The Elite felt ill. He had seen the dead before. But...this pretty child from just moments ago was now devastated in appearance and mood. Touching his head again, he wondered what to do.

"Let's get you to a clinic."

Theodore looked wordlessly down at the body of his brother, holding at the deceased man's shirt. He was afraid to leave the body, he wanted to take him home for his burial. His gaze looked up at the man curiously, trying to express that thought wordlessly since he couldn't say anything.

Denzell walked over slowly, little Sloane in his hands, being pet on the head and back. The kitten mewed at the sight of the fallen man and the scent of blood in the air.

"M'god...what...what happened?"

Theodore's gaze shot up to Denzell when he heard his voice, his hands rushing up to try and cover his face. He was silently, trembling in shock. He didn't look like he was doing too good, feeling a bit faint from the bloodloss and massive pain shooting through his body.

Denzell dropped to a knee beside the boy, letting the kitten roam free around them. Sloane went immediately toward the warm body of the fallen man and investigaged.

"Come now, why are you afraid of me now?" He saw the blood and was not bothered.

Those tears fell down his face as he lowered his hands, his body shuddering with a muffled sob and he swallowed more blood. It made him feel ill, his stomach churning, but he could not vomit either.

Elidion picked up the boy's eldest brother, understanding the child's unwillingless to leave him behind. "Let's go get those stitches out and have them fix up your face, Theodore..."

Theodore nodded a little, slowly getting up to follow them, clutching the blanket close. He made sure they had little Sloane as well, still more worried about others over himself.

As he stumbled along with them, he looked up to the sky, still crying. He wanted Aidan now more than ever. He just wanted to yell at him for leaving him like that, mostly because he was scared now--he didn't even have Tobias to cling to.


((8D you know what would be interesting? If Toby and the group were in the area and a big storm forced them to stop in at the hamlet. xD With everything that's happened to little Theodore, it'd be quite the shock, ja? xD))

((Is that what you want? ^^ *laughs* Alright, your wish is my command!))

The falcon swooped down to the group returning to Caer Elise. Tobias watched it with interest, knowing that there was a large possibility it could be Aidan. The bird landed on the back of his saddle and just stared at him. With his gloved hand, he allowed the creature to climb up onto his arm.

"A storm's a brewing," Arturo commented. He could sense the waters.

"We'll have to stop somewhere then," Tobias said. "Dyraqu, what say you?"

Aviar glanced at him with his hooded head. He had assumed his alias ever since they left Caer Elise. It was dangerous for the future king to be discovered out of the safety of his fortress. Responding with a nod for affirmation, he side glanced his future bride, Nybari. The princess was observing the scenery, disappointed with the bland landscape. She huffed and crossed her arms. Rain was the last thing she wanted to deal with.

The group changed their course slightly to take refuge at the hamlet.

As soon as little Sloane caught wind of Tobias' scent in the air, he lept from them and darted towards the group entering the hamlet. Theodore gasped inwardly, choking on blood briefly before he swallowed and ran after the kitten, tugging the blood soaked sheet over his lower face a bit and on his head like a hood. He couldn't lose both Sloanes in one day. He just couldn't.

The boy ran out in front of Tobias' mount, but the little fur ball bound up in a rather impressive leap for his size to clamp onto Tobias' leg.

Theodore froze when he realized who it was, blue eyes staring up at the mage a moment before he turned and ran back towards the others to hide out in the clinic. He was sure Toby would recognize little Sloane for sure, but at least he knew the kitten was in good hands then.

He wondered what they could do for his face, the scarring would be horrible.. he was sure. Just another scar he supposed. If he ever brought Aidan back, his face would look like it did before, wouldn't it? He supposed he'd always be scarred, one way or another.

Tobias scooped up the kitten that had latched onto his leg once he got over the surprise of a flying hairball lunging at his limb. Aidan fluttered up above them before setting on the mage's arm once more.

"What brings you here? Aren't you Sloane?" he asked, slightly humored.

"Let's hurry and find lodging," Aviar said, recognizing the kitten as belonging to Theodore.

The kitten mewled and snuggled against Tobias in that scooped hold. His little paws were covered in sticky blood from investigating Sloane's body, having padded through the puddle of blood that still remained outside of the in.

Theodore's ribbon was even on the ground, astray from his hair when he'd run outside to check his fallen sibling.


The boy was in the clinic for quite a while as they treated him, cleaned him up and restitched his cheeks, leaving it so he could speak and eat. They were tighter and finer, not quite as horrendous as before but they wouldn't have to stay in long. Just until the skin healed back together properly.

Running his hand over the tight stitches, he sighed and walked out of the clinic. Tobias was here... and he had little Sloane, he was afraid to let the man see his face, he somewhat feared what Tobias would think. Theo looked around for Denzell and Elidion--he wondered what they would do with his brother, he did not want to face his father after this.

Denzell was lost without the companionship of little Sloane or Theodore. He waited outside the boy's room, waiting to be invited.


The group settled in an inn, occupying the majority of the available rooms. Nybari was furious at the prospects of having to stay there long. She kept her tongue and just commented on how she'd like to make it to Caer Elise sooner.

Theodore slowly slipped out of the room to find Denzell, moving to clutch onto the older man as he pushed his forehead against his body. He was trembling a little, calmed but in shock. "D-Denzell.." He whimpered, burying himself against the man's body.

Denzell clutched the boy and rubbed his back in his reassuring way. The smell of blood lingering on the child did not disturb him. He caressed him and sighed.

"Everything will be okay," he said, distantly.

"What.. What did Elidion do with my brother?" He asked, his voice faintly hoarse. He was careful and slow with his speech, his face sore as ever though he'd recieved something for the pain.

He slowly looked up at Denzell, fingers gripping gently at his clothes but he'd relaxed quite a bit under the gentle strokes of the man's hand.

"He took him somewhere to keep him until you're ready to bury him. He used magic," he added quickly, adding some wonderment to what he had witnessed.

Blowing glass would have struck him with awe after his sentence in the dungeon.

"Where's my friend?" Denzell asked a little sadly, still missing the cute kitten.

"Good.." He murmured, looking at Denzell again and he smiled faintly, still sore. "He's safe.. I uh.. I think we'll find him at the inn. Is Elidion already there?" He asked.

Denzell nodded in return. "He dropped off your brother and went to try to get a room again." He was relieved to hear the kitten was well and smiled slightly.

"Let's go back." He took one of Denzell's hands to walk with him back towards the inn again. He imagined they still had their room, though it was soaked with blood and windowless now.

He entered the front and looked around to see if anyone he recognized was down there, or anyone who might recognize him. After all, he'd met all the mages at the breakfast back in Caer Elise.

Deodar drank glumly at the bar. He wasn't quite in the mood for chatter. Arcelio read, eager for the fresh air after the rains. Arturo looked a little relieved for rain. His powers fluctuated with the moisture. A storm was a blessing.

Denzell glanced at them with little interest. He walked with Theodore to find Sloane.

He rubbed his hands back through some slightly damp hair after walking through the rain that still drizzled, but it smelled like there might be more coming.

He spotted Arturo and approached him slowly, hoping he remembered his name correctly. He was the only one he'd really talked to one on one, thus he felt a little more comfortable with him. "A.. Arturo? Do you know where I can find Tobias?"

Arturo looked at Theodore, surprised to see him here. He informed him of which room he was in upstairs. Unsure if the lights were playing tricks on him, he did not question the child's face. He smiled and touched the boy's head.

Denzell stared at the group, feeling a sense of resentment toward them.

Theodore nodded in thanks and tugged for Denzell to come upstairs with him to get Sloane back. He found the room and softly knocked on the door, waiting for some sort of answer as he called out softly. "Toby?"

Tobias had laid down to rest, the kitten purring on his chest. His eyes were closed, but he was only half asleep. Theodore's voice came as a surprise. He brushed it off, assuming it was just his imagination.

Theodore wouldn't be here of all places!