Holier Than Thou

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smirked, but he felt proud when Atul commended them. There was something about being congratulated by a friend, genuinely, that meant a lot. The people who had witnessed their ceremony had been supportive, but those weren't his people. Strictly speaking, Vlad didn't really have people, but Atul was an exception. The man had saved his life. No...his soul.

"Come sit down. We'll rebuild the fire," he said smoothly.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled, taking Atul's arm and leading him to the overstuffed chair near the fire. She took her own seat on the edge of the bed, pulling up the covers and draping them around her shoulders until Vlad could get the fire rebuilt.

Atul smiled, taking the seat offered to him. He glanced around the room, admiring the Ighten architecture. Then, his eyes rested on Vlad, and finally Tenele. "Its very odd, being here. I'm glad. Its just funny how things work out."

"Yes, it is." Tenele agreed.

[Soran Nightblade]

It was a long time before they finally ran out of subjects vital to catch up on. Eventually, all of them ended up calmly watching the fire burn. The queen had food sent up to their room. Vlad moved to spread out on the bed with the ritual he was deciphering while the others were being served lunch. The vampire looked quite odd when he was being studious, languidly stretched on his side across the bed with a writing stick in his hand while he pored over the tiny notes neatly scripted across the page.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele glanced up from her food to watch Vlad as he worked away at the ritual. She wasn't sure how long she'd been staring at him, or what her expression seemed like, but as soon as the servants left Atul let out a heavy sigh.

"You seem distracted about something, Tenele," he muttered, taking a polite bite out of his food. "Something wrong?"

Tenele averted her gaze from watching Vlad and to Atul's handsome face. She thought that maybe in some way he did look like his father, but his kindness, the softness of his eyes and his gentle smile... She would have never of guessed that he and Verin were kin unless he told her.

She shook her head with a smile. "Its a long story," she admitted to him. "One best told later."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad was reading about an hour later when he stopped, his writing stick hovering just over the paper. A look of confusion crossed his face, and he went back to the top of his notes, scanning over them with the tip of the stick. He stared at them another minute longer, blinked, and tried going up a third time.

No...he wasn't wrong. It actually said...

The vampire sat back on the blankets and stared at the book like he'd never seen one before.

[Emora Deen]

When Atul finished his last story Tenele was near in tears with laughter. She placed a hand over her chest and took a deep calming breath. "Oh dear," she whispered. "My cheeks hurt now."

Atul chuckled. "Sorry." His eyes drifted to Vlad. "That book must be infinitely interesting..." He scratched his his chin. "You've been at it for a while."

"Why don't you step away from it, Vlad? Its okay..." He'd been so wrapped up in it lately, she was worried he was obsessed.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad looked over at them. He sighed and drew himself up off the bed, closing the book so he wouldn't have to look at it. He seemed unfocused and almost sullen as he crossed the room to join them by the fire.

All that research, to get so close, only to find this. He tried to pay attention to the conversation, but his mind kept wandering back to his research.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele frowned at him, reaching out and rubbing his arm. "Hey," she whispered, leaning towards him. "Are you okay?"

Atul sighed, sitting back in his chair. "Okay," he muttered, placing his hands on his legs. His eyes lifted to Vlad, and then Tenele. "Somethings wrong. I know it is none of my business, but I'm your friend. You can tell me. If its anything I can help with, I'll do everything in my power to help you. So what's wrong?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad jerked his eyes up, regaining focus on Tenele and Atul. He didn't want to bring this up right now, when they were finally getting some peaceful time together. But he knew perfectly well he wouldn't be any kind of company until he explained what was happening.

"Verin's after Tenele," the vampire said darkly. Even the plain wording left a rotten taste in his mouth. "He's made advances on her already, and he will be back."

[Emora Deen]

Atul blinked at Vlad's words, casting his gaze to Tenele, who sat very quiet and very stiff next to her husband. His vision narrowed, his face growing stern. "Tenele?"

Tenele lifted her green gaze to him, nodding. "I'm sorry, I was avoiding it. I didn't want to bring it up. Not now, when you only just arrived."

"Why on earth is he after her?" Atul muttered. He stood up, motioning to Vlad. "Verin seemed hell-bent on you."

"Remember those stories you told me in the Outerlands?" Tenele explained. "Of why I had to cover my silver hair, and the legends of the curse Verin placed on Attara?"

"Yes, but you're not her," Atul almost chuckled.

"No..." Tenele glanced to Vlad. "Apparently she's my mother."

Atul sat back down very slowly, as if Tenele had suddenly poofed into the room with her hair on fire. "I see," seemed to be the only thing he could manage. "When did you find out?"

"Not long ago," Tenele explained, turning her attention to Vlad. "Vlad's been looking for a way to deal with it before Verin's current game gets much worst. It seems to be heading in that direction quicker than either of us were prepared for. At first I wasn't sure if he was playing mind games or if he was serious, but now I know better. I really am sorry to tell you this."

"No, I'm glad you did!" Atul reached out and placed a hand on Tenele's shoulder. "But, you're in a lot of trouble, Tenele. A lot of trouble."

Tenele's vision blurred. "I know."

[Soran Nightblade]

"I found a spell, one that can merge the power of multiple beings," Vlad said. "But now that I'm further along in the translation, I've found that it requires the souls to be permanently joined." He shook his head. "I thought I could ask Queenie, but there's no way either of us could do such a thing. To be connected like that permanently... She would never corrupt her power by joining it to a vampire's, even if I wanted to be connected to her." He made a face and pressed a palm to his forehead in frustration.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele's frown deepened and she stood up from her seat, going to her husband. She wrapped her arms around him and drew him in from where he sat, placing her cheek against the top of his head. "Its okay," she whispered to him quietly, fighting to keep her emotions in check. She knew what this meant to him. "We'll find some other way."

Atul watched him thoughtfully, before his eyes fell on the fire. "Would I do?" he asked quietly. "You obviously can't corrupt my soul given that I'm half god. It would be the least I could do for you, since it is my father who is after your wife." Atul's gaze narrowed on the fire. "You both mean a great deal to me. I want to help you, so if you think I'll do, I'm volunteering."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad paused and looked at Atul carefully. The man's words stuck in his thoughts. He was willing to help them, so easily. "Your words mean a great deal to me, my friend," he said quietly, looking a little stunned by it. "But this is not something to jump into lightly... One or both of our identities could cease to exist."

[Emora Deen]

Atul smirked, placing his elbows on his knees and leaning forward. He clasped his hands together. "What are the options?" Atul's gaze analysed the grooves in the stone floor thoughtfully. "Verin doesn't hurt, he destroys. He rips things apart because he can and because it pleases him. If he gets his hands on her, if he can get her to his realm... I've lost one woman because of him, I won't lose another."

Atul blinked. "Not that I'm saying you're my woman or anything," he corrected.

Despite the conversation, Tenele felt a smile at the startled expression the King of the Outerlands wore.

"I'm willing to risk it, if it keeps her safe," Atul continued. "She's worth it. You both are."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smirked. He knew Atul had some feelings for Tenele, but for some reason, it didn't really bother him the way it should. Heck, when he'd been on the verge of insanity under Verin's control, he'd wished for them to find each other in that way.

Now, he was saying he would risk his very identity to help her. The vampire thought hard over everything he'd studied the past few days. There had to be a way. "If you are truly willing," he said, raising a truly grateful look to the demigod, "I will do some more research. There must be a way to make the joining safer. If I perform the spell unmodified, one of us may absorb the other, or we could merge into something different from either of us. And if it works as I think it will, no one, including Sinead, will be strong enough to pull us apart again. There must be a way to make it temporary. With just a bit more research."