A few weeks have passed since Zarius' return to the realm of the living. Most of that time has been spent with his family at the manor. Needless to say, they've been very protective and doting, and visitors have been kept to a minimum. Caedes and Askr have been the exception to that for the most part, with Cyran still being kept at arm's length at least for the time being. Others have been asked to respect the family's wishes and privacy until they are ready, or rather, until Zarius is ready.

Being dead for over a year has taken its toll on the fellblood. While there's nothing wrong with the vessel Askr and Astrid put together, it still takes him a bit to get used to. He's not as strong as he once was, and it will take time to train this new body into combat condition.

What's more difficult for him to cope with is how much he missed while dead. Piles of documents, hours of recaps. For someone who always strived to be ten steps ahead, being a thousand behind is mentally taxing and emotionally draining.

While he tries his best to just relax and take things slow, if not only for his own sake but his families’ and friends’ as well, regret and a sense of urgency are quick to breed impatience.

Zarius hits the ground hard as sand scatters around him. The dull thud of the impact bounces off cold stone walls that surround a sandy training pit where the fellblood spars with his father while Caedes supervises from the sidelines.

Drenched in sweat and panting heavily, Zarius rolls off his side up onto his knees. Sand sticks to his skin and clothes as he catches his breath.

Anselm’s gaze lingers on him for a while, the man has barely broken a sweat of his own. It's hard to discern what he might be thinking, then he turns his attention to Caedes. He holds the changeling’s stare for a moment before stepping away from Zarius and then up and out of the pit.

“That is enough for today.”

“Wait,” Zarius says between breaths. “I can keep going.”

“No.” Anselm collects his coat from the wooden rail around the edge of the pit and flips it over his shoulder. “You should not rush your recovery.”

The younger fellblood doesn't respond, nor does he raise his head. The training session hadn't even lasted a half hour before Zarius' guard was completely destroyed by Anselm's strength, speed, and expertise. Had this been a serious fight, the younger fellblood would have been left a bloody pulp by now.

Anselm's heavy hand lands on Caedes’ shoulder unexpectedly. His grip is firm but not crushing.

“Make sure he rests.” Anselm glances back over his shoulder towards the pit. “You know how he is.”

With that, the man leaves the pair alone in the training space.

“...” Zarius slams his fist into the sand in a short burst of frustration. He then rocks back onto his feet and brushes the sand from his hands.

He offers Caedes a quick glance before exiting the pit himself and grabbing a towel off the rail to try and brush more of the sand off.

“You do not need to hover over me even if he tells you to. I am fine.”

---

SPOILER: Click to show

Quest Name: Fur Ball
Participants: Two or more
Location: Anywhere
Post Requirements: 5 posts per person, 200 words per post
Description: A small community, town, or village has been reporting that people have been going missing, with no bodies turning up. They have requested your help in investigating the sudden disappearances. Your investigations lead you to find that a local pet or community animal has been eaten and replaced by a Morphleon, who is preying on the locals while disguised as their beloved pet. Find the disguised Morphleon and kill it before it eats the community, or you.

It's been a few weeks since Zarius returned. In many ways it doesn't feel real; and yet, it is.

Caedes lingers just outside of the training grounds, his arms crossed while he leans into the railing from the sidelines. Not unlike the Rha'Oriyn, anything less than urgent has been swept from his schedule in favour of remaining in, or close to, the manor. He's barely had the time to process everything that's happened: the sacrifices, the people involved, the timeline.

When Zarius died, there was nothing left of him; no magic that could put him back together from the ashes. It is not as if Caedes hadn't looked into methods of revival but many were too close to what he understood so intimately.

So, he had a number of reservations about it all.

What if the vessel wasn't strong enough? What if it all happened again and they once again watch him unravel? What if it isn't Zarius when he wakes? Or worse, what if it is; but he's tied to a pact or an entity that he never asked for?

When he died, he didn't ask to be brought back; he didn't ask to feel the chill of undeath. He didn't want it.

If there was no possible way to bring Zarius back without strings attached... he just...

A dull thud bounces off the walls; and Caedes instinctively flinches at the sound. A frown creases his lips as he pushes off the railing and watches Zarius roll back to his knees from where he collapsed in the sand. He watches the way the fellblood's chest heaves while he catches his breath before the changeling tilts his head to meet Anselm's gaze.

After a moment, the older fellblood breaks his gaze and starts to move away from his son; Caedes takes a superficial breath, his shoulders falling with the exhale as he looks to Zarius. He's alive; but his body is different and time has passed. So much has changed. The most selfish part of him is terribly glad, but there's a clear struggle to adapt for him - to return to the way things were.

...

He's not sure if any of them will ever truly be able to return to the way things were.

Caedes is about to head into the sandy training grounds to assist Zarius when Anselm's hand rests on his shoulder halts him; he hesitates, glancing sidelong at him while he speaks. "I'll keep an eye on him," he promises. The changeling tips his head briefly as Anselm leaves; then glances out towards where Zarius has been left in the arena.

His expression softens; and as Zarius approaches, he proceeds to hop onto and perch upon the nearby railing while the fellblood grabs a towel. "Please." he remarks, hooking the heel of a boot into one of the railings below, "Your father is kind of terrifying, but I hover on my own terms."

Whose bright idea was it to fill the pit with sand? It has the same properties as glitter. Caedes wouldn't be surprised to find Morrigan Moonweaver with a pocket of the stuff. He leans over to brush away stubborn grit from the fellblood's shoulder. "I know you're fine." he continues, glancing at the palm of his hand before brushing the sand off against his own thigh with a sigh. "But he's right, too. Pushing yourself so hard will only hinder your recovery."

Caedes slides off the railing, a lopsided smile quirking his lips. "Speaking of, you've been pretty cooped up in the manor on bed rest." He sets his hands on his hips, glancing sidelong at Zarius, "There's more than one way to rest and recover - once you clean up, why don't we go take a walk or something? You could use the fresh air without an entourage fussing over your every step. Besides, all those files in your office are only going to catch you up so much."

Zarius scoffs. “Good to see you two are getting along.”

Despite his tone, he means that. Introducing Caedes to his father had been a major source of anxiety for the fellblood for a multitude of reasons. There was always a chance that Anselm would shift his lingering grudge with the Shadow Crawlers to Caedes as the sole survivor. There was even a chance that his father would have held the assassin responsible for what happened that night.

From what he's gathered, Cyran drew all of his father's ire which meant Caedes was spared any anger. Zarius has his own feelings and thoughts about that, as he has his own feelings and thoughts about a lot of the things that happened while he was absent. Most of them are not great, but he's done his best to keep the more ugly feelings to himself. And Caedes would be well aware of that fact.

There are many things they haven't talked about yet: what happened that dreaded night, how Caedes sought revenge after the fact, the kiss…And the two small bands of metal that now adorn their fingers, linking their inner emotions to one another - a condition of Caedes’ patron to ensure whatever curse may still be lingering in Zarius' own soul is monitored and the past is kept from repeating itself.

While the pair are now in tune with one another more than ever, it's still proving difficult just to speak openly. It's almost more embarrassing now, shameful even, and Zarius would be lying if he said he wasn't deliberately avoiding talking about things and using training as a distraction from it. Getting back to some sense of normalcy with his body isn't easy, but it's far easier than coming to terms with matters of the heart.

Caedes' hand brushes against his shoulder and he glances at the changeling while a sigh escapes his lips. “I know he is right. That makes it even more frustrating.”

He doesn't want to be insensitive to his family's feelings. They were the ones who spent the last year grieving and picking up the pieces that his death left shattered on the floor while he was in a state where time was something he couldn't even keep track of. Even though he lost his life, he wasn't the one suffering the most. 

The most he can do to make it up to them is to put his pride aside and not give them more reasons to worry. Even if it's incredibly frustrating to be reduced back to essentially being treated like a child who cannot take care of themself. 

Zarius raises a brow. “You want to break me out of being grounded?”

It's a tempting offer. 

Real tempting. 

A walk couldn't hurt, and it is important that he's seen out in public as soon as possible again. It would put their competition back on their guard and make them think twice of pulling any more assassination attempts against his family.

At least, in theory, a lot has changed in Darkveil since he died and the power dynamics have massively shifted amongst the Ashen Fathers who have managed to avoid persecution by the Stablemen and Legion. He at least still has his title, and his status as a guild member of two prominent organizations - though he does need to pay the Fighter's Guild a visit to make sure that the new guildmaster didn't revoke his membership when they discovered he had died.

That will be an awkward conversation, and best left until he can prove he still belongs in the guild even in his weakened state. 

He throws the towel back onto the rail. 

“Let us go then. At the very least, seeing you get caught and berated by my sister will be more entertaining than paperwork.”

For how difficult everything is right now, teasing Caedes at least remains easy. For that, he's grateful. 

"Getting along might be an overstatement," Caedes admits with a chuckle, "I'm fairly certain your father just tolerates me; but it's better than the alternative." Although there's a playful cadence to his tone, he really doesn't know where he stands with Zarius' father. Tolerance is his best guess; and it's certainly more than Caedes thinks he deserves. 

No matter how patient Anselm has been; and no matter how kind Zewala has been; it's difficult to forget that their first meeting came at the same moment that their world fell apart. It's difficult for him to look them in the eyes; to accept their acceptance, no matter where it might originate from, without guilt.

When Zarius expresses his frustration, the changeling feels his grievance; his lopsided smile that follows is apologetic. "I know," Caedes' expression softens; as far as he understands, near everything Zarius has done - and will do - has been for the sake of his family. It's of no surprise to him that despite the fellblood's desire to return to normalcy, he's willing to put up with being treated like something fragile and delicate upon his return.

Coddled, or protected, like a princess locked away in her tower.

Which is not to say that Caedes does not understand the Rha'Oriyn or their desire to protect the son, or brother, that they had lost for nearly a year; on the contrary, he empathizes; but it's equally difficult to see - and feel - Zarius struggling to adapt to the loss of his independence, however temporary it's intended to be.

When Caedes reaches over to brush the sand from Zarius' shoulder, the ring on his finger glints in the light: the origin of the grievances he feels. It's a strange feeling, one that's difficult to adjust, to be so in-tune with the fellblood's emotions.

Likewise, he's sure.

Having been brought up in the underbellies of Darkveil, internalizing his feelings is all too easy. When Zarius died, it was all he felt he could do: and now that he's back... where would he even begin? He is not particularly proud of the maelstrom of his own emotions that she has made transparent through the connection of the rings; vulnerability is a wretched feeling when one has been taught to hide it: but it's a decision Caedes would agree to again and again if it meant that Zarius could have his second chance at life without her intrusion.

Zarius' raised brow - a facial feature that Caedes is still adjusting to - causes the changeling to choke on a laugh and lose any semblance of a serious thought. He clears his throat and gives Zarius an attempt to look serious about his suggestion, but a snide smile still quirks his lips all the same.

"Listen," Caedes objects, voice lilting in mock offense. "It's not so much 'breaking you out'," He throws his fingers up into air quotes to emphasize the words, "as it is a different kind of rest. Your family wants you to rest, I want you to rest - and if we go back to your office, you and I both know you're going to end up with your nose in those papers until you've passed out on your desk."

The changeling's hands move to his hips, "We may as well do something that at least doesn't feel like work. Besides, you're only going to gather so much from a bunch of notes; things have changed quite a bit." Caedes makes a broad gesture at the roof, "There's a sun and everything now; can't say I'm a big fan, but, I hear it's good for people who aren't me."

When Zarius finally does agree; it's not without sass. 

He would have it no other way.

"Wow," Caedes laments, a hand falling delicately over his collarbone in some lazy semblance of offense; but laughter sits behind his words, "I see how it is. Well, I'm glad that my suffering at the hands of your sister is so amusing." He picks himself up and sweeps past Zarius, giving him a generous but playful shove as he passes, his tone lowering into something more conspiratorial. "She's going to have to catch us first, though."

He doesn't mean to override or undermine the wishes of Zarius' family; and, hopefully, this action won't be taken as such should Eameia, or gods forbid, Anselm comedically appear behind him at this exact moment. He does, genuinely, feel a break from all of this would do Zarius well: there is no rush, but this readjustment will take time. Finding some way for Zarius to decompress without straining or stressing himself further would be ideal; a walk happens to fulfill Zarius' desire for progress in some way while still being relatively low stress. 

In theory.

This is Darkveil, but the gods know that he will not see anything harm the fellblood - not again.

He turns on a heel, offering a chuckle and a significantly more sincere despite the ounce of mischief in his tone, "Look, you've been grounded for a while, princess; it just might do you well to get out of your castle and take a break from your break."

"He is warming up to you. You can trust me on that."

Actually, the only reason Caedes and Anselm weren't introduced to one another was because of Zarius' own hesitation. Way back during the the whole first red rogue incident, Anselm had actually figured out who Caedes was and had tried to get Zarius to let them meet. Zarius had refused for his own reasons, but Anselm did respect his son's wishes and didn't press the issue. It was...odd considering how the Ashen Father was not one to compromise on his own desires even at the request of a family member if he had any concerns about the consequences of such a compromise. 

All in all, Anselm has been very tolerant of Zarius' whims. It's something that has helped keep their relationship healthy, even if it means Zarius falls on his face and makes mistakes Anselm's experience could have circumvented. What's a bit more surprising though is how Anselm let Caedes into the arms of the family so openly after losing the heir to everything he's built. The Ashen Father could have easily rejected Caedes and cast him out for good, but he didn't. While the welcome wasn't under the best circumstances, it was still presented to Caedes all the same. 

It's hard to say why exactly the older fellblood put his personal grudge aside for the changeling. Maybe it was because of their shared grief over the loss of a loved one, or out of respect for his son's continued investment in the undead assassin and his value to the family's goals. Maybe Eameia had some part to play in it. Or maybe he was wary of giving a Shadow Crawler reason to turn their blade on the family once more. Whatever the reason is, Anselm hasn't shared that information with the changeling even after a year of proven loyalty. Seems being bad at talking about more emotional topics runs in the family. 

Zarius listens to Caedes reasoning for suggesting some change of scenery all the while thinking that the man probably shares in his stir-craziness from being stuck playing babysitter since Zarius' return. After all, Caedes hasn't really been sent out on any missions since Zarius' return and has essentially been glued to the fellblood's side. Not that Zarius is complaining, though the lack of privacy granted by Caedes' patron is a bit awkward. 

It's true though that going back to his office would just mean he'd bury himself in ledgers and letters. That was hardly restful. 

That said, the suggestion of taking a stroll in the sunshine is pretty ridiculous coming from the highly sun-sensitive vampire. "Oh, yes, the blessed ball of light in the sky that you so adore."

He's seen a bit of the changes to Darkveil through the windows of the manor. Even those little peeks have bene hard to believe. It almost didn't feel real when viewed from behind the barrier of glass separating him from the world beyond the familiar halls. 

"Are you sure you do not want to wait until sundown so that you do not ruin that porcelain complexion of yours?" His tone has an edge of mockery in it, but Caedes would sense an underlying touch of anxiety in his words. 

The fellblood would be lying if he said that the only reason he hadn't yet ventured out was to respect his family's wishes to stay inside. Part of him is hesitant to step through the manor's threshold and be confronted with the reality everything that has transpired in the year he has been absent. Feeling the sun on his skin and breathing air that is devoid of ash with the shadow of Mount Drakolt missing from Darkveil's skyline...he's not sure how to feel about it. Never in his life did he ever consider that Darkveil would change in the ways it has. 

At the same time, he can't keep hiding inside. His family had already been targeted by assassins emboldened by the rumors of his death spreading through the underbelly. He had to get back in the public eye as soon as possible to reinforce the protections that came with his noble status.  

Zarius offers the changeling a toothy grin as the assassin shoves passed him. "It is music to my ears."

The sentiment of not wanting to undermine the family's wishes is shared between them. Zarius knows his family has been struggling and that his death and absence was the cause of those struggles. Even though he's back, they still are dealing with the grief of the loss, and now the complicated feelings of him returning. Being back now doesn't erase the past year of pain, and it will take time for that pain to ease. It may never fully disappear, and Zarius doesn't want to do anything that would inflict more suffering on those he has always put first.

That now includes Caedes. 

He lets out half a laugh. "'Princess'?" He playfully bumps his shoulder into the changeling's as he matches his pace. "Please tell me you have not been spending time with Miss Issala Arodre. I do not need more nicknames." 

Just the thought hat Caedes has made fast friends with the ivory investigator fills him with dread. What weird habits could the changeling steal from the woman to use against him and be even more of a menace? If Caedes starts narrating everything or calling him Dame then he'll know for certain all hope is lost.

The pair depart from the training room and continue down the hallway, passing door after door until arriving at the front. An older sun elf woman stands armed and armored near the exit to the manor and regards the pair with a scrutinizing gaze.

Over the past year, Caedes would have gotten more familiar with the various grunts under Anselm's thumb. Few held enough rank to really pay much attention to except for some notable exceptions such as Eirynor, Eameia's right hand, and Miss Aubrey, the lead guard of the family's personal militia. Eirynor Caedes is more than familiar with, but Miss Aubrey was someone the changeling didn't really interact with until after the destruction of Mount Drakolt.

The woman is a stern, no-nonsense sword wielder and it's clear that she is a major influence on Eirynor and the rest of Anselm's personal selection of hired mercenaries. She keeps a tight operation and ensures complete loyalty amongst the ranks which is saying something given how unreliable sell-swords can be in their line of work. 

"Good day, Miss Aubrey." 

"Master Zarius, Master Caedes." She gives a nod of respect to each man but then narrows her eyes like a suspicious parent. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Just looking for some fresh air."

"Open a window then." 

"Miss Aubrey, please. We will not be more than a few hours." 

The woman's eyes narrow. She's more than familiar with the kind of situations Zarius tends to get involved in. Being with the family as long as she has been, she's done her fair share of chasing him and his sister around and bailing them out of trouble. Her eyes lands on Caedes. 

"Can I expect you to be the responsible one?"

"Miss Aubrey, that is hardly fair. I am still capable of being responsible for myself." 

"You expect me to believe that when you cannot even be responsible for your own pet?"

Oh. 

Well. 

She has him there.

"Ah...uh...did Ebony do something?"

"That thing ran off into the city with one of Lady Zewala's amulets." 

"That is...problematic, but we can keep an eye out for her while on our walk." 

Miss Aubrey doesn't look particularly convinced, but she knows well enough that trying to keep two stealthy ass bastards inside when they don't want to sit still will be a futile task. She pulls a coat off of a rack near the wall and shoves it into Zarius' arms. 

"If you are not back in three hours I will alert your father." 

"Understood." He nods as he pulls his arms through the sleeves of the coat. "Thank you." 

"If anyone asks, I will say you snuck out." 

"Of course." 

She steps aside and lets the two men exit through the door out into the front courtyard of the estate. The heavy wooden doors close behind them with a dull thud. 

Zarius takes a moment to just take in the sights of a new-to-him Darkveil devoid of the thick ash laden skies. There is some cloud cover, but spots of blue sky do peek out in between them and dapple the city with sun spots. The roofs and streets that used to be covered in a perpetual layer of ash are now bare which is just strange to see for himself. The air is lighter an slightly tinged with salt from the ocean breeze that blows through the city.

It's all so different. It hardly feels like the same place he called home for his entire life. A sense of melancholy settles into him as he comes to terms with the fact that nothing would ever be the same as it once was. 

"I do so adore it." Caedes lies without missing a beat; Zarius already knows how he feels about the sun, and the changeling has never been one to hide the way he has always preferred keeping out of it when they travel during the daylight hours. A snort of a laugh escapes him when Zarius continues; his voice is ever-so-mocking despite the pinprick of anxiety that buzzes in his chest.

Still, he missed this stupid banter.

"Oh, so kind of you to worry about my frail and delicate constitution," Caedes purrs, lifting the back of his hand to his forehead as he slides off the railing. "But, I'll be fine; a single piece of fabric stands between me and the worst sunburn Charon has ever known. It's failproof, truly." Which is to say it is, in fact, not failproof; but there are few alternatives for a vampire to traverse the sun without some risk.

It's just not possible to avoid it in its entirety; Darkveil was a nice haven for him in particular, but now... not so much

After he has graciously shoved past the fellblood, he spins around on a heel to face him and throws Zarius a look, poking his tongue between his sharper canines at him in response to the toothy grin he receives. "If that's music to you, wait until you hear a real sonata. It'll blow your mind." With that, Caedes spins back around and sets their pace into the house with a languid gesture for him to follow.

In just a few moments, Zarius joins him; and a chuffed laugh escapes Caedes' lips when he bumps him.

"Miss Issala Arodre?" Caedes flashes Zarius a mischievous glance which seems to say that the fellblood will regret reminding him of her immediate existence. "I'm afraid not, but I'm starting to wish I had..." The changeling grins, "You never did tell me Miss Issala's generous list of nicknames for you... why not? Afraid someone might use them for evil?"

Caedes can, and will continue, to come up with his own; but nicknames are a hit-and-miss! If a list of stupid nicknames exists for Zarius that already pushes his buttons, it would be a downright waste not to take advantage of them.

Oh, yes. He files this knowledge away for a later date.

Alongside Zarius, Caedes traverses halls that he's grown accustomed to over the past year; they feel less quiet, less intimidating, now that the heir to the Rha'Oriyn has returned. There was a time when Caedes really felt the silence and grief of the household while roaming through these halls; he never knew what to say when he crossed paths with the other inhabitants, whether part of Zarius' family or otherwise.

They are all still recovering, even after his return. In Zarius' presence, at least, he barely notices how many doors they've passed before they reach the front.

And, by association, Miss Aubrey.

"Ohhh, if it isn't my favourite swordswoman," Caedes chirps with a hint of a honey-sweet tone, which is almost always indicative of some sort of request to follow. "Hello, Miss Aubrey." He stands next to Zarius with his hands clasped together behind his back, a smile quirking his lips while Miss Aubrey curtly denies their hope of getting fresh air.

"Okay, but Anselm asked me to ensure that Zarius," he claps the fellblood on the back, "Actually relaxes for once, so we're just. Going on a walk." Neither his or Zarius' explanations seem to ease Miss Aubrey's furrowed brows or skepticism, and when her eyes land on him, Caedes puffs, "Have you ever known me to be anything but respon... actually, don't answer that." he backtracks with a wave of his hands, but when Miss Aubrey turns on Zarius, he doesn't intervene.

... until she mentions Ebony.

"Ugh." The changeling's expression falls, "I'm still not convinced your cat is actually a cat; she'll come back at some point, but probably just to take something else and drag it who know where. Or to bite my ankles; that's one of her favourite hobbies at this point." He's ever-so-acknowledging of a weight that tugs at the back of his cloak while he speaks, but when he tilts his head, he sees nothing.

Still, as uncoordinated as their pitch to Miss Aubrey is, she relents; and Caedes claps his hands together. "Great, three hours; we'll keep an eye out for the creature." He skirts around Zarius to open the door for him while he pulls on his coat, waving gratefully at Miss Aubrey, "And, I'll make sure his highness is back before the curfew," he promises before he slips out the door after him.

---

Caedes flips up his hood as he walks out the door after Zarius, then turns to close it behind them while the fellblood pauses to take in the sights; something somber blooms in his chest, and doesn't go unnoticed.

He's had time to adjust to the changes that have fallen over Darkveil; almost a year of time to adapt; and yet, everything about the home he once knew still feels wrong. It'll take time for Zarius to adjust.

"Are you going to say hello?" ⁽¹⁾ she asks after a soft sigh; the switch between Caedes and Mei comes quickly; ⁽²⁾ and apparently, they have company joining them on their walk. She's been feeling the tiny taps of sharp legs since they had begun talking to Miss Aubrey; and the unmistakable weight on her shoulder is a tell-tale sign of who their company is.

Charlotte's cloak falls, revealing the large mimic spider, who has not yet fully adjusted to the Rha'Oriyn manor despite the year that has passed. For the sake of the staff, the mercenaries, and the family - she feels more comfortable cloaking herself in the case she gives somebody a scare. 

She's been the most shy to express herself about Zarius' return; but that doesn't mean she hasn't been present.

She's left small gifts for the fellblood; mostly dried, or pressed, flowers: sometimes petals in a bottle, and sometimes an almost competent arrangement in a vial for decoration. Even so, the eight eyes full of fondness she looks at Zarius with are the most clear signs of her joy of his return. "_{Hi, mister Zarius.}" she says in her tiny voice, "_{How are you feeling today?}"

Mei raises a hand to fondly brush beneath Charlotte's head; a pressure which she leans into somewhat, "Is it okay with you if she joins us?" she remarks, watching the way that two of Charlotte's legs reach out to Zarius from her shoulder, as if asking to be picked up.

---

_{(1) Sound Throwing}

_{(2) Alter Self}

_{+ NPC/Pet: Charlotte the Mimic Spider}

Zarius regards Caedes with an amused look on his face as the changeling sticks his tongue out at him. What a brat. It takes all of his self-control not to kick the changeling in the ass when he turns his back to him once more.

“Oh? Are you going to serenade me? Is all your artistic talent in song rather than dance? That certainly would explain a few things.”

He hasn’t had the chance to yet, but he’s still set on dragging Caedes out on a dancefloor one day. No one in the Rha’Oryin household could get away with being a flatfooted wallflower forever. The stars just need to align in the right way for him to spring his trap without Caedes being able to come up with some excuse not to take a spin around a dance hall. 

Simply throwing a party at the Rookery likely wouldn't work as the changeling might just hide away in his room and lock the door. Not that a locked door is a problem, it's more prying him out of the rafters that would be a pain. 

On the topic of the dreaded list of nicknames...

“I did not tell you for good reason,” he reminds the changeling before affirming his concerns about how such information would be used. “Very much so. You specifically.”

Dead gods forbid Zarius ever finds himself locked in a room with both ivory-skinned smart-mouths at the same time.
He might just pass away a second time out of embarrassment. 

As they're stopped at the door, the fellblood finds himself pretty amused at how easily Caedes has found his dynamic even with the family's staff. It puts him at ease to know that Caedes has found a way to integrate himself and feel comfortable enough to harrass others and not just himself. 

Miss Aubrey isn’t the type to smile or joke around and it shows on her face. Caedes might try to crack her defenses, but years of putting up with Zarius, Eameia, and Zewala has made her an expert at remaining stone-faced when confronting insincere smiles and empty flattery. Despite her ice queen-like disposition, she cares very strongly for the family's wellbeing and has shared in their silent grief for the past year.

It has not been easy holding the foundation together as it seems to crumble beneath their feet. The assassination attempt had been particularly crippling, setting the family more on edge and shaking the trust between the ranks. Having Zarius back has helped with moral overall, but there's still many unanswered questions and uncertainty about the resilience of this new body he wanders the halls in.

On a more personal note, she too wants Zarius to rest as much as possible, but she also can understand how being cooped up for weeks would grow unbearable for him. He's too old to be distracted by puzzles and hide and seek anymore, as hard as that is for her to come to terms with having been with the family as long as she has been. 

“Put those ankles to some good use then,” she says as she steps aside to allow them to pass. She gives the pair a pointed look before the door closes behind them. “Do not be late.”

---

Zarius glances over at Caedes as his features shift into that of one of many other faces the changeling has hidden away. A stray strand of white hair escapes her hood and the fellblood doesn't even think before reaching up and tucking it back into the hood of her cape. It just feels natural to do. 

His eyes then drift from her to the large arachnid appearing on her shoulder. He smiles warmly at the prismatic spider.

“Good day, Miss Charlotte. I am alright, how are you?”

The limb waving gesture is not lost on Zarius and he doesn't hesitate to pick the spider off of Mei's shoulder and let her clamber up onto his own. He’s still warmer than Caedes, but the acrid scent of smoke no longer lingers on his skin.

He looks back at Mei as Charlotte makes herself comfortable. 

“Of course. She can be the responsible one since neither of us can be trusted it seems.”

With that said, the two then depart from the manor grounds and set off into the city of Darkveil.

The city is simultaneously busy and not. Many darkened alleyways are ominously empty while there's more activity out in the open. The lack of ash clogging up the streets has made it easier to traverse the city and encouraged people to spend a bit more time outside.

At the same time, there's an undeniably oppressive presence of soldiers from the Legion of the Dark Sun patrolling up and down the streets. The crackdown on the Ashen Fathers is still alive and well within the city which Zarius is not a fan of. While some of their competition has been taken out thanks to their efforts combined with the Stablemen's investigations, it has disrupted the power structure of Darkveil.

The Count who had been just a puppet of the Ashen Fathers is now enjoying the reinstated authority that comes with having backing from the Crown's forces. Many of the criminal families now find themselves on their back foot, caught between keeping their autonomy, or selling out to the Count to try and keep themselves out of jail cells should the Stablemen sick the Legion on them.

It's a precarious situation to return to. Zarius can't help but feel like they're balancing on the edge of a sheer cliff while doing nothing more than strolling down the street.

They pass a few buildings that still show damage from the earthquakes that rocked the city the previous year and the sound of a shout draws the fellblood's attention for a moment. Some sorry sap was being shaked down in one of the nearby alleyways, only the one doing the shaking wears legionnaire armor.

If it were a local grunt of the Count's or a lacky of a rival crime family, they could stroll up and tell them to shove off as this is well within his family's territory. But that damn armor did more than protect the body. Picking a fight with the Legion is just something they can't do right now. All they can do is watch, or walk on.

All they can do...

Is not good enough. 

Zarius takes a deep breath and looks at Mei. "Want to do something stupid?"

Mei has long since lacked a true heartbeat, but that doesn't stop it from fluttering when Zarius reaches to tuck a loose strand back into her flipped hood. A superficial breath catches in her throat for a beat; and as he pulls away, she lifts her hand to brush the same strand of hair behind her ear with a sheepish chuckle and averted gaze.

There's.... a lot that she wants - needs - to say. She should know better by now not to keep it so close to her heart, but old habits are hard to break, aren't they? The silence only amplifies the sound of the situation that she created - a situation that she isn't necessarily trying to avoid - but one which neither of them have brought up since.

She closes her eyes, sighing internally to herself while a pulse of embarrassment and shame courses through their shared rings. She flexes her hand in acknowledgement of the sensation, but doesn't bring it to light.

Charlotte, meanwhile, is not shy about her affection; her limbs wiggle a little faster when Zarius moves to pick her up. Her longest arms tip-tap against his sleeves until she finds her hold, and begins to gently climb out of his hands onto his shoulder; and once she has reached her destination, Charlotte rubs the side of her face against Zarius' beard, "Happy," she says simply; and at her declaration, Mei smiles subtly. Charlotte is very glad to bunker down on Zarius' - keeping herself lifted just slightly while she drapes herself across his shoulder.

When the fellblood declares the small arachnid their responsible party, Mei chuffs, "Hey- speak for yourself, I have never had a single issue with Ebony. I am very responsible."

Charlotte blinks her eight eyes, "But what about-"

"Char."

"That one time-"

"Shh."

"She got out and-"

"Really not helping my case here, Char; whose side are you on?"

The arachnid giggles and cloaks herself to hide sheepishly into Zarius' shoulder. Mei puffs in return as they walk towards the manor's gate, reaching out to drop her hand on Charlotte's back. "You hang out far too much with that demon we call a cat - she's teaching you all of her sass."

---

Mei's jaunty, idle commentary as they walk through the streets are occasionally interjected with softer explanations should the fellblood's attention linger too long on a change in the horizon.

Darkveil is undeniably different.

In so many ways, things have changed. Some of the changes are small, some are large; some of them are subtle, and some are blatant. She was there when everything changed; when her entire world got uprooted yet again. She had to accept it... yet, it still took too long for the new world around her to no longer feel like a nightmare. Reparations had begun before she began to truly pay attention to the details of Darkveil's destruction; for too long after Zarius' death, the world - and time - felt like it blurred around her.

Like she was stuck performing the same - the only motions - she knew just to get through each day.

...

She isn't in a rush, and she doesn't want to dwell on it.

She drags her fingertips along the wall of a nearby building as they walk past it, feeling the ridges in the brick; her gaze turns sidelong when her fingers lift, and the structural damage of Vulcadreus' rampage remains.

Her expression quirks uneasily, memories of dragging herself down this road flutter in the back of her mind, and then they're gone again when a noise sounds from the alleyway nearby. "Oh, those sons of bitches," she spits under her breath with hopes that the sheer venom will somehow curse the Legionnaires shaking down some poor shmuck in the alleyway. "They're just criminals approved by the Crown."

Her expression flickers from anger to uncertainty - because immediately, the idea of stepping in and making them regret doing this on the Rha'Oriyn's turf is the first thing that comes to mind.

But...

"Want to do something stupid?"

The inquiry rings in Mei's ears while she gazes at the scene nearby with a contemplative frown. The short answer is: duh. 'Something Stupid' is basically her middle name; but she still takes a breath of hesitation when an anxious part of her mind travels down a darker path where 'something stupid' turns into 'something worse'.

She doesn't want to pick a fight with the Legion; she can't subject Zarius or his family to her impulsive decisions. 

Mei feels her fingers shift to fidget with the ring on her other hand - a habit she's picked up since the ring's manifestation - while she contemplates.

... But if they give the Legion an inch here, they'll take the mile; and if they're feeling bold enough to come this far into their territory, they'll go farther if they can.

After a moment, Mei's expression lightens. She leans closer to Zarius and slips an arm around his shoulders to pull him in to conspire - notably, she can't feel Charlotte - which means the spider has probably found her way to the Fellblood's back. "Depends..." she whispers with a mischievous grin, "On a scale of Morrigan to Moonweaver, how stupid are we talking, here? Don't keep the details to yourself."

Mei’s emotions bleed through the ring Zarius wears. He glances towards her but doesn’t say anything as his attention is drawn to Charlotte. It's hard not to find Charlotte's little arm wiggling somewhat comical. At the same time, it is very endearing. Spiders are often thought of as creepy or scary, but how anyone could be frightened of Charlotte.

He lets her climb up onto his shoulder and nuzzle into his face. It’s still a weird sensation for him and there had been a long debate between him and Caedes over it. In the end the changeling managed to convince the fellblood to let them tackle the hairy mess with the edge of his dagger. Much to Zarius’ surprise, Caedes did a very good job making it look less like Ebony had just glued herself to his face. If being an assassin ever came to an end for the man, at least he had a future as a barber.

Course the new look did come with its drawbacks, particularly the relentless teasing from primarily Caedes. Zarius had expected Eameia to jump on board, but his sister has been oddly reserved since his return. This past year had been particularly hard on her, he almost didn’t even recognize her when he finally made it back home.

A bemused smile crosses his face as she listens to Charlotte and Caedes bicker. He’s thankful that Charlotte has been around for the changeling in his absence. He feels the large arachnid nestle herself against his neck as Mei pats her cloaked form.

At least one spider likes him.

"Well, just hope Caligo does not start taking after Ebony either. Otherwise, we will need to fireproof everything you own."

They really did not need anymore fires starting.

---

Zarius glances down at Mei’s finger. The ring on his own feels almost feels a bit tighter.

Based on the emotions he feels seeping from the silver band into his own body, he expects Mei to refuse. He knows it’s a dumb question. That last thing they should be doing is getting into a fight.

But this is their city. Their home. And every cockroach, rat, and parasite living in it are their neighbors. Ash Landers aren’t particularly good at being part of civil society, but if they can’t find community here, they can’t find it anywhere. As much as they don’t like it, they’re in this hellstorm together.

Mei then sweeps around him and pulls him into a huddle.

“On a scale of Morrigan to Moonweaver, how stupid are we talking, here?”

Zarius snorts a laugh. “That is an awful metric.”

His gaze drifts back over to the Legionnaires. Anything they did couldn’t be too crazy, they weren’t in any position to fend off the Legion should they storm up to either the Rookery or the manor.

Still, it’s not a good sign to see them this close to the manor or the Rookery. If they stayed to the docks it would be one thing, but they’ve basically got the run of the whole city now.

“We do not want to cause a panic, but perhaps we can direct their attention elsewhe-”

A clamour and scream suddenly interrupts their scheming. Looking back over to the altercation, one of the legionnaire’s is flailing about with something latched onto their face. The second legionnaire drops turns their attention away from the local and tries to aid their comrade. The local makes a break for it, running away down the alley and around the corner while they have the chance.

“Uh.”

Zarius is a bit at a loss as to what exactly is happening. What are they supposed to do now? Help the legionnaires with whatever is attacking their faces.

Whatever it is…

Attacking their faces…

Attacking their…

Oh, gods. Is that Ebony?

The tiny horror is mauling the legionnaire’s face, knocking his helmet off and working her way into the rest of his armor. The other soldier tries to help, but can't get a hold on the slippery seemingly semi-liquid creature. 

The whole scene almost makes Zarius feel pity for the poor fools. Well, almost might be generous. Maybe they can just pretend they haven't seen anything and leave them to at the cat's mercy. Then the all too familiar sound of a blade being unsheathed echoes off the alley walls. 

Nope. 

No, one hurts his cat. 

"Do not let them see you," he says to Mei before pulling the hood of his coat up and rushing towards the legionnaires.

Smoke billows out from the inside of his coat and creates a thick smoke screen to keep himself from being visible to the guards as he gets in close and knocks the drawn blade out of their hand.^[1]

---

[1] Smoldering Cape

"An awful metric for an awful idea," Mei teases under her breath. She punches the fellblood playfully in the shoulder; but as her gaze drifts from Zarius to the Legionnaires, her smirk fades. Jokes aside, this could absolutely be a mistake: the Legionnaires don't play around. She doesn't want to risk the safety of Zarius or his family. It's bad enough that they've had to turn a blind eye to their bold digressions thus far... but if they're subtle about it, maybe they can still teach them a lesson about who really runs Darkveil without reaping the ill consequences.

She glances sidelong at Zarius as he speaks, her gaze briefly tracing the lines of gold that cuts through his skin; flush, but glinting in the new light of the day. 

Death and resurrection had left its mark; but she'd always thought that gold was a suiting colour on him.

Before she could possibly reminisce or wax poetic any further, there's a clamour and scream in the alleyway. She refocuses quickly, brows furrowing as she stands tall to look in the direction of the Legionnaires - one of them is flailing about wildly, while the other tries to aid him. "The hell just happened?" she asks, narrowing her eyes.

It looks like a creature from here; pitch black, dark as the void; slippery as a snake, seemingly liquid - all teeth and claws.

...

Mei suddenly chokes on a laugh, "Are you fucking kidding me?" she whispers in disbelief, "Is that your cat?"

Ebony.

Gods above, it's the creature; and she's just unleashing hell on these Legionnaires. If Mei didn't hold such a grudge against them, she might feel pity; instead, she feels grateful... and perhaps a little intimidated. The whole scene really makes it feel like Ebony's frequent attempts to consume her ankles is, in every sense, 'taking it easy on her'.

"Gods, we may not have to do anything at this rate." she chuckles, "Ebby's going to eat those men alive." But then, the echoes of a blade being unsheathed sends a chill up her spine; and her expression and posture shift slightly.

Ebony is a pain in the ass; but she's still a part of the Rha'Oriyn. She's her pain in the ass.

"Please, you know me better than that." Mei puffs at Zarius' back; but as she breaks away and sweeps into the shadows, she can't hide the anxiety that spikes in her chest. It's his first time really out of the house; the first time he's seen combat past his training in this new body, as far as she knows.

Granted, bullying a couple of Legionnaires is a far cry from real combat.

He'll be okay.

... but Miss Aubrey is totally going to kick her ass when she finds out about this.

Mei vanishes into the shadows, skirting the wall to join Zarius' bid to save the little void-like menace that lives in his home. The clatter of metal hitting the cobblestone echoes through the alleyway; she can hear the cat hissing, and the frantic squabbles between the Legionnaires trying to figure out what happened - and how the gods-damned cat disarmed them.

As dark smoke pours from behind the Legionnaire's ⁽¹⁾, a pair of shadowed claws reach from the darkness and rests on one of the Legionnaire's shoulders - the companion, specifically - and the chill of undeath takes his breath for just a moment. ⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ A wave of dizziness falls across him, and his efforts to bat - punch - flail wildly at the cat come to a halt; one hand goes to his head, while he stumbles forwards into the wall, seeking some kind of support.

---

(1) Smouldering Cape

(2) Vampiric Touch

(3) Frozen Solid

Gods be damned. These rings make everything a little more complicated. He can feel Mei's anxiety mixing with his own self doubt that has rooted itself deep in him since coming to the realization that the world kept turning and moved on without him.

He knows he's not as strong as he once was. This body, though holding together, sat in a closet inert for months. It even cracked as his soul was bound back within it. They really do not have a good understanding of just how fragile this vessel is, and it isn't like they can figure that out with the original author of the ritual nowhere to be found. While Askr is a good reference for just how much a body like this could handle, there would always be a lingering uncertainty.

Not that any other body wouldn't have come with its own unknowns. Each and every body is capable of breaking in hundreds of ways and sometimes without no explanation. Such is life. And having a second chance at it is nothing to have gripes about, especially at the cost it came at. 

Zarius isn't interested in taking unnecessary risks. He wasn't reckless in his first life, and he certainly wasn't going to start being in his second. In the case that his physical capabilities never return to what they once were, he's already given some thought into how to compensate for his current limitations. Plans to commission Del for some light armor were already considered, as was relying more on a weapon he got his hands on years ago but just never really felt the need to wield. Anything to give him a bit of an edge and keep himself safe for everyone's sake. 

While he didn't have those things yet, he did have some tricks up his sleeves still. And even though he's a bit rusty and his body is unfamiliar, he still knows how to handle himself in theory. 

Plus, he's not alone.

Seeing the legionnaire he disarmed disappear in another cloud of smoke, Zarius leaves him in Mei's capable hands while he focuses on the one being eaten alive by one angry cat. He manages to grab the man's arm and swings him around to slam him against the wall of the nearest building. 

"Agh!" he grunts from the impact before choking on the smoke. 

While he's disoriented and gasping for air, Zarius grips onto the scruff of the cat and pulls her free from the man's armor. Ebony is less than thrilled and lets out an angry hiss and swipes her unsheathed claws at the legionnaire.

The fellblood tucks the vicious ball of fur under his arm then swings the legionnaire back around and into his companion who is suffering the touch of death. The two tin cans clank together and stumble back out of the clouds of smoke, only to look up with watering eyes to see two pinpricks of gold glaring out of the gloom at them with murderous intent. 

"Run." 

The legionnaires, blindsided by this attack on their persons by powers unknown to them, quake in their boots with inexplicable fear.^[1] They scramble away and flee the scene with their what's left of their dignity after being defeated by an alley cat of all foes. 

After a few moments, the smoke clears and Zarius is left standing there with Ebony footballed under his arm. Watching the Crown's best and most fearsome armed forces turn tail and run leaves him with a satisfied smirk on his face...which does not last long as the cat in his arms squirms out of his hold and decides to return the favor and latch onto his chin. 

"Owowowowowowow!" Zarius tries to pry the cat off his own face, but the effort is futile as she gloms on and refuses to let go. 

Through a mouthful of fur, the fellblood calls to Mei. "A little help!" 

---

[1] Looming Fear

Through the thick smoke, the fellblood's golden eyes glint; and Mei feels a chill up her own spine as he utters a single word, bidding them to flee. With an unseen smirk, she bids the shadows to cross the alley - tripping up the legionnaires as they scramble and attempt to flee from him. ⁽¹⁾ Metal echoes off the walls as the tin cans tumble and hit the cobblestone on top of one another; their boots scrape the ground frantically, and metal clashes against metal as they push and stumble from the scene; their spitting expletives fade into the distance as they make their escape at the mercy of one very angry cat.

A discarded helmet rattles as it shudders to a stop on the pavement as the only reminder that the legionnaires were ever there. After a moment of silence, soft laughter fills the quiet; Mei steps from the shadows and dispersing smoke to pick up the abandoned helmet with a curled finger. "Chickens of the Crown," she scoffs, adjusting the helmet to gaze into its empty hull spitefully. "Bested by a cat."

... and then, immediately, Zarius starts sputtering.

Mei can't help but choke on a laugh; and, seeing the opportunity for mischief while Ebony gloms onto him, she crosses her arms with a smile, "What's the magic word, Zarius?" she asks, a sing-song flair to her words while Zarius proceeds to get mauled; of course, she doesn't actually intend to let Zarius suffer if he refuses to say 'please'.

Well, maybe just a little.

Mei is in no rush when she heads back to the fellblood, gathering the interior of her cloak between her fingers to use as a barrier against Ebony's vengeful claws that she knows will be coming for her. "Come on, Ebby," she croons, narrowing her eyes while she judges her angle of attack on the collapsing black hole stuck to Zarius' face. "I know the man's got a rat on his face, but cut him a little slack." With her angle decided, she tries to grab the liquid darkness to pry her off of the fellblood. "Look, I've even got you a nice helmet for you to sleep in! Or, maim! Whatever your preference, you little menace."

---

(1) Spidersilk