but as the day grew near, she seemed to develop patience, able to wait the remaining days until her surprise.

He sat now, at their table, reading reports from the capital about Sieg's movements. The surface of every piece of furniture in their living area was littered with scrolls and books, not least of which were spellbooks obtained from Roth on their latest excursion, whereby Claire had learned how to cast minor illusion magic over their home. From the outside, it would appear the same rundown cobblestone structures. But inside the magical field, their obvious improvements would be clearly visible.

[Claire]

Time passed slowly for Claire, even slower for the year that Xavier was separated from her. That year had been hard, the hardest she’d had to endure since the first few months after her family had been slaughtered. As she neared her sixteenth birthday she could feel the excitement radiate through her body, and Xavier was even seemingly affected.

It seemed that while Xavier was gone for that long year, Claire had changed from a child to a young woman. When he had been gone she had cut off all of her long blonde hair, shearing it into a pixie cut that was now growing out in wild angles, not unlike the fire she had mastery over. Xavier had looked at her when he returned and latched onto the only thing that could keep them from discussing their fight. He commented that she’d changed her hair, and self-conscious about it she’d touched the short locks and nodded. He said that he liked it, but they had both had a silent agreement that she would grow her hair back out. It was chin length now and wild.

Claire was practicing throwing knives as Xavier read about Sieg. She had no real opinion of Sieg other than he was cruel and she didn’t want anything to do with him. Her arm was strong as she guided the knives to the heart of the ratty dartboard. She went to retrieve them before launching them again. When she got bored she put her knives in her belt and walked over to where Xavier was sitting.

Claire pushed some of his scrolls off his table and sat on the edge. She’d taken up a strange way of dressing in pants and shirts, not at all the way most Algerothian’s dressed. Then again they really didn’t go into town that often anymore and she had to make do with what she had. That wasn’t to say that she would wear a dress or robes if she were presented with them, though. Xavier, if he was clever enough, might be the only person capable of getting her into anything dressier than her pants and shirts.

“What are the reports?” Claire asked as she looked down at Xavier. She was purposely blocking his light because she felt like being annoying. She reached across to him and tangled her fingers in his hair and twitched it around, just to be annoying again. She laughed as she pulled back, knowing he would tolerate her but still be perturbed. She had a brilliant smile on her lips as she played with her necklace, something that Xavier had given her on her eleventh birthday. There was a small wooden lake devil that he’d hand carved for her on her eleventh birthday, a stone flower he’d carved for her twelfth, an orange and blue glass flame he’d made her for her thirteenth, and by then he’d run out of interesting materials and had branched out. She wore the necklace always, and had touched it often when she was alone during his year-long sojourn.

Claire didn’t really care about what Sieg was up to. She was mostly interested in what Xavier found so enthralling, and so she waited patiently for him to speak. She would never admit to him or anyone that she had missed him desperately while he was gone. His presence went a long way to filling the void that had opened up in her soul the night that her family had been murdered. She blinked her big grey blue eyes at him, as if she could never be such a pest as he might think she was at that moment.

[Sage]

Xavier finished reading another page, even with the shadow cast over it by Claire, and leaned back in his chair. He stretched his back against it, causing it to creak violently behind the weight of his strength, and he ran his fingers backward through his hair in frustration. It was not Claire's fault, he had learned to tune out her latest odd teenage moods, but he was more angry with himself that he could do nothing to stop Sieg's evildoing, despite knowledge of his plans.

" He's holding everyone loyal to King Syrus, imprisoned them all as a cautionary tale. He hasn't publicly executed anyone, yet, but that will be the next step if anyone attempts a rescue attempt. "

The legend of a man sighed, and pushed himself away from the table, deep in thought. It was not at all like Xavier to sit back and allow this injustice to carry on, but Sieg was far too powerful for the duo of a dead man and his teenage sidekick. He'd have to bide his time, and try to focus on the positive to keep from running off in the night and attacking the sorcerer on his own.

And the only positive was Claire, and her progress. He smiled at his ward, and stood up to rustle her hair. He had noticed her taking on a more tomboyish appearance, and it disheartened him to see such a beautiful girl not taking absolute pride in her good looks and developing figure. He thought to himself, at length, about where and when it would be safe to take her into civilization. He had long meant to introduce her to their allies in Darkwatch, and he couldn't imagine a better time than now, when Sieg was busy assembling his empire miles away.

" How would you like to go to Darkwatch? " The place was a subject of much mystery and intrigue to the youth in the capital. Their parents warned of the dangers there, and the shady types of people and creatures that gathered in the deep woods. The actual city was incredibly well-fortified, and the laws there were stricter than anywhere, but with their open policies on harboring refugees and foreigners, it had gained a reputation for being a dark and scary place.

" We'll get you something decent to wear, and you can meet-- er, eat.. " Xavier cleared his throat, careful not to ruin the surprise. " They have amazing elvish delicacies there, I'm sure you're tired of bread and devil meat by now. "

[Claire]

Claire tried to hide her excitement, but she practically vibrated with anticipation. Darkwatch was a place she had always wanted to go and Xavier’s offer was met with immediate approval – though she tried to remain cool and calm.
Claire slid off the table and ran her hands through her hair, raising her shirt a few inches to reveal the skin of her abdomen. She had lost all of her baby fat and replaced it with the clean lines of someone that worked out her body until she was exhausted.

For six long years, some of which were awkward for her changing body, Claire had done nothing but listen to Xavier and do as he bid her with her magic. They had even fought over what she felt she was capable of and what he believed she could do. As she walked away from Xavier she let her hands drop to her hips, which had rounded out more with age and hinted at what she would look like as an adult woman. There was something about her, as with all children, that transcended the features her parents had given her.

“I’ll change real quick before we leave.” It had been some time since they’d left the island together, and it had also been some time since Claire had worn her “traveling” outfit. So when she walked out to where Xavier was in something that was too tight for her growing body she blinked at him. It had been a robe of a nondescript color that Xavier had obtained on one of his travels to the city. The robe had fit Claire pretty well when she was twelve and had done well…until she turned fifteen and started growing into her body. The robe was too short by about a foot and a half and was so tight that it showed every curve. She wasn’t really aware of what she would look like to Xavier because she had always had him near like a close friend – but that time would come eventually.

“I think it’s about time I had a new outfit.” She laughed so hard she could barely stand upright as she wandered back to her room to change into something far more comfortable. She returned to him in all black, which was no less fascinating on her. The black brought out the haunting quality of her eyes and made her hair, which was brushed and styled just enough to make it tame, seem that much more grown up. Her skin, which was tanned from exposure to the sun on countless days, was softer and creamier looking. She bent and pulled on a pair of shoes to finish off the deal – the necklace Xavier had given her dangled freely between her growing breasts.

Claire had promise as a woman. It was obvious that she would have been married as high as possible if her family hadn’t been destroyed. She might not have been as good as Destiny at magic but she was learning and was so close to being at Destiny’s level that it often made her smile and think fondly of her older sister.

“Well, let’s go. No use hanging out around here! You’re right; I am dreadfully tired of lake devil. If you’ve tasted one you’ve tasted them all.” Claire frowned and then smiled as she skipped over to Xavier and hooked one of her arms with his. It was an unspoken thing between them. He wouldn’t leave her again and she wouldn’t let him try.

[Sage]

While Claire readied herself, Xavier retired to his room to make ready and gather some coin. He had what would be considered to most normal citizens, a small fortune, leftover from his work with the Mondoch Syndicate, though much of his wealth had been lost when he had died and his belongings had been donated to the crown. It sickened him to know that all of his possessions belonged to Sieg now, but he did not let the thought distract him from counting. He had plenty to supply Claire with all that she needed, but not all that she deserved.

He affixed his usual pale blue armor to his muscular frame, and stuffed two large sacks into a backpack, which he threw casually over one shoulder. When he returned to their living area, he was startled by what he saw, and had to steady himself against a firm counter top. As pleasurable as it was to see her in her tight outfit, Xavier felt guilty for letting so much time pass before she had been given new clothes. His own size had not changed much over the years, and he had not even considered that she was still a growing girl.

Though her actual height had not changed much in the last year, and she was becoming thinner, she was filling out in other places that changed the way her old clothes fit on her, if they did at all. He grumbled and returned to his room to extract the last of his coin, before returning to her once again, now dressed in black. It was not something he approved of, but he did not bring it up. The Gartel, and Talis with them, dressed like she was now. It brought up memories of his lost friend, and he strained to suppress the memories that haunted him about his inability to protect Alistair.

" We're flying. " Typically, Xavier did not carry Claire when he flew, preferring to keep her out of sight if he was spotted. Not to mention, the additional workout she got from walking everywhere had made her strong, physically. He didn't even know which she preferred anymore, but she had asked often about his wings when they were first getting to know each other, and he did not know if she was more interested in the actual flight, or the power they granted.

Once she was ready, he would grip her against his chest, and take off for the South, flying low along the treeline after they were away from Lake Toryn.

[Claire]

Xavier’s chest was firm and his arms were tight around her as he took off. She would never admit to the fact that she preferred walking over flying. It was always so difficult to breathe and see because of the wind. She always managed when Xavier chose this way of travel, but she felt like a cat that had been tossed in a tornado and came out on the other end a vicious mess of fur and claws. Flying put her on edge, and she wondered if it would be similar if she had wings herself. Claire knew that Xavier would never drop her or let her die that way, but flying was still something that put her on edge.

When they finally landed Claire looked around and quickly ran her fingers through her hair. She was somewhat more vain about her appearance than Xavier gave her credit for. She tugged her clothes back to where they belonged and smoothed some of the wrinkles out before following Xavier inside the city.

The city wasn’t a disappointment. Claire wasn’t sure where she should look first and followed Xavier with her hand in his, trailing behind him to take in the sights and smells of Darkwatch. There were elves everywhere, and while Claire had met elves in her old life – it had been quite a long time since she’d interacted with any. A few looked at her and Xavier with some interest, but largely they seemed to pass unnoted.

There were untold numbers of elven delicacies to indulge in, and Claire picked a few that Xavier suggested she try. She was delighted to find out that she liked them all. Claire kept her hand in Xavier’s per his request so he didn’t lose her, but she almost stopped when she saw him making a beeline toward a dressing shop. Elvish dresses were known for their frivolity.

“We don’t need to get a dress for me, Xavier. I was only joking earlier…” Claire said with a slight tremor in her voice.

[Sage]

They touched down on one of the lower tiers of the massive treetop city, so as to access the shops first, before their final destination. Great suspended walkways hung between platforms affixed to the trees hundreds of feet off the ground. The entire city hung in the air, a great bustling hub of commerce and information. Toward the center of the city, the walkways were thicker, more solid. There were areas, even in the lower areas where cobblestone walkways slithered between the various buildings, creating the illusion that they were in a city like any other.

But upon rounding a corner, one could easily find a ledge or bridge that revealed the bottomless drops that existed between structures. Buildings were built next to, and on top of each other. Several times, while shopping, they walked into one building and exited another, on an entirely different street and level of the city. At the outer fringes, and above and below the edges of the city, there were crow's nest-like structures were lightly armored elves and drow stood watch with bows and arrows, protecting the city from the ground and from the air.

Among the treats Claire delighted in, she would notice that there was very little meat to be found in Darkwatch. The elves were vegetarian, and as they were responsible for most of the goods that came into the city, it was not uncommon to go without seeing any sort of cooked animal in Darkwatch for days at a time. In it's place, however, were amazing culinary creations. The most popular snack being an ambrosia-like dish served chilled with various roots, berries, seeds, and nuts, on beds of various types of greens.

" You need new gear, to be certain. And while ordinarily I would agree that frilly garments were not necessary to survival, you should...look nice, for dinner tonight. The first part of your surprise is waiting at the tippy-top of Darkwatch, " Xavier pointed a finger skyward, through the twisting branches and looming structures. " ...so, try not to be difficult? "

Not all of the shops in the city were owned and operated by elves, though they were the dominant force. Nearly all of the actual military occupying the stronghold had pointy-ears, but there were humans from the capital that acted as their support, moving under their direction. A great deal of the positions of power within the city were controlled by Elves as well, save for the very top of the food chain. Darkwatch's leader was a human, or at the very least, more human than elf. Jokes had been made that he was the least Elvish looking person alive, despite his rich heritage going back to the Treespeakers.

His name was Darius, and he was a man of incredible stature, as menacing as he was bald. His totem was the Leviathan, a giant serpentine creature, reminiscent of a dragon. In fact, he was partnered with such a beast, and it was for this reason that he was so well-accepted by the Elvish community. It had come from the sea almost a hundred years ago, threatening the way of the nomadic Elves, indeed it was the very reason for Darkwatch's construction. Darius alone was able to defeat the creature, and even more amazingly, befriend it.

It lived in the forest now, a legendary creature that watched over it's people. Many worshiped it as a God, others feared it, like a monster. No matter people's opinion of the creature, everyone had Darius' respect and loyalty while it lived and breathed. Even still, without the Leviathan, few dared to oppose Darius and his Gavel, a gigantic dual-headed greathammer the man wielded with ease. Darius was an old friend of Xavier's, and it was his palace at the highest point above the heart of Darkwatch that the Saint had business.

Xavier and Claire had walked into the shadier establishments, owned by a dark elf who gave them a bitter stare as they walked in, that the ex-soldier made his first selection. He had spotted an item of the fine quality he had been searching for, a dragonhide leather bandolier. It had the perfect mix of form and function, with an over-the-shoulder section which terminated into a belt. He suspected it would be resistant to her fiery powers, while also durable enough to endure slotting knives in and out of it without tearing or cutting the material through overuse in combat, or otherwise.

He held the thing up to her briefly, judging it's size. It was a perfect match to her body, if a little loose. It was fortuitous that elves' were so meager in size and stature, as it had clearly been made for one of their kind. The surface of the bandolier was littered in braces where knives could be slotted in, a hint toward what else Xavier had in mind to buy for her. They would get to her dressy clothes once he was done acquiring her new gear for combat, training, and travel. But for the moment, Xavier was ecstatic to have found such a rare piece at such a reasonable price.

" Do you like it? " He restrained himself from impulse-purchasing the item before he got her opinion, but he would be wholly disappointed if he had to put it back on the shelf. " It can be disassembled, so you can wear just the belt, when it's pertinent. "

[Claire]

Claire humored Xavier by staying nearby, listening to his questions, and standing still for him to compare items on her thin frame. Claire wasn’t exactly a twig, but she wasn’t exactly a voluptuous woman either. Not yet anyway, and so she smiled when Xavier held up the bandolier.

“I like it. It’ll serve well for me.” While Xavier was caught up in haggling with the Drow over the price of the piece of gear, Claire wandered through the shop. There was so much to see in such a cramped amount of space that it took her a minute to register everything in a nearby corner. There were feathers of various exotic colors from places other than Algeroth. There were pieces of clothing that had seen better days. There were also pieces of jewelry and hair pieces that sparkled with stones and gems.

Claire was particularly interested in a few of the hair pieces and a necklace when Xavier found her. As he took her by the arm and guided her out of the shop, Claire glanced around one more time – content with everything she had seen. As they made their way to the next shop, the young woman was quiet and thoughtful. When she finally spoke she looked over at the stoic Xavier, her guardian as much as her teacher.

“You need new clothes. If I am to have something new then you should as well. Your things are starting to wear thin.” To make a point Claire pointed to a frayed edge of clothing peeking out from beneath his armor.

When they bought her everyday traveling clothes, Claire tried to assert herself with Xavier – telling him what she would like. As usual he didn’t listen, picking out things similar to what she would normally wear but when they were tried on were much tighter than she was used to wearing. There was a pair of khaki pants and a white sleeveless shirt that would last a while. Claire tried to studiously ignore Xavier as he walked up to her with the clothing he was going to buy for her draped over his arm. They were both perusing cloaks and she wandered away as he started checking their lining. Always a studious man, making certain she didn’t set her clothing on fire.

Seriously, one time and a girl was doomed to wear everything flame retardant.

As they left the shop, Claire appeared bored, having forgotten that she was going to get dress clothes as well.

[Sage]

Xavier answered her comment with silence, unsure of whether to explain his financial predicament to her. His kneejerk reaction had been one of sarcasm, wanting to ask her, " ...and who is going to pay for them? " But for once, he wanted Claire to feel special, and without the constant criticisms and strict disciplines she had grown accustomed to in her protector's care.

He filled up one of the large sacks entirely as they walked around the city. During their shopping, she managed to net another three outfits, some finely-crafted elvish beauty supplies, and supplies and dried foodstuffs for the house. He felt as though her nutrition could use reinforcement, though he knew her constant diet of devil meat had given her almost a complete immunity to the toxins and poisons that were the favorite of Sieg and assassins alike, whether she knew it or not.

He did not deny her any small requests, so long as they were reasonable, and their price was not high. By the time they were done, she had nearly gained a new wardrobe. Xavier stared at the treetops, attempting to guess at the time. They would have to hurry if they were going to have sufficient time with the seamstress.

Xavier was uncharacteristically excited as they arrived at a shop which seemed larger and more well-built than the others, not to mention far older. He explained, briefly, that he and the elf that worked there had been great friends in his youth. He had known her for nearly ten years, though he rarely got the opportunity to see her. He entered the store with force, pushing the creaking door open a tad hard so that it unseated a small, tinkling bell over the door frame and sent it clattering to the floor.

A tiny elvish girl emerged from a backroom, a scowl on her face, but squealed as she saw Xavier. She ran into his arms, scolding him about the use of excessive force at the same time she giggled with glee at the sight of him. She appeared to be no older than twelve or thirteen, but in reality she had at least twenty years on Xavier. She looked every bit the child Xavier had grown up knowing, and he took care not to break her bones as he swung her about.

" I'm here to buy something, for once. Do you think you can do something for her? " Her tiny ears flickered as she noticed Claire for the first time, and she immediately dislodged herself from Xavier's grip, and began sizing her up. She nodded and harumphed several times before returning to Xavier's side. She did not need to measure, she never had. It was part of her gift, and Xavier didn't question it as she watched the childlike eyes of her friend, hard at work.

" Rika? What do you think? "

Rika jumped slightly as she remembered where she was. " Form or function, what did you have in mind? " The little elf stared unblinking at Claire as she asked her question, making mental alterations to garments that were not only absent from Claire's frame, but did not even exist yet.

" Form, actually. She needs to look nice at the palace tonight. But you know the kinds of things I get into. I'd like durability, not only because of my bad luck, but she throws fire like Serge. Tends to be hazardous for any material I put on her back. "

Rika nodded, and began collecting materials en masse around the store as her idea became fully formulated.

" Ordinarily I'd make you go out and replace my rare materials, but I know you're busy. Just promise you'll visit before another half-decade and I'll make the exception. " Rika filled up a large basket with thin bolts of fabric, pins, needles, threads, and dyes before she shooed Xavier out of the room. He'd no sooner gotten out of sight before Rika was poking at her hip, motioning her behind a partition with one hand, and holding the basket full of supplies as big as she was, with the other.

" Tell me, dear. Are we feeling adventurous, or do you want something boring? "

[Igraine]

Claire was very unaccustomed to feeling tall and bulky, but next to Rika she felt like a giant. She could only imagine how Xavier felt next to the child-like elf. Claire scooted along quietly and respectfully behind the partition. It wasn’t long before Claire was stripped of her clothing to compare fabrics against her skin. When Rika asked her whether she’d like to be boring or adventurous, for Claire, there was only one answer.

“Adventurous. Without a doubt.” It was the first time she’d spoken and she figured it was as good a time as any to exercise her voice. She was put in a robe and encouraged to sit well out of the way as the elvish woman got to work.

“How do you know Xavier?” Claire was genuinely curious as she twirled a little piece of her chin length hair, which had been evened out by Xavier after he had gotten back. It was behaving, and for that Claire was thankful. She watched the seamstress work in a flurry of fabric and scissors and pins and needles. She blinked a few times when she realized she was staring, allowing her gaze to wander around the shop. What little of it she could see behind the partition.

“You have a lovely shop. There are so many beautiful fabrics…” Claire seemed almost wistful as she leaned against a table, her robe dropping off one shoulder as she lost herself in thought about fabrics. Had her life gone differently she would have been well married and swimming in fine things no doubt. Would she trade her life with Xavier, the freedom she felt, for fabric and glamour? No, she decided to herself as she smiled at her hands in her lap, the silk of the robe was very pleasing to her skin though. The only thing that would have made this life better would have been the survival of her siblings.

It was then that Rika got her to her feet, stripped her of the robe, and started pinning things around her frame to get a guideline to sew by. Once she was robed again she asked if she might wander the shop, to which Rika said she could so long as she didn’t break anything.

Padding softly across the floor without shoes, Claire perused all of the bins of fabric as Rika sewed. She wasn’t sure if Xavier was still in the shop, but she was content to let her hand travel through the fabric, feeling the different textures. If he were still in the shop he’d see her as she passed into the more exotic fabric bins, wearing a red silk robe bound tightly around her waist.

[Sage]

" I met Xavier when he was just a boy. There was a time when I was not as fiercely intimidating as I am now, " Rika let out a girlish giggle as her hands flew lightning fast through her work. Human shapes were already forming in the fabric, and it was obvious that her dress would not take long. " There are many dark creatures in the forest, but man is the most dangerous by far. Xavier was always different, though. When he was a boy, he happened across some slave traders that had captured me. The perpetual youth that elf Descendants enjoy is...valuable, to some very nefarious people. " Her voice squeaked slightly at mention of the brutish encounter.

" They would have done awful things to me, but Xavier and his friends, two other boys from Bale. They saw what was happening to me, and instead of running away as you might expect from a child, he rallied together with Alistair and Kai to defend me. They took on a dozen grown men by themselves, and as far as I know, they are still rotting in a prison in the capital. "

Rika's voice became bitter as she thought back on her captor's fates. It was not in her to wish death on them, but life in prison somehow just did not seem like enough punishment to cure their dark hearts.

" I was so sad to hear about young Alistair. His brother, and Xavier, were so torn up. He won't talk to me about it, of course. But Alistair was the only family that child ever had. "

She inhaled deeply as Claire walked around her shop, and nodded. " I have Xavier to thank for my success, no doubt. His very nature leads him into situations that defy the ordinary. Whenever he finds some rare plant, mineral, or creature, he brings the raw materials to me to sell or craft. I act as a consignment shop for him, basically. And thanks to him, I've had practice working with materials most others don't even get to see in a given lifetime. "

It was not long before Rika began affixing the fabrics to a prefabricated corset piece made mostly of mithril. The gentle clinking of metal became faster and faster until it stopped completely. The garment, nearly complete, was pinned to a mannequin that seemed to magically take Claire's shape as Rika worked with it.

" Xavier is like an incarnation of fate. When he is kind to you, you become healthy, happy, and prosperous. But those he doesn't care for...they are not so lucky. "

[Claire]

Listening to Rika talk about Xavier brought forward some memories for Claire. She smiled as she tried to picture Xavier as a child, still as headstrong and willing to believe in goodness and virtue. He had saved Claire without a fight with Destiny, and Claire had known no unusual hardship since – she couldn’t even remember being sick. Except when Xavier had been gone for a year.

At first, Claire blamed Xavier for her plight. If he hadn’t left her he wouldn’t have disappeared. Then she blamed herself for making him leave. The first three months were so filled with rage that there were still places on the island where they lived that coals smoldered where trees once had been. The fourth month after Xavier’s disappearance, Claire had fallen ill. Part of her had just wanted to die, but she managed to survive. It was then that she had cut all of her hair off. It was growing back much quicker now that Xavier was back.

“I can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt you or your kind.” Childish innocence, even after so much had happened to her, Claire took one of Rika’s hands between her own when the woman had stopped putting the finishing touches on the stunning gown. “Thank you, for this and for everything you do for Xavier. You and Xavier are the only two people to ever show me a kindness in the world after the…accident.”

Claire managed to shake off her melancholy at remembering Xavier’s disappearance as Rika fitted the gown on her body. It was a beautiful thing with the green skirt just a few inches longer in the back so it swept the ground as she walked, creating a gap to show off her long and toned legs. The corset was a mixture of green and black, black along her breasts and down the front panel, green everywhere else. The long ribbon in the back that held it all together was a beautiful black silk to contrast the green. The skirt clung to her thighs with two slits running up the front to just a hair away from immodest. It was up to Claire to pick out her shoes because she couldn’t go barefoot. She ended up with a pair of strappy black heels that looked like delicate vines running up her legs, and only helped shape her legs even further. They were a pair that Rika had in storage, figuring they might be just the thing for the dress.

Claire stood in front of the looking glass, twisting and turning to view herself in the mirror. She turned, towering over the small elvish woman and scooped her up in a hug – not unlike how Xavier had.

“Thank you, Rika! This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen!” She planted a kiss on the woman’s cheek before setting her back down and with a practiced grace that Xavier would probably applaud her for at some point, she managed to walk in the tall heels. She would now be close to Xavier’s height instead of a head shorter than him.

“Xavier? I’m ready!” Rika encouraged her to put the long red robe back on to tease Xavier into thinking she was in a dowdy old red silk wrap dress. The robe was long enough and flared just enough to make it look exactly like a dress of its own. Claire stifled a giggle as she walked demurely out to where Xavier should be, standing in the red silk robe.

“How do you like it?” Claire couldn’t hold in the giggle any longer as Rika untied the robe and pulled it off her body in a flourish, revealing the real dress. Claire’s bare shoulders sparkled with a fine dusting of glitter that Rika had sprinkled over her hair and skin as she dropped into a deep curtsey, standing to face her mentor with a smile.

[Sage]

Xavier re-entered the store from a second story catwalk, and quickly wound his way down a spiral staircase on the second floor of Rika's shop. He was speechless as he caught the full effect of her body filling out clothes tailored especially for her. Rika finished putting away a special pair of long pliers that were used to shape the metal links of mithril that made up the lining of her dress. She met Xavier as he made it halfway to Claire and tugged on a fold of cloth hanging out from his chestplate to make him lean down. He shambled along like a zombie, staring at his young ward, but snapped out of it when he leaned down for Rika to kiss his cheek, and she subtly pushed closed his slack jaw.

He shook his head, and hugged the elf girl around her neck before taking another step toward Claire, slightly less transfixed than before, but still staring with raised eyebrows. She looked so lovely, he barely noticed the shoddy feaux dress she had been wearing before it was stripped off of her, revealing Rika's master craftsmanship.

" Rika has not lost her touch, and you look gorgeous, young lady. " It was not often that Xavier called Claire pretty anymore. As she had gotten older, it became more awkward for him to compliment her without thinking of her in a less than platonic way. Taking care not to ruffle her new dress, Xavier wrapped his arms around the little Warheight and pulled her into a warm hug.

" They're ready for us, gather your things. " Xavier made sure to thank Rika profusely for her work, and left the remainder of his coin on a counter on their way out, sure that she would not take the mighty sum from her childhood friend. They traveled gingerly up the final few levels of the city, Xavier taking special care not to allow her dress to become sullied. When they finally arrived at the plaza where the palace sat perched around the largest of trees for miles, Xavier placed a hand on Claire's shoulder, staring at the beautiful facade of the treetop castle.

" Don't be mad at me for keeping this secret. It was not safe for you to come here while Sieg was moving against the Warheight heirs. You are far down the line, but you are a royal, and thus have a divine claim to the throne, should those before you fall. "

Her royalty was not the secret that he kept, she would know of that truth from her youth in her mother's care. But he did not explain further exactly what he had kept from her, as it would soon become readily apparent. No sooner had the elven palace guards opened the immense doors to the main hall, did Xavier fall into a deep bow to a regal figure at the far end of the room.

" Lady Ravenshield. " Louvinia Warheight Ravenshield was a vision of nobility, and of nature. She wore fine robes of pale green, with jewelry showing the visage of a great Leviathan, chasing it's own tail. The creature was displayed on her wrists, and neck, cast in gold and covered with emerald and jade. The woman gasped as she closed the distance, her flowing robes sweeping the floor, and wide sleeves billowing as she glided toward Claire.

" My dear girl, it has been like an eternity! " The woman swung her arms around her wayward niece, and squeezed her with a force not unlike Xavier's strongest grip. Not since Luke's death had Claire and Louvinia seen each other, though Claire would have seen her picture frequently in her home, when she was younger. Being privy to Xavier's reports, Louvinia would know at least half-truths about the incident that had taken place on the night of her family's demise. And as such, she would know that Claire had not been responsible for the murders, as many in Algeroth believed.