Lorian heared the way Ana had adressed Ellain. Either she is mocking me now, or she just calls all women that. I hope it is the latter of the two, she does nto seem like the type of woman who would mock anything and if she were then it means my judgement of her charater was way off
Well, dear you are a guest here and I would not want you to feel like you must work for your meal here. But if it would make you feel better I would welcome your young hands in my kitchen. Ellain smiled cherrily at Ana, her scar stretching acrocc her face
Lorain went to the back room of the house and found a set of clothes for the Llyn. These used to be--- she stopped herself from even finishing the thought and sat down on the bed. It had only been 3 years since her father had robbed her of all joy in this world and she was destined to be a part of it for so long. She realized she was crying again I had best knock off this whole tear faced look if I want my guests to have any respect for me at all... they will begin to think I am nothing but a spoiled rotten princess if I keep this up. She gathered up the pile of clothes she had already picked out, 3 shirts, 2 pants and a few sets of undergarments. She also picked up a pack Llyn could keep them in and a dagger. She knew if he was going to continue to travel a weapon would be useful despite whatever hidden abilities he had.

She walked back into the room and handed the newly stuffed pack to Llyn. "i think these will serve you better than what you have now."

Ellain walked back into the room smiling Now dears, would you like some bread and honey or something a bit more filling, some eggs and pork perhaps? I have some wonderful left over turtle stew as well.
Lorain smiled at Ellain. She really loves feeding people I think, especcially when she can fix them real food. Lorain was not the biggest eater in the world, forsaking the joy of food with all other joys she had already lost. "Just some bread for me Ellain."

Llyn was still standing next to Crabana when Lorian wandered off to another room. She was gone for a few minutes and when she returned she was handing him a pack. He took it, politely and just kind of stared at it for a few moments. "..I...don't need this.." Just like before that voice was a soft whisper. Llyn was holding the dagger, harmlessly out for Lorian to take it. Honestly holding such a thing made him feel a little more nervous and he shifted on his feet a bit. His own abilities hadn't done well to keep him safe, he seriously doubted the addition of this weapon could help as well. That coupled with the fact that he didn't know how to properly use it, would probably just end in him doing more harm to himself.

When the older woman returned he shrugged a bit. Food was food, he didn't really care what she gave him as long as he really was allowed to eat it. He was sure they wouldn't pass it in front of his face and then refuse to let him eat it..maybe. His stomach growled lightly and he blushed a bit. No matter how hungry he was, he would need something light..heavy food and a lot of it would only make him sick. It had been a long time since he'd eaten much of anything. "...Please..something light?" It was more of a question than a request. A timid, hesitant, uncertain question. That voice of his had remained a soft whisper.

Ana gave a simple bow and nod as Ellain spoke to her, slowly walking towards the older woman. She’d glance back at the phoenix a moment, uncertain if the shy boy would be alright. She would hesitate only for a moment, however, as he didn’t panic when he saw the dagger as she feared. Her small dragon would then flap in through the door she’d forgotten to close, landing on the back of a chair and simply gazing at them all through its sapphire eyes.

Nodding to the creature she would walk into the kitchen, leaving her hood on out of habit. She knew she should take it off… but she felt uncomfortable… Though she wore her hair to hide it one of her eyes was fullly silver, made of metal that ironically matched her natural silver eye. The pupil was a blue gem a combination of magic and machine… the scientists pride and joy. “I haven’t had home cooking in some time so anything will do for me.. . And it would be a privilege to help guest or not.” She said in those gentle, quiet tones of hers as she followed after. She would also keep on her gloves… a habit.

Ellain bustled around her kitchen humming an old lullaby and singing bits and phrases as they struck her Hrmm, hmm hum.... In the flocks and floral.... hum hmmm hrmm... with the baby in the hollow.... She would lay off her song every so often to instruct Ana where she needed help most. Here dear can you open tis jar? Stir these together till they look nice... Ohh what a wonderful job you are doing, I wish I had help like this more often. She had Ana preparing a cinnimon and honey mixture for some flat bread she already had coming out of the oven. She also was gathering up jars of different preserves if people wanted something heartier on the bread. She also tossed some bacon in a pan to put out because she knew her other guests were hungrier than they let on and she hoped very much that they ate all she put out. She had Ana set the things out on the table too and gather up enough chairs for the company, all were things her old bones grumbled about doing.Almost ready dears, and then we will have quite a feast.

Lorain had stood watching Llyn look at the dagger and watched him try and hand it back to her. It seemed he had no intentions of taking it and she didnt understand why. "Why do you feel you dont need it. I know you have few fighting skills, you react to things like a bunny might. You need to learn to be a fox in this world if you are going to survive. I know you have suffered and I dont know what has happened to you, but I would like to help ensure that it never happens again to you. Can you trust me to help you?"

"A rabbit can't change his fur to be a fox, a bird cannot shed his feathers for fox fur either." He had said it quietly, watching her for a few moments, she couldn't understand why he wouldn't take the weapon. A light sigh passed those lips. "...I can fight...I just...I...do not need this weapon to fight..I would probably only hurt myself with it.." He looked away from her for a moment, glancing to the dragon that had flown in and perched on a chair. "...Trust..?" He questioned softly. "..Such a thing...it seems it is hard for me to trust people as I once did." Though it did seem he had relaxed substantially here. Maybe it was the wonderful scent of food that had caused it. He chewed his bottom lip a bit. "...I do not like violence.." He mumbled as an after thought.

Ana nodded, responding in that same soft voice with ‘Yes m’lady’ and ‘as you wish’ and similar such gentle phrases. She acted well… like a well mannered young boy raised to take care of all women and ladies as gentle creatures. She knew she was female of course but she still acted like her father around women… being she’d never really had a significant woman in her life it was only natural. An observant person would notice that despite her slender arms she seemed to move the chairs as easily as a body building male might…

“I am sure anything you cook is a feast my lady” she’d say with a soft chuckle at the older woman, briefly glancing towards the living room. Due to the telepathic link she could hear what the dragon could hear and vice versa so she knew what was said. As he spoke of violence she’d say quietly to herself “Only fools do..” though likely even Ellain would barely hear her…

Ellain moved the last dish to the table and saidAlright my dears, it is all ready. She started to sit when suddenly she leapt up as quick as an old woman could and went out the back door with a loud "Oh!"
Lorain was at the backdoor in a flash thinking something was wrong. When she saw what the old woman was bringing in though she almost started to laugh.
"They bloomed earlier this morning and I think they would look nice on the table. Wont be too many of them left this year and I would hate for their beauty to be wasted. They look so pretty for so short a time and then their beauty is gone, burnt out in just a moment. She grinned holding out a large bunch of wild violets and daisies. She got a cup out of the cabinet and drew a small bit of water out of the rain barrell to put them in. Now, our feast table is all ready.

Lorain went into the bedroom and got Islandur from his crib. He hadnt been napping much anyways with all the excitement of stangers in the house. She set him in his special chair so he could sit at the table too and gave him a piece of bread with some strawberry preserves on it. Then she made sure Llyn and Ana were quite content at the tabel before she too sat down.

"Llyn, I understand that you may not like violence. But if it is a matter of your survival or your death, which would you choose. If you have other means with which you can fight, then why didnt you?" Lorian knew there was much more to the boy than he let on. She had her suspicions about his true nature and she wanted very much to knew what he had been through. "Only fool go looking for violence, but to survive sometimes it becomes nessicary. You do want to survive do you not Llyn? You do want to live?" She broke off pieces of her plain flat bread, feeling like a hypocrit asking these questions of him.

Before he even had a chance to answer the baby gave a squeel of glee at seeing the mini dragon in the room. ""Dwa-gon, Dwa-gon Hon-gwee. He threw a piece of his bread towards the dragon and it landed a few feet from him. "Eat Eat pwetty dwa-gon eat eat." He giggled again as he threw more food towards the creature.

When the table was ready and what not, Llyn sat himself gently down at it. Smiling softly when Lorian brought the baby in. It was hard not to outright laugh when the child threw the food at the little dragon, only letting a small smile grace his features. When Lorian began asking him questions though..he frowned deeply. Looking to her. "A decision of my survival or my death?" He bit his bottom lip hard, sighing softly. "I have died three times already..each as painful as the first.." He clutched his chest over his heart. "..So painful...Such a pain I wish to never endure again...so I did fight..and because of that fight..five humans are dead, and they will not live again..but I...I am here...Filled with only fear, sorrow, and regret. Sometimes, there is no other way..but when there is a choice..I will opt for the one that does not end in death for anyone."

They are beautiful” Ana said quietly with a chuckle, watching the old woman. It was comforting to see such a woman…. Not that she’d ever know what it was like. The machine part would keep her from aging theoretically the scientist had said once, though there was risk of her ‘breaking down‘… her cells having fused slightly so that the metal took on some qualities from her and she took on some qualities from it… She looked to the food then, starting to get some of her own.

Linde meanwhile had turned towards the child, his eyes glittering with irritation. He turned, spreading his wings and leaning forward to show his teeth. He was use to being able to stop things with a look, despite the fact he could no longer change to his true side. He was growling a little, causing Ana to look towards him and raise an eyebrow.

“He is a child…” She’d send quietly.

“He is a nuisance…”

“He is young, now hush and just move out of his reach….”

“… I will go outside…” Was the dragons curt response. It heard Llyn then and looked at him. Weak… that’s what the dragon was thinking as it turned and flew out an open window. He would go pout outside but ultimately return. He felt a connection to Ana and never went to far…

Suppressing a sigh she’d look back to the group, tilting her head to the side as she carefully considered her words. Then again.. She almost always carefully considered everything she sad and did. She didn’t move so much as an inch without thinking first when it came to people… well most of the time. “ That is a wise way to thin llyn, but sometimes the best way to prevent a fight is to know how…. To look like you can handle a weapon. Yes you could injure yourself with a weapon but if you do have to use one, knowing how to use it will mean the difference between disabling a person.. And killing them. Still… it is your choice…”

Lorian mulled over what Llyn had said Died three times... So he is a pheonix just as I thought. So although he says it is impossible for a rabbit to change his skin for a fox..... She looked at him. But he is so broken... maybe only the rabbit is left. She was beginning to get an very clear picture of what Llyn had left behind. She thought she could push him a bit further now that he was relaxing with food in his belly.
"Why did you leave the rest of your people, so far from home, it must have been much harder for you... Why did you not show your true form and just escape? You are almost as mighty as that dragon there, yet you choose to sit here mild as a mouse and tremble at anything that you think might put you back in that place" Lorian was almost afraid with that last remark she had pushed the issue too far. But she wanted to help him heal and she knew this may be the only way. Islandur could still help her also, but she did not want to reveal his ability yet. Her own powers of healing she hoped would be enough.

"...It was hard to leave, but I had no choice.." He frowned deeply at that, only nibbling on some of the food he had put on his plate. He hadn't taken much and he had eaten even less. "...I wanted to know exactly what the humans were doing....I had not meant to get caught..but what better way to see first hand? When I could endure no more of their torture I did make my escape..." He had glanced at the dragon when it flew off and shrugged slightly. Mild as a mouse? He looked down at the table. "....Give me time....and I'm sure I will regain the part of myself I lost while imprisoned and tortured." Llyn had mumbled it lightly, almost to soft to be heard. He glanced to Crabana for a moment and shook his head slightly.

Ana listened silently, having her own curiosity but to polite to say anything. Lorien would get any answers that there was to get.. Though she personally thought she was going the wrong way. As he said something about getting part of himself back she sighed, saying only “…If that is what you truly want…” She believed it too.. If that was what he wanted he’d get it back… the way he responded, however, she wasn’t so sure he did.

Durring this whole conversation, Lorian had failed to notice Islandur gently inching his way over to Llyn. By the time she noticed though the baby was already completely within reach of him, his chubby little hand reaching out to touch Llyn. Lorian lunged towards the baby, determined not to let them make contact. She was too late. The pudgy hand grabbed Llyn's fingers and a wave of pressure went through the room. Islandur started to scream. Suddenly he stopped, almost collapsed then began to scream again. Lorian had already knocked her chair over in her haste to get to the child and now she was half climbing over the table to get to the boy. She finally grabbed him by his shirt and yanked him far enough away from Llyn. He immediately stopped screaming and looked in Lorian's eyes. "Huwt mamma.... man huwt badwy...." and then the little boy fainted. Lorian looked at the group of people around her and assessed the situation. She quickly handed the baby to Ellain "Do something with him," she said her voice shaking. She knew Islandur had tried to use his healing magic, looking into someones past was the first step. Normally she would let him use it for small things, like if his grandmother had a stubbed toe or splinter. Islandur could, in a way, erase the event that caused pain. Not in a way that made it never happen, but in a way that made it seem like you were dosconnected from it. She knew that Llyn's past had been too much for the boy. She hoped this expirience hadnt also been too much for Llyn.
They are all going to know what kind of strangeness Islandur has now. A gift of seeing from his father and a gift of healing from me. For a half breed his magic is too strong for any normal person to accept. If the machines got ahold of him they could turn him into a weapon to kill us all, and if the elven kind get him, they will turn him into a martyr. That is why I never want to let anyone know what he is... I hope these people can be trusted with his secret.

Lorian finally decided something must be said to break the silence left behind in the wake of the baby's screams. "I'm sorry. I was too late to stop him." She knew not what to say from there.

Llyn hadn't noticed the child either, until he had been touched by that child. The reaction seemed instantaneous. The baby screamed and Llyn's eyes had widened, looking faraway, distant. Those lips parted, mostly in surprise, those arms going up to wrap around his torso. Those things, they weren't buried very deeply in his mind anyway, but now..they were right at the top again. "...Please..." His words barely audible, for a moment those dull eyes of his blazed bright crimson, power surged through his body. He wasn't there though, it was only a memory. A memory. That surge of power seemed to melt away,

He squeezed those eyes closed tightly, his arms still tight around his torso, hugging himself. His body trembled and he whimpered softly. "...I..." Llyn knew now, even if these people wanted to help him, he could not stay here. That knowledge hit him like a ton of rocks falling on his head. Slowly the trembling stopped, and he opened those eyes. They blazed, bright crimson. The way they had three lifetimes ago. He stood, and let those arms drop. His gaze was intense. Almost stern. "...Such power...I have never felt before.." He pinned Lorian with his fiery gaze. "..I cannot stay here...You have much to hide, I see..and my being here, even for only a moment...The humans will not give up looking for me easily. They think my power is unlimited..that they can take as much as they want from me and more...Already you have too much to hide to put yourself at risk to help someone like me." His voice was no longer that soft whisper, but intense, still held undertones of something soft. It hung on the air almost feather light.

Ana watched with a sigh, slowly standing. She had felt the magic pass and could half feel what type it was. Being her mother had been like a goddess among elves in terms of sheer magical power it was only natural she be so sensitive …and skilled. She could not do much for that type of hurt but she could do one thing…She walked forward, taking her warm hands fingers and touching the little boy’s forehead. Silver eyes would briefly become blue as her energy pushed through her fingers into the boy to stabilize his own energy and add a little of his own. He would still need to rest but any damage to his mind or magic would be healed… Without a word she’d step back and glance at the other two magical beings.

“No harm was meant…. And children will always be children” She said in a quiet, reassuring tone as she shrugged her shoulders. She did not know if the phoenix would be so…forgiving and relaxed but she could only do what she could do…She sighed as she found forgiveness… and fear in his eyes. She listened quietly and finally nodded to herself as she made a decision.

“I doubt she has failed to consider that phoenix…but if you insist… there is a place nearby I was camping and you and I can go there….” She said quietly, making it clear she wouldn’t leave him alone. The way he was right now… to leave him alone would be against her very nature. He reminded her too much of those she had been able to protect and instead only been able to share their ordeal..

Lorian was on the verge of protest in respect to their leaving when a Guard from the gate rushed in the front door of the home "Lorian, there is a man at the Gate who calls himself Soma Cruz. He says we are harboring a prisonner that escaped 2 nights ago. He demands that we bring the man out to him immediately or he will raze the village. He says the man goes by the name Llyn and that he is a very dangerous war criminal... The Lord of the town has already ordered us to find this man and give him up. The guard looked at Lorian imploringly...What would you have us do.

Lorian looked at Llyn, life only just now showing in his eyes. She looked to Ana who was attempting to help Islandur gain some strength. She looked at Ellain, and out the window at the rest of the village. "Tell him we will return his fugitive to him. Tell him we are coming now." Before anyone had a chance to move, Lorian was standing beside Llyn, holding both his arms and changing a spell in a long forgotten Elven tounge. It was a gift only the royal house had, to copy a person in a light spell. In less that a few seconds, there were 3 extra Llyns. "Ellain, help get the villagers to safety. I dont know when we will be back. Thank you for the use of your home." She kissed the woman and ran back to the bedroom. She grabbed 2 ready made packs out from under a bed and thought Islandur I hope you havent grown much these last 3 months.
She went back into the main room and grabbed a short sword off the wall and a long bow that had hung below it. A quiver full of arrows sat on a shelf and she slung those over her back too. Islandur, she dropped into a pouch she had made in one of the packs, his chubby legs sticking out from the bottom.
She turned to Ana and Llyn, not even 2 minutes had passed since the arrival of the messenger. "This messenger will take 1 fake Llyn to the gate. It will not fool them long. Another fake Llyn will wait here, and a 3rd will wait somewhere in the village. We will flee south of the village, there is a wood there that will obscure us from spys in the sky. Ana, is your camp close enough by that we can get there in safety?" Lorian was already standing by the door and Ellain was already making her way from door to door, urging all the good hearted people to safety.

When that guard burst in, Llyn stood and turned towards him. Watching warily. When that man spoke, the color from Llyn's face drained immediately, and he staggered back a step. That man! He clutched at the shirt tightly over his heart, gripping the fabric hard. When Lorian said they would return him to Soma Cruz, Llyn turned a fearful, but hard gaze to her. "No..I will not..." He stopped in mid-sentance as Lorian grabbed his arms and began chanting. He could feel the power as it built up in and around her. A spell of some sort..He blinked dumbly at the other Llyns. "....I see.." He muttered softly. When Lorian put herself near the door, Llyn quickly picked up the pack she had handed him when he had first arrived and joined her at the door.

Ana watched in silence, briefly reaching for the chakram at her side as it seemed their elf companion was about to give him up. Sensing the magic, however, she let her hand fall as if sensing it’s purpose. She had already picked up her still light pack and put it on her back when the other spoke. Seemed she would not be restocking her supplies after all… but they were full enough to last another two weeks or so… she just didn’t like having to stay so close to towns…

Still she nodded yes to the question, “Easily.. And fairly well hidden in a grove of weeping willows… under a particularly group of strangely large ones that will obscure the entire group from view as their trailing leaves are just that long… it is only set up for one person, however, so I don’t think it’ll last long unless we take supplies…” She said quietly, frowning in thought. She briefly debated making a distraction with her own magic but she feared to do so…. Her magic was powerful, expansive, but equally difficult to control even as an adult woman. Anything large scale enough to distract from such a large group would have the possibility of going horrifically out of control and Linde’s power of the storms was not particularly predictable either…

"Do not worry about supplies, I have everything we need here in these packs. They are packed for enough food for myself and Islandur for 6 months of hard travel. I would hope we would not be far from a village for that long." She thanked the guard and went out the door, expecting the others to follow her. SHe moved quickly through the village, staying to back streets and side ways. Lorian was glad when she saw the guard at the southern gate, then her heart fell as she realized they were not men of the village. There were 10 of them. Soma Cruz had blocked thier escape. She drew her sword as she continued to rush at the ten men preventing thier escape.

He followed Lorian out the door, close on her heels. He hesitated when he saw the guards at the southern gate. Rather quickly he reached out and grabbed Lorian firmly by the shoulder, his eyes blazing, as he pulled her back and a bit past him so that now she was behind him. "....Forgive me..Suzaku.." He muttered lightly, a plea to his god, the phoenix god, as he rushed forward. Those eyes burned bright and hard, no longer crimson but looking instead like actual flames. Flickering almost violently with red, blues, yellow and white. Of course the men rushed him as well, once they were almost within striking distance he stopped moving. Both hands held out, palms towards those men as fiery feathery wings burst from his back. They weren't really there just the proof of his race, it was hard to hide when he used his magic in this form.

Fire leaped from his hands, reaching out, encircling each of the ten men individually. That fire engulfed them completely. A fire so hot that it burned white. Almost instant death for any living thing caught in the middle of it, and each of those men were in the middle. It blazed bright and fierce until the men stopped screaming and fell..it hadn't taken long at all for that. All in all, Llyn had killed fifteen men. He sagged a bit, that head lowering and all the fire in his eyes had left. They were still bright crimson..for the most part. "..Fifteen, Suzaku...Please forgive me.." He muttered quietly to himself, then to the others. "We should hurry."

Ana followed in silence, the dragon returning from his pout session to lay on her shoulders. She looked at the guards, reaching to her sides to take her chakram from her hips. She had raised one above her head, about to throw it when the flame devoured all. She heard the whispered apology but said nothing, simply hooking the chakram back into place. This was why she thought it better he have training, then perhaps they could leave some alive…Shaking her head she’d step forward to lead the way to her camp without a word.

Lorian witnessed the death of the 10 men with out a word. She gave Llyn an approving nod and said softly, "But you have helped save 38 in this village." She moved past the charred ash and continued to follow Ana. She knew this was hard on Llyn, but she thought he might be ok for now. She felt the babe on her back begin to stir and hear him start to cry. She quickly handed him an arrow to play with as they passed under the trees. Now was not a good time to have him start to cry.

Somehow the knowledge that he had saved thirty eight people did not really help. Slowly, Llyn began to realize why his people had so adamantly refused to help this realm. They were simply too destructive, how could something so destructive ever help instead of harming everything? True he could control what his fire destroyed, but really how did destroying things help? He was frowning deeply, a soft sigh passed his lips as he trailed behind the two females. Those eyes of his, they didn't seem so bright anymore.

Ana let the silence stay, stretching between them. She wasn’t use to having company so was more use to staying silent, despite her mannerly ways. Slowly she’d lead them through many twisting trees until they got to the huge grove she had spoken of. Leading them to one particular weeping willow she’d part the curtain of leaves with one hand to show it essentially formed a tent, her camp was set up inside. Though she kept most valuables with her there was a beat up cotton bed roll, a place for a fire surrounded by stones, and a few other odds and ends such as a small cooking pot.

Walking into the grove, Lorian felt relieved. There was no way they could be seen from above, and it would take a master tracker to follow them to this grove. She slung all the packs off her back and retrived Islandur from his sling. The baby was happily chewing on the arrow shaft.
She openned the packs and made sure that everything she remembered being in there was present, medical supplies, dried foods, clothing and blankets. She also had 2 bed roles in the packs and travel cook ware. "Ana, I think that this place will be perfect for the time. But we cannot stay here for long. If that man is determined to get Llyn back, we will have to keep moving."
She knew that Llyn was still upset about the incident at the south gate and she avoided the subject entirely. She did not want to mention it until he brought it up himself.