Theodore rushed in to Sloane when he saw him, still startled. He felt the tears slip down his cheek, holding at him tightly. "Let's go... please. I want to leave, let's go." He cried as his brother wrapped his arms around himself, looking down at his younger sibling with slight confusion.

Little Sloane hopped over to Denzell's hold, purring deeply as he was pet. He loved ever bit of it, nuzzling and licking at the man's hands. "Mew~"

Denzell smiled, happy to see the cute little beast. Picking him up, he stroked his head and cuddled against him. He would take company from animals over those of humans any day. Why he thought such a thing was unclear to him.

Elidion looked concerned from the rapid change from the wide-eyed, smiling boy to the sobbing, shuddering one. "What happened?

Theodore shook, Sloane unsure of what to do--Theo had never come to him in this condition, only if he'd fallen and scraped himself somewhere, or when something had scared him--thunder.

"This man--the man... He..." THeodore trailed off and moved over to Elidion. He didn't want Sloane to hear what he'd done to him--he'd be irrational if he knew. His hands grasped at the pretty man softly, speaking against his neck so quietly, close to his ear. "L-last time.. the man.. raped me... and took my eye." He whispered, sniffling as he trembled a little.

Elidion was alarmed by what the boy said. Raped? Enucleation? "What a monster!" he cried out. He hugged him, patting him on the back, unable to believe the injustice that had occurred! And people said these parts were pleasant? Lies!

"D-Denzell.. he took him down somehow, but--but he might come back--" He quieted as Elidion rubbed his back, holding onto him tightly. He was comforted, tears drenching his face still, enjoying his hold, the patting. He was such a comfort whore.

Sloane grutned, jealous. Why was Theodore trusting what happened to him with a man he'd JUST met? Then again... perhaps he understood as well, Theodore knew his temperament when it came to him. He knew he was too protective, but he couldn't help it, he cared too much for Theodore, however, perhaps it was hindering them more now than ever.

As Denzell cuddled with little Sloane, Elidion questioned how the man was capable of even taking down someone. He was emaciated. And he was nuzzling with a kitten...

Theodore quieted slowly, rubbing at his face again and he murmured a "sorry" to Elidion for clinging onto him like that.

"It's alright," he said, offering a smile to the child. "It's understandable that you're upset. That man...he's terrible. People like that shouldn't even be alive."

Theodore bit his lip a little. "I... I think... everyone should have a chance to live." He replied after a moment, rubbing at his face again. He was still naive, innocent. He didn't want to kill the man, even though he stirred hate and fear in him every time he saw him.

Denzell shook his head. "So he could do something that terrible again? To another sweet child?" He had to agree with Elidion. There just was...some people who did such awful things. And they wouldn't stop until they met the face of death himself.

How he knew this, was beyond him.

Theodore looked down, frowning. "I... I know, but.." He sighed, holding at Elidion's sleeve so lightly still. He wasn't one to kill--he couldn't bring himself to. Well, perhaps he could; a part of him really wanted to just burn the man to a slow, painful crisp, but he knew he'd feel horrible afterwards... Then again, maybe he wouldn't.

Denzell was uncomfortable with the tension in the room. "Are...we going "home" soon, Theo?" he asked, softly. Little Sloane mewed at him for attention.

Theodore nodded, his hand tightening on Elidion's sleeve a moment before he grunted and suddenly pulled away with a gasp. "S-sorry--" He hadn't meant to hold like that, blushing and bowing his head a bit.

"Y-yes, let's go." He moved to help Sloane pack their things up the rest of the way so they could take them to the mare waiting in the stables for them. He leaned down, his hand grasping at his ribs as he coughed up again, he'd been holding it back but after the struggle and running, it'd stirred the blood back up from his wounds, slipping out into his hand.

Sloane looked at the boy with wide eyes when he hacked up blood, knelt down a bit aways from him. He hadn't even realized he was hurt--had that man they'd been talking about hurt him? "Th-Theo---oh god, are you okay?" He asked, dropping the blankets he was trying to fold up from his bed on the floor and he grabbed a rag from the bag by them and tried to clean his lips and hand up of the blood and spit.

"I.. I'm fine." Came the mumbled reply, coughing agian. His ribs and abs hurt so much, and his lungs burned, but he didn't want to worry anyone further. He was sure he was fine--that attack wasn't that bad, was it? He'd probably be fine by them if he'd just stayed back in his room and slept it off while Tobias was away, but no, he had to go home without the man.

Elidion frowned, turning serious and not relaxed and silly as how he was earlier. "With an attack like what he sustained, he should stay here and rest. Traveling is not a good idea for someone in his health. If," he said, looking at Sloane and Denzell, "you care about his well being." He was unsure why these people even made the child travel after being attacked by an Elite. Were people really that ignorant in these parts?

"E-Elidion... I didn't tell..." He coughed again and Sloane finally tugged him carefully into his arm, lifting him to lay him on the bed.

Only Denzell had known anything about his condition on this trip, had he told Tobias they were leaving, he might have even forbid it because of his condition.

"Sorry, Edidion..." Theodore started softly. "Looks like we're staying a little longer--you can always stay in here with us though." He smiled softly, wiping blood away with the back of his hand as he rolled onto his side so if he coughed, he wouldn't choke on any blood that might come up with it. "Could.. you make sure the window is locked? That... he came in there..." He was obviously scared to stay there, though he was trying to hide it.

Denzell set little Sloane down and quickly went to close the window as requested. A click of the lock succeeded the slight slam; the man had to use all of his weight to bring the window down.

Elidion was uncertain what fears the child had about the window. He waved his hand when Theodore spoke.

"I'm fine, don't worry. I could sleep in the stables and be fine too," he chuckled, good-naturedly, trying to lighten the mood once more.

Theodore giggled softly. "I bet you could." He murmured, smiling meekly. He was tired, feeling sleep start to overcome him and he was soon fast asleep.

Sloane watched him a moment and grunted, looking at the others as silence fell over the room for a moment. "Out. Th'both of ya." He grumbled, his protective side kicking in.

"Me too?" Denzell asked, surprised. Elidion had already stepped out, trying to get the lady who had captured his heart to let him in again. He would end up going back to the innkeeper to request an open room. Anywhere near hers.

Sloane nodded. "Take the cat and find it some milk or something." He said, nudging Denzell and little Sloane out of the room before shutting the door behind him. He just wanted to leave them all and take Theodore home and never let him leave.

It was an hour later and Sloane had dozed on the edge of the bed after opening the window when the room started to get stuffy. He woke at the soft sound of someone stepping in on the wood floor, making it creak softly.

A man had pulled himself in through the window--Sloane didn't know who he was but he was missing an eye. "What the--" He hardly had time to get up before he was struck down and grabbed up by the shirt. The man wanted Theodore, he wasn't going to mess around much with the brother--he was stronger than him, surprising Sloane.

Theodore started to stir at the ruckus, grunting. He rubbed at his face and glanced up, gasping as he saw the man in the room and Sloane being rammed against the window, the frame cracking behind him. "S-Sloane!" He yelped, winded as he tried to get up too fast and jostled his ribs again.

The man rammed him against the window again and the frame finally gave way, sending Sloane right out from their second story room to the ground.

"SLOANE!!!" Theo screamed, crying out as he was grabbed and shoved back down ti the bed. After that, it was like reliving it all over again, though he didn't take his eyes this time, they weren't flawed anymore, after all. Just to shut Theodore up, he sliced the boy's mouth open, right along the jaw from the edges of his pretty lips, stitching him right up afterwards, all the way across from one side to the other, closing his mouth up.

Theo was in so much pain, he couldn't muster a single noise, in shock. He didn't snap out of it until he felt the blade near his eyes, his bound hands setting his assailant on fire before he had a chance to carve these ones out or even get a single bit of his clothing off of him. He stumbled to his feet as the man fell back to the window and tumbled out in a ball of flames, turning to ashes before he even hit the ground. Sloane was still lying there, motionless as Theodore looked out from the window. Fifteen minutes had passed since he'd fallen... wouldn't.. he have moved by then? Theodore wanted to scream his name, but he couldn't with his mouth bound, blood still sliding down his face. He was afraid to let anyone see, sliding down to the floor with his back to the door, blood trailing from the bed to where he rested, grasping at the broken frame as he cried.

Aeros was troubled. There was a struggle. Wood snapping. Screaming. Thuds. She looked out the window and gasped at the sight of the man laying on his back down below. Leaving the window sill, she went to tell Elidion to see if he was still alive.

Theodore slowly stood as he heard people going out to see what had happened. He tugged the sheets from the bed, bloody once again and he wrapped up in it like a hooded cloak, hiding his lower face as he left the room to slide down stairs and outside, hurrying to Sloane's side. He was long gone though, bleeding from his ear, his skull cracked from when he'd impacted. "....."

He fisted his hands in the man's shirt, leaning down over him on his knees as he cried with muffled grunts, hiding his bloody, stitched face against his brother's body.

Elidion gazed down at the elder brother, finding it somewhat distressing that just earlier he was speaking to him. Getting kicked out, in fact. And now, he was off into the spirit world...

With a handkerchief, he covered his face and shook his head. Looking over at Theodore, he touched the boy's head, feeling pity for him. "I'm sorry for your loss..."

Theodore's hands shook a little as they grasped at Elidion's, and he brought one of the man's hands down to feel his face, making him cough the bloody mess and run his fingers over the stitches. He couldn't say anything, he hoped it got his attention though.

Elidion's eyes widened as he felt the hot, wet sticky fluid and strings stitching up his mouth. Instinctively, his hand jerked back. He wasn't quite sure what it was. But the blood spilling down his fingers said it all.

"Oh my god..."

Theodore swallowed thickly, trying not to drown in is own blood. He couldn't spit out any that poured into his mouth, though luckily for him, most of it remained on his face, slipping down his jaw and neck, soaking into the fabric of the sheet and his shirt.

Keeping the sheet to his face, Theo looked up at Elidion, silently pleading for help. He wanted to go home--but he couldn't get the help he needed there, he wasn't even sure what to do--his father would be devistated to lose Sloane...

He trembled and the sheet slipped away from his face to reveal the nasty stitches and sliced skin from jaw joint to jaw joint,